Extremely wet and wild
August 25, 2018 1:51 PM   Subscribe

A huge startline pile-up. One team's first win. The leader gets taken out in the most dramatic way. Almost fisticuffs! Controversial team orders. This month marks the 20th anniversary of the 1998 Belgian Grand Prix, possibly the most dramatic race ever held. Relive the drama, with some added comedy [slightly NSFW].

Bonus
- review without comedy, including better coverage of the start.
- Coulthard and Schumacher in happier times.
posted by Juso No Thankyou (18 comments total) 5 users marked this as a favorite
 
Well, I hadn't remembered it, but now I re-read the synopsis, yes, I did watch it at the time. It was very memorable. And I liked Jordan at the time, so of course I was nostalgic about the team orders bit at the end.

So much to it.
posted by ambrosen at 3:48 PM on August 25, 2018 [1 favorite]


I havn't thought about this race in a long time. I was a Schumi fan, being young and foolish, and didn't really care for Hill because of '94 when Hill's Williams was clearly superior to the Benneton of Schumacher.

Now however, I'm less enamored of Schumacher and his win-at-any-cost approach to racing, while appreciating Hill as a true gentleman of the sport.

I probably hated the outcome back in '98, but love it today.
posted by Ickster at 4:03 PM on August 25, 2018 [1 favorite]


God that comedy clip is hilarious, the perfect documentary for me. Seems like the kind of content that used to be more prevalent but podcasts and bog-standard YouTubers killed it.

Not to derail into a generic F1 thread, but when did these high-nose cars start coming out?
posted by rhizome at 6:06 PM on August 25, 2018


when did these high-nose cars start coming out?

Early 90s, although I'm too lazy to research an exact year. I remember that in '94, Benneton was using the high nose, but most others hadn't made the leap yet.
posted by Ickster at 9:07 PM on August 25, 2018 [2 favorites]


DAVID COULTHARD YOU FUCKING LEGEND!

I lol'd.
posted by Ickster at 9:16 PM on August 25, 2018 [2 favorites]


Now however, I'm less enamored of Schumacher and his win-at-any-cost approach to racing, while appreciating Hill as a true gentleman of the sport.

A true gentleman, who effectively forced a processional team order finish by threatening a crash if his teammate tried to overtake him.
posted by Dysk at 1:53 AM on August 26, 2018


I'm a bit late to say this because the race starts in 10 minutes, but if anyone's interested in watching it live, go here. Ace player recommended, but there are also online streams.

Because I assume the occasion for this post is the 10 year anniversary of the Belgian GP, which is today.
posted by Pyrogenesis at 5:58 AM on August 26, 2018


A true gentleman, who effectively forced a processional team order finish by threatening a crash if his teammate tried to overtake him.

That's Eddie Jordan's version, anyway. He's been pushing this line for ages, but if you listen to the actual words, you could also intetrpet them to match Damon's version (from his autobiography) - he meant what he said literally, without the threat that Jordan read into it.
posted by Urtylug at 6:13 AM on August 26, 2018


Even taken literally, it is a threat. Like, not necessarily a threat that he'd do it on purpose, but nevertheless a warning that if team orders weren't implemented, a crash was likely.
posted by Dysk at 7:45 AM on August 26, 2018 [1 favorite]


Pity today's race was so dull (except for the crash at the start).
posted by Urtylug at 7:59 AM on August 26, 2018 [1 favorite]


Crash at the beginning. Picture.
posted by Pyrogenesis at 8:30 AM on August 26, 2018 [1 favorite]


Thanks to everyone who insisted on the haloes. Watching people die blows.
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 8:50 AM on August 26, 2018 [3 favorites]


Yes, GCU Sweet and Full of Grace, it's good to have haloes. I remember watching the 98 crash at the start as it happened, and having a horrible sinking feeling that I'd just seen people be horribly or even fatally injured. It astonished me that everyone walked away from it. When today's crash happened, I wasn't even that worried for anyone's safety, which in its own way is as astonishing.
posted by YoungStencil at 10:17 AM on August 26, 2018 [2 favorites]


I was actually briefly surprised when it was mentioned in commentary that the halo was introduced this year. Despite watching the F1 for a decade, I've just gotten so used to it.
posted by Dysk at 1:46 PM on August 26, 2018


It was a very effective demonstration of why the halo is there, but it's unclear whether it being there prevented any injury today. Certain people (e.g. Crofty) were instinctively over-stating it so much I almost wanted to believe the opposite for a moment, but the halo did at least take some damage. Charlie Whiting is more convincing.
posted by sfenders at 3:06 PM on August 26, 2018 [1 favorite]


It's clear that the halo took a big hit, but that doesn't necessarily mean Leclerc's head would've without it. But if it wasn't this time that the halo made the difference, it'll have been a matter of inches, and there is always going to be a next time. Hell yes halo.
posted by Dysk at 3:40 PM on August 26, 2018 [1 favorite]


Really enjoyed this. I started watching F1 around then so Spa '98 is my reference point for mad pile-ups, team maiden wins/1-2s, racing in torrential rain, etc. It really is a miracle that no-one was seriously hurt in the crash, although Barrichello had an arm injury I seem to recall? As for the "other incident", for years afterwards in my family memorialised it by using the phrase "Coulthard, you tried to kill me!" in an ambiguous European accent whenever acted against in some small way or other (trailing Playstation controller leads in the living room, serving up sausages a day past their Use By date, etc). The video forgot to mention that Damon Hill looked a right plum up on the podium with his sticky tape still on his ear yet he didn't care and why should he?

On classic '90s rain affected races, I still need to see the legendary '96 wet Monaco (deliberately glossing over details), that's my "one that got away" which I always heard about when I first got into F1, involved the cohort of drivers I knew and yet still haven't seen. What have I been doing with the last 20 years of my life I ask myself?
posted by I'm always feeling, Blue at 9:39 PM on August 27, 2018


On classic '90s rain affected races

Spain 1996 and Japan 1994 would be my picks for re-watches. I'd much rather see those races again than try to watch any of current F1. Licensing be damned, even this new online streaming thing is entirely fucking useless in my region, and when I do watch there's precious little in the way of proper racing or real personalities. For now I've found Formula E is far more entertaining, and right there on youtube when I have a spare hour.
posted by Juso No Thankyou at 3:59 AM on August 28, 2018


« Older it is absolutely a full time job, dealing with...   |   The golden age of paleontology Newer »


This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments