1998 · TECHNICAL
1998 Technical Regulations
1998 delivered one of the decade's biggest aesthetic and performance resets. Maximum car width was cut from 2000 mm to 1800 mm, making the cars visibly narrower. Grooved dry tyres were mandated — three longitudinal grooves on the front tyres and four on the rears — replacing the slicks that had been standard for over two decades. Both measures aimed to cut cornering speeds and increase driver margin. McLaren-Mercedes (MP4-13, Hakkinen/Coulthard) dominated the early season and Hakkinen won his first title.
Narrower cars — 1800mm max width
Track width (the distance across the axles) was reduced by cutting the maximum car width from 2000 mm to 1800 mm. The narrower stance reduced mechanical grip and produced cars that looked noticeably leaner in photos from 1998 onward. The 1800 mm width would persist through the 2016 season before the 2017 reset returned cars to wider track.
Key changes
- Maximum car width: 2000mm → 1800mm.
Grooved dry tyres introduced
For the first time since the pre-slicks era, F1 dry tyres carried mandated circumferential grooves — three on the fronts, four on the rears. The ostensible goal was cutting mechanical grip (and thus cornering speed) without limiting straight-line performance. Tyre manufacturers adapted construction aggressively; Bridgestone and Goodyear in 1998 produced some of the widest-range compounds of the decade.
Key changes
- 3 grooves front, 4 grooves rear mandated on dry tyres.
Last updated: 2026-04-24
This summary is editorial material prepared by F1pedia for general F1 audiences. It is not a legal reference. For binding rule text, consult the official FIA document.