Mika Hakkinen wins F1 world title in Adrian Newey's first McLaren, as sweeping rule changes bring grooved tyres and narrow-track cars • Damon Hill wins his last and Jordan's first race, in the rain at Spa • Tyrrell's last grand prix before becoming BAR which later became Honda, then Brawn and now Mercedes • Rising Colombian star Juan Pablo Montoya wins the F3000 championship • Dale Earnhardt finally wins the Daytona 500, Jeff Gordon takes the series title - the third of his four • Alex Zanardi seals back-to-back CART titles before announcing an F1 return with Williams for 1999 • Former F1 racer Eddie Cheever wins the IRL-run Indy 500 • McLaren introduces the first two-seater F1 car • Allan McNish wins his first Le Mans alongside Laurent Aiello and Stephane Ortelli at Porsche • Tommi Makinen wins the third of his four successive WRC titles with Mitsubishi • Jenson Button wins the McLaren AUTOSPORT BRDC Award
1998
Mika Hakkinen wins his first Formula 1 world championship for McLaren
Alex Zanardi seals back-to-back Champ Car crowns
Laurent Aiello, Allan McNish and Stephane Ortelli win Le Mans in a Porsche 911-GT1
Damon Hill claims his final grand prix win at Spa
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