WATCH: Most chaotic race of F1 history when 11 cars crashed at Belgian Grand Prix in 1998

The 1998 Belgian Grand Prix, held at the renowned Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, remains one of the most memorable and chaotic races in Formula 1 history. As the 13th race of the season, it featured an unprecedented 11-car crash, marking the largest pile-up ever seen in the sport. Despite the chaos, the race ultimately concluded with Jordan driver Damon Hill securing a historic victory.

Qualifying Drama and Wet Conditions

McLaren's dominance was evident during qualifying, with Mika Häkkinen clinching his ninth pole position of the season, followed by his teammate David Coulthard. Damon Hill, driving for Jordan, surprised everyone by securing third place on the grid, outperforming the Ferrari duo of Michael Schumacher and Eddie Irvine.

The Infamous First Lap Pile-Up

As the race began under treacherous conditions, visibility was severely compromised due to the spray from the wet track. Coulthard's slow start allowed Hill and the Ferraris to overtake him. However, chaos ensued at the second turn when Coulthard's car spun and collided with the trackside wall.

Here is the video:

Complete and utter chaos at Spa 😖



One of Formula 1's most shocking race starts which saw 11 cars retired, but fortunately all drivers were ok#F1 #BelgianGP pic.twitter.com/PJqjce5Blt

— Formula 1 (@F1) July 24, 2024

He rebounded into the oncoming traffic. The resulting pile-up involved 11 cars, with debris and wheels scattered across the track. Miraculously, all drivers escaped serious injury, but the race was red-flagged to clear the extensive debris.

Dramatic restart of the Belgian Grand Prix

An hour later, the race restarted with Häkkinen leading, but he soon spun at La Source, colliding with Johnny Herbert's Sauber, leading to their immediate retirements. Coulthard also suffered a collision but managed to rejoin the race at the back of the pack.

This turn of events allowed Hill to take the lead, followed closely by Schumacher, who showcased his driving prowess by overtaking Hill on lap 8 and building a substantial lead. The race took another dramatic turn on lap 25.

Schumacher, with a significant lead, attempted to lap Coulthard. Miscommunication and poor visibility led to Coulthard slowing down abruptly, resulting in Schumacher crashing into the back of the McLaren. The collision forced both drivers to retire, and a furious Schumacher confronted Coulthard in the pits, escalating the incident further.

With Schumacher out of the race, Hill regained the lead, followed by his teammate Ralf Schumacher. A late safety car deployment added to the tension, and team orders instructed Hill to let Ralf pass due to his faster pace.

Hill, however, refused, asserting that either he would win, or both would retire. The Jordan team eventually decided to maintain their positions, allowing Hill to secure the first victory for the Irish team and his final career win.