Summary

Gerhard Berger won his first Grand Prix since German in 1994, and Benetton's first Grand prix since Michael Schumacher left the team in 1995.

M.Schumacher finished 2nd, and increased his lead over Villeneuve in the world championship by a further 6 points.

Notes

• Frentzen and Irivine clashed at the first corner. Both drivers retired.
• Tarso Marques retires also on the very first lap.
• Coulthard pitted on the first lap, after breaking his front wing.
• Diniz collided with Herbert. Both retired on the spot.
• Both Stewart cars retire with blown engines.
• Katayama retires after running out of fuel.
• Villenuve spins off and retires.
  • Weather during race: Sunny.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.   12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22.

Berger (Benetton) M.Schumacher (Ferrari) Hakkinen (McLaren) Trulli (Prost) R. Schumacher (Jordan) Alesi (Benetton) Nakano (Prost) Hill (Arrows) Fontana (Sauber) Verstapphen (Tyrrell) Fischella (Jordan) Not Classified Barrichello (Stewart) Villeneuve (Williams) Salo (Tyrrell) Magnussen (Stewart) Katayama (Tyrrell) Diniz (Arrows) Herbert (Sauber) Coulthard (McLaren) Frentzen (Williams) Irvine (Ferrari) Marques (Minardi)

1:20.59.046s + 17.527s + 24.770s + 27.165s + 29.995s + 34.717s + 1:19.722s 1 lap 1 lap 1 lap 5 lap   11 laps 11 laps 12 laps 18 laps 22 laps 36 laps 36 laps 44 laps 44 laps 44 laps 45 laps

• Fastest lap: Gerhard Berger 1:45.747s

The Quotes

• Berger:"It was a brilliant victory, for me, for the team and for everybody. I really felt as though I had a great deal of extra inner strength this weekend because, even though I was not on the best form, I was able to concentrate all through the race."

• Alesi:"I am delighted for Gerhard and the team. The first part of my race went very well, but after my pit stop, I got stuck in traffic and it was impossible to overtake. It was a pity, but at least I keep my third place in the championship."

• M. Schumacher: "I am very happy, especially after the way things went in the practices. I could not have hoped for better. I had to make an extra refuelling stop because of a refuelling problem. In the second half of the race I had gear trouble, I could not go above fifth."

• Alesi: "I am very happy for everyone in the team. We always seem to have some problems in qualifying and then to do extremely well in the race. Our selection of a one-stop strategy was the perfect tactic today. I felt slow and not in good shape at all, but it was amazing to see my position improving all the time. Very satisfying. Now, I feel confident that with some new parts due for the car we can continue to show very good form in the high-speed contests which lie ahead of us."

• Irvine: "I had the best start in my career in Formula 1, from tenth down to fifth place. At the first bend, I felt a bump on my left rear wheel. The tyre then burst and damaged the bodywork too badly to fix. I am upset not to have been able to bring back points for the team, especially as the car was handling very well in its race configuration."

• Trulli: "I am so pleased. Hockenheim has always been a good circuit for me in F3 (six wins from six starts in 95 and 96), so I suppose that I should not be surprised that it is here that I win my first points in Formula 1! In fact, the three points today are my way of thanking everyone in Prost Grand Prix. Nobody has ever put me under any pressure since I have been with the team and they each do extraordinary work."

• Villeneuve: "I blocked my wheels while braking coming up behind Hakkinen as we were catching up on the back markers. I made an error at the next bend which made me run wide, Trulli profited from this by slipping alongside and I thus stayed inside the right hand line. But he was passing on the outside and pushed me too close to the grass. I slowed down from fear of going off the track and found myself behind him. Afterwards he looked back at me in his rear view mirrors, as if nothing had happened. Coming up to the braking, I was too much on the inside and I blocked my wheels."

• Frentzen: "I was on the outside, Eddie came up on the inside and we went round the bend side by side. When I accelerated, I was blocked, so the only solution which was left was to go onto the grass, which I could not do, so we touched. "

Drivers Championship table

M. Schumacher (Ferrari)	53
Villeneuve (Williams)	43
Alesi (Benetton)	22
Berger (Benetton)	20
Frentzen(Williams)	19
Irvine (Ferrari)	18
Panis (Prost)	15
Hakkinen (McLaren)	14
Coulthard (McLaren)	14
R. Schumacher (Jordan)	9
Fisichella (Jordan)	8
Herbert (Sauber)	7
Barrichello (Stewart)	6
Wurz (Benetton)	4
Trulli (Prost)	3
Salo (Tyrrell)	2
Hill (Arrows)	1
Larini (Sauber)	1
Nakano (Prost)	1

Constructors Championship table

Ferrari	71
Williams-Renault	62
Benetton-Renault	46
McLaren-Mercedes	28
Prost-Mugen	19
Jordan-Peugeot	17
Sauber-Petronas	8
Stewart-Ford	6
Tyrrell-Ford	2
Arrows-Yamaha	1