Monako'98: Esteban Tuero

Race #620: 24 may 1998. At The Monaco Grand Prix. Monte Carlo
Pole Mika Hakkinen (McLaren MP4-13) - 1. 19,798 (151,898 km/h)
Best lap Mika Hakkinen (McLaren MP4-13) - 1. 22,948 (146,130 km/h)
The winner Mika Hakkinen (McLaren MP4-13) - 1:51. 23,595 (141,458 km/h)

To the stage in Monaco the balance of power in the peloton had not called nikakis issues. The new machine Adrian Newey, bearing the name of the McLaren MP4-13, time allowed some time which explored the shade of the leaders of the team of Ron Dennis to go in the sole favorites. To keep up with Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard in the first five races could do what Michael Schumacher, and on major holidays.

In the Principality of holiday the German's did not. Series of breakdowns and accidents in training did not allow the leader of the Ferrari really prepare for qualification, the result of which was only the fourth place. To get to McLaren, now wanted to get ahead of another rider Benetton's Giancarlo the Fisichella. It can be had, by and large, only in the moment of the start.

However, to play at least one position Schumacher failed. Moreover, the status quo in the four strongest survived completely. Hakkinen and Coulthard immediately disappeared over the horizon, and Michael waited pit-stops. But even before visiting the boxes fate made the driver a nice gift: at the exit of the tunnel motor vehicles David Coulthard took over the flames.

Having been in the pits, Schumacher managed to leave behind Fisichella. And the leader at the time was clearly not catch up, the second position is always better than fourth. There was, however, one caveat: in fact, at that moment the pilot of Ferrari was third, just a few seconds ahead of her race Vedas F1 debutant Alex Wurz, who in the boxes was not yet.

Michael caught up with the young Austrian, while followed him, and when the racer Benetton slightly hesitated when overtaking pie - with lightning speed rushed to the attack in the famous hairpin at the hotel. However, Alexander was not timid, and for three turns resisted with all her strength. Machine a few times pretty hard touched wheels, but eventually overtaking was held.

However, rejoiced fans of Schumacher early. Before the end of the round red car began to wear on the highway, she obviously didn't listen to the pilot. A brief examination in the boxes showed that it is necessary to change one of the levers rear potoski. Michael climbed out of the cockpit, but on his way appeared stocky figure of Ross Brawn. Technical Director decisive motioned for the pilot to return to the workplace. This Monaco, and the race should continue after repairs.

A few laps later, camera, located on the outskirts of tonnedâ, snatched the flying across the road Benetton without the two front wheels. The car also got and Wurz suspension eventually crumbled in a very dangerous place. After a series of strokes Alex had to be chosen, as a matter of fact, from bare monokoka.

This intrigue was almost exhausted. Mika Hakkinen, even dropping at the end of the speed, still ahead of Giancarlo the Fisichella for about ten more seconds, won the fourth victory in six races. For Finn, who had won just one Grand Prix for seven years, the road to the title was open.

Fisichella has proved once again that he is a true expert in Monaco, well rounded out the top three Eddie Irvine: the pilot of Ferrari during the race came together with Heinz-Harald Princedom in the same place and his companion with Wurzel. But then I got an easier filigree sending Williams German metal barrier.
Interesting. . .
During the race at a slow right hand turn at the Rascasse restaurant, there were two doopity episode. First, Mika Hakkinen, very little lost concentration, touched there by the wheel-rail fence. The touch was pretty hard, but McLaren confidently continued. And later as a similar mistake was made and Fisichella. Moreover, in this case, Benetton and just thrown several meters and turned 180 degrees! But the Italian, as if nothing had happened, continued the race.

Starting last, before the outcome of the first round flew off the track and crashed the car a young Argentine Esteban, Tuero, speaking in that season for the team Minardi. He has not left a bright trace in the annals of Great Prizes, but its history, without a doubt, worth it to dwell on it in detail.

This guy was all to spend in serious races long and (not excluded) successful career. Rich family, the father, in love with Motorsport - they even lived two blocks from the circuit name Oscar Galvez, and the boy heard the roar of engines.

Tuero Senior knew-in sports decides everything. Because already in the seven years he seated his son behind the wheel of a map, Esteban was already 14 pilot formulas, and at 15 he went to conquer Europe. The Argentine prodigy-so it came to be called soon. And it was for that.

Winning to warm up winter Cup Formula Renault 2. 0, he ended up in the Italian formula 3. First race debutant finished fourth in the second won. About Esteban started talking even in the Paddock in F1-rumours that such vivid performances are interested in Benetton and Giancarlo Minardi invited tinejdžeru to become a test pilot when he grows up a little.

In Monaco Tuero started the race second F3, behind Jarno Trulli. And after a violent struggle managed to leave the Italian behind! It is a pity that the car crash was not allowed to win, but Argentina was already preparing to welcome their future star in the Big Prizes.

In the middle of 1996, someone advised me his father Esteban throw performances in Formula 3 and immediately, in the midst of the championship, go to F. So young rider, who was just 18 years old, was behind the roll of 500-horsepower machines. And now such cases are the exception rather than the rule, and even then it was a real sensation.

However, the results in this Crowne was much more modest. Be interested in such somebody was difficult because it was taken quite a wise decision for a year to go to Japan. In their Formula Nippon, the Argentine also earned just one point, it was already possible to qualify for a Superlicense. So not entered in the third decade athlete was in the cockpit Minardi.

At that time, Tuero was the third in the list of most young F1 drivers. Yes, he had the weakest machine in the peloton, but Fernando Alonso also started once your career Giancarlo Minardi. Now everything depended on the pilot.

In Australia and Brazil failed machine, and then in the calendar included the Grand Prix of Argentina. To support Esteban came all: father, mother, the whole family, distant and close relatives, neighbors and friends. Carlos Reutemann and other local celebrities also came to shake his hand.

On Friday, the young pilot made a crash with Williams Franzen, and shortly before the finish of the race, sharply tapping the brake on wet asphalt, trebisht has rascality machine.

Then, however, he finished eighth in Imola, and in Canada could expect and more, but in his Minardi crashed behind Jacques Villeneuve. Then there were meetings, and an accident, and quite rare times. In General, adjusted for the level of the machine is a normal debut season, especially when the pilot is not even 20 years old.

At the final Grand Prix of Japan Tuero again got into trouble, against the Tyrrell local pilot Tora Takagi. By the way, the debris of the collision did not allow Michael Schumacher to win that season title. Esteban has damaged the neck - and because the season has ended, he decided to go to his native Buenos Aires, where to rest and to heal.

Throughout the winter in the European press guesswork about what will be the continuation of the Prodigy's career. But week after week, and took place from Argentina had no news. Finally, someone from correspondents phoned me to racer and was much amazed his response: Anything I say and don't call me anymore.

However, vassilas not immediately and was bitter and sad. The Trustee family, which Tuero senior commissioned to conduct the Affairs of the son, deftly moving a lot of sponsorship money to the personal account in the far offshore, fled in an unknown direction. . .

Esteban has long played in different races, and he is now in the ranks - but almost never left the confines of their home country. Career Prodigy in F1 ended in an age when most pilots have not pausley on debut in the Grand Prix. He was only 20 years old.