Prior to each Grand Prix we will try to bring back the story how it all happened, ten years ago.
1997 was the year again of the Williams FW19 powered by a Renault RS9.V10, this time Canadian driver, Jacques Villeneuve now in his second year with the team was all geared up for the winning of the championship. However Villeneuve’s love for the circuit of Monaco was never his forte. On the day it was wet and cloudy, incidentally, the weather seems to be unstable even this weekend. Michael Schumacher now in his second year with Ferrari was second fastest with pole going to the Canadian’s team mate, Heinz Herald Frentzen in the Williams. Second row was for Villeneuve and Giancarlo Fisichella in the Jordan Peugeot.
Driving in the rain, on that day was Michael Schumacher’s race which incidentally was fifty years to the day after Francesco Cortese drove the first sports Ferrari in its maiden race outing at Piacenza. Schumacher’s ability in the rain in Monaco attained a front gap of 22.1secs by lap four showing the determination of the German. On lap 32 the Ferrari came in for its restrictive pit stop going for full wet tyres. The race was a fairy tale for he German up to lap 53 when he misjudged St. Devot and ran wide. Luckily he kept his cool and rejoined the race circuit. The race was stopped on the two hour beep as it is the maximum time allotted to a Formula 1 race leading by 53 seconds on second position Rubins Barrichello driving a Stewart Ford, with team mate to Schumacher, Irishman Eddie Irvine taking the last place on the podium. The rest of the field had intermediate and dry as the information received was that the rain would stop and eventually the track would dry but both Williams and McLaren were caught up in their faulty weather forecast. Monaco is always a lottery and 1997 was not different, slippery conditions, drivers running on slicks brought mayhem at Mirabeau, Ralph Schumacher’s Jordan, the floundering Williams of Frentzen, Barrichello and the rest. It was here that Alesi’s nipped ahead of Mika Hakkinen when all hell broke loose under braking for the chicane when Coulthard spun and stalled, the rest of the group all slowed down with Hakkinen bounced off the right hand guard rail into Alesi’s Benetton. Once the race settled, now with both McLaren’s out, the Williams were falling back It was then the turn of Johnny Herbert in the Sauber followed by Gerhard Berger in the Benetton to crash out of the race. By lap 15, Schumacher’s Ferrari was lapping Villeneuve’s Williams. The rest was history with the German in full control. Schumacher left Monaco leading the drivers’ championship with 24 points, with Villeneuve 20 points
From the diary: The McLaren team denied it had made an off to Damon Hill to drive for the team in 1998. BMW Board decided to give the thumbs up to enter Formula 1. Nick Heidfeld, test driver for McLaren dominates Monaco F3 supporting race from start to finish in his Benetton Schaffer team Dallara
1997 was the year again of the Williams FW19 powered by a Renault RS9.V10, this time Canadian driver, Jacques Villeneuve now in his second year with the team was all geared up for the winning of the championship. However Villeneuve’s love for the circuit of Monaco was never his forte. On the day it was wet and cloudy, incidentally, the weather seems to be unstable even this weekend. Michael Schumacher now in his second year with Ferrari was second fastest with pole going to the Canadian’s team mate, Heinz Herald Frentzen in the Williams. Second row was for Villeneuve and Giancarlo Fisichella in the Jordan Peugeot.
Driving in the rain, on that day was Michael Schumacher’s race which incidentally was fifty years to the day after Francesco Cortese drove the first sports Ferrari in its maiden race outing at Piacenza. Schumacher’s ability in the rain in Monaco attained a front gap of 22.1secs by lap four showing the determination of the German. On lap 32 the Ferrari came in for its restrictive pit stop going for full wet tyres. The race was a fairy tale for he German up to lap 53 when he misjudged St. Devot and ran wide. Luckily he kept his cool and rejoined the race circuit. The race was stopped on the two hour beep as it is the maximum time allotted to a Formula 1 race leading by 53 seconds on second position Rubins Barrichello driving a Stewart Ford, with team mate to Schumacher, Irishman Eddie Irvine taking the last place on the podium. The rest of the field had intermediate and dry as the information received was that the rain would stop and eventually the track would dry but both Williams and McLaren were caught up in their faulty weather forecast. Monaco is always a lottery and 1997 was not different, slippery conditions, drivers running on slicks brought mayhem at Mirabeau, Ralph Schumacher’s Jordan, the floundering Williams of Frentzen, Barrichello and the rest. It was here that Alesi’s nipped ahead of Mika Hakkinen when all hell broke loose under braking for the chicane when Coulthard spun and stalled, the rest of the group all slowed down with Hakkinen bounced off the right hand guard rail into Alesi’s Benetton. Once the race settled, now with both McLaren’s out, the Williams were falling back It was then the turn of Johnny Herbert in the Sauber followed by Gerhard Berger in the Benetton to crash out of the race. By lap 15, Schumacher’s Ferrari was lapping Villeneuve’s Williams. The rest was history with the German in full control. Schumacher left Monaco leading the drivers’ championship with 24 points, with Villeneuve 20 points
From the diary: The McLaren team denied it had made an off to Damon Hill to drive for the team in 1998. BMW Board decided to give the thumbs up to enter Formula 1. Nick Heidfeld, test driver for McLaren dominates Monaco F3 supporting race from start to finish in his Benetton Schaffer team Dallara