Jacques Villeneuve confirmed himself as the 1997 Formula 1 World Championship favourite, winning two of the first three Grands Prix. Over the next couple of races, however, a challenge to his domination would emerge in the shape of Michael Schumacher and Ferrari.
Frentzen’s First Grand Prix Win at Imola
The fourth round of the season was the San Marino Grand Prix at Imola, a circuit forever associated with the tragic deaths of Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna. Williams, as expected, were the team to beat in qualifying. Villeneuve took pole, with his team-mate Frentzen second. Michael Schumacher was third for Ferrari, while Olivier Panis continued to surprise many by qualifying his Prost fourth.
Villeneuve led the early stage of the race, while Michael Schumacher vigorously defended second place from Frentzen. At one point the German ran completely off the track, but still the Williams driver could not find a way past. Frentzen’s opportunity came at the first round of pit stops, when he was the last of the top three to pull in. When he emerged he was in the lead of the race, and went on to score his first ever Formula 1 victory.
The other Williams, driven by Villeneuve, succumbed to gearbox failure. Michael Schumacher finished second, and his Ferrari team-mate Eddie Irvine also made it onto the podium in third. Giancarlo Fisichella was fourth for Jordan, Jean Alesi fifth and Mika Hakkinen sixth.
Schumacher’s Monaco Grand Prix Masterclass
Michael Schumacher, who had won the Monaco Grand Prix twice previously, had to settle for second on the grid behind Frentzen’s pole-sitting Williams. Villeneuve was third, Fisichella fourth, David Coulthard fifth and Ralf Schumacher sixth.
The race started on a damp track, and Michael Schumacher chose the perfect set-up, while the Williams drivers opted for slicks. The German ended the first lap over six seconds ahead of his nearest challenger. On lap two Coulthard spun and caused a chain reaction which eliminated his McLaren team-mate Hakkinen and defending World Champion Damon Hill.
Due to the wet conditions the race did not run its full distance, instead ending after the two hour limit was reached. Michael Schumacher crossed the line a long way in front of Stewart driver Rubens Barrichello, who scored the team’s first podium after starting from tenth. In the 2002 book, “Formula 1, The Autobiography”, edited by Gerald Donaldson and published by Weidenfeld and Nicolson, team principal Jackie Stewarts described the moment;
“I have never been happier in my whole career! Not from a victory, not from a championship. Never! I’ve never been emotional about my racing, either. Paul [Stewart’s son] and I sat together throughout the race and, when Rubens crossed the line, we both burst out crying.”
Irvine claimed the final podium place, ahead of the 1996 Monaco Grand Prix winner Panis. Mika Salo was fifth in a Tyrrell and Fisichella sixth in a Jordan. Michael Schumacher’s victory announced the German as a very real title contender.
1997 F1 review continues here.
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