Jacques Villeneuve scored the first victory of his Formula 1 career in only his fourth race, the 1996 European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring. His Williams team-mate Damon Hill led the World Championship as the teams headed to Imola for the San Marino Grand Prix.
Hill Wins Again in San Marino Grand Prix
There was a surprise in qualifying at Imola, as Michael Schumacher claimed pole for Ferrari. Hill was right there, second fastest in the Williams. Villeneuve started third, David Coulthard fourth, Jean Alesi fifth, Eddie Irvine sixth and Gerhard Berger seventh. During the morning warm-up session before the Grand Prix Alesi crashed his Benetton heavily.
Coulthard made an incredible start, as he had done at the previous race in Germany. From fourth on the grid he led the race, pursued by Schumacher. Hill was happy to sit in third, content in the knowledge that the two cars ahead of him were light on fuel. When Coulthard and Schumacher pitted Hill took the lead and went on to dominate the rest of the afternoon.
Schumacher managed to get past Coulthard during the pit stops, but Villeneuve had a race to forget. On the opening lap he became embroiled in a fierce battle with Alesi, which resulted in contact and a puncture for the French-Canadian. He eventually retired from the race. Coulthard also dropped out of the Grand Prix, with a hydraulic failure. Hill won easily form Schumacher, with Berger completing the podium. Irvine was fourth in the other Ferrari, Rubens Barrichello fifth and Alesi sixth.
Panis Wins Incredible Monaco Grand Prix for Ligier
Schumacher made up for the deficiencies of his Ferrari F310 at Monaco, putting together a superb lap to grab pole position from Hill. Alesi and Berger were also quick, the Benetton drivers sharing the second row with Alesi ahead. Coulthard was a fine fifth in his McLaren and Barrichello sixth for Jordan.
The Grand Prix started on a damp track and everyone started on wet tyres, except Jos Verstappen. The Dutchman’s race lasted as far as the first corner. Schumacher didn’t get much further, crashing out of second place on lap one. Barrichello also found the conditions tricky and had an accident later in the lap.
Hill pulled away at the front, but what looked like a certain victory was taken from him when his Renault engine failed. Alesi led for a while, before retiring with suspension damage. Towards the end only four cars were left, and it was Ligier driver Olivier Panis who judged the changeable conditions best, changing tyres at the perfect moment. From 14th on the grid the Frenchman came through to win what turned out to be the only Formula 1 victory of his career. Coulthard finished second and Johnny Herbert was third for Sauber. Heinz-Harald Frentzen, in the other Sauber, was fourth. Despite retiring from the race Mika Salo and Mika Hakkinen were classified fifth and sixth respectively.
Formula 1 season review continues.
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