Hakkinen Wins Canadian Grand Prix.
Mika Hakkinen took his third win of the year in Montreal, capitalising on a major mistake by championship leader Michael Schumacher to secure ten points and replace the German at the top of the table.
Schumacher had led from the time the lights went out, restarting strongly after two early pace car periods, but slid into the wall at the chicane midway through the race. Hakkinen, trailing the Ferrari by some three seconds at the time, gratefully inherited the advantage, and held on to the chequered flag.
Mika Hakkinen took his third win of the year in Montreal, capitalising on a major mistake by championship leader Michael Schumacher to secure ten points and replace the German at the top of the table.
Schumacher had led from the time the lights went out, restarting strongly after two early pace car periods, but slid into the wall at the chicane midway through the race. Hakkinen, trailing the Ferrari by some three seconds at the time, gratefully inherited the advantage, and held on to the chequered flag.
Behind the Finn, David Coulthard and Eddie Irvine removed themselves from victory contention by tangling at turn one, although the Irishman recovered in fighting style to take third spot. The place should have belonged to Benetton's Giancarlo Fisichella, but the Italian was promoted to second after race-long rival Heinz-Harald Frentzen also spun out. The German appeared to be trapped in his car, and so the race - which had three laps to run - became the first in F1 history to finish behind the Safety Car.
A detailed report and full results will follow shortly.....
