1997 Index
News Editor: Michael Viveen
© 1995-2005 Kaizar.Com, Inc. F1

CURRENT ATLAS F1 NEWS PAGE

1995 | 1996 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000

What happened in January
  • Winter testing by almost all the teams.
  • Ferrari, Arrows, Tyrrell, Ligier, Benetton and Williams launch their 1997 challengers. McLaren previews the 1997 car.
  • The trial regarding the death of Ayrton Senna is getting closer.
  • Prost starts negotiating the take-over of the Ligier team.
What happened in February
  • Pre-Season testing by almost all the teams.
  • Minardi, Sauber, McLaren, Lola launch their 1997 challengers.
  • The start of the 'Trial Senna'.
  • Tyre company Bridgestone will enter Formula One with the supply of five teams.
What happened in March
  • The 'Trial Senna' continues.
  • Coulthard wins historic race for McLaren.
  • The Lola team quits Formula One after just one race.
  • The Bridgestone tyres showed to be much better than the Goodyear's at the Grand Prix of Brazil.
What happened in April
  • The 'Trial Senna' continues.
  • Villeneuve takes lead in championship.
  • Frentzen takes his first win.
  • Lola are bankrupted.
  • Hill unhappy with team.
What happened in May
  • The 'Trial Senna' continues.
  • Morbidelli replaces Larini at Sauber.
  • Many teams interested in Hill.
  • Stewart Grand Prix gets first podium at Monaco.
  • Hill denies being unhappy with Arrows team.
What happened in June
  • The 'Trial Senna' continues.
  • M. Schumacher is looking strong for the title.
  • Morbidelli breaks arm in testing crash, he is replaced by Fontana. He could return in 6 weeks.
  • Panis crashes during the Grand Prix of Canada. The Frenchman breaks both his legs and is out of racing for at least two months. Panis is replaced by Trulli, formally with Minardi. Marques now drives for Minardi.
  • Berger is out because of a sinus operation, he is replaced by Wurz.
  • F1 Flotation is delayed.
What happened in July
  • Berger is still out but returns for the German Grand Prix, which he wins. Berger will leave Benetton at the end of this season.
  • A lot of speculation surrounds Hill. (where is he going to go next season?) He scores one point in the Arrows in the british Grand Prix.
  • M. Schumacher is still looking strong for this years title.
What happened in August
  • The Arrows team makes strong progress and almost clinches its first victory in Hungary.
  • A lot of speculation about next seasons driver changes.
  • M. Schumacher extends his championship lead.
What happened in September
  • Fisichella to Benetton, Hill to Jordan, Alesi to Sauber, Salo to Arrows for the 1998 season.
  • Williams confirm line-up.
  • Trial Senna continues.
  • M. Schumacher loses championship lead to Villeneuve due to crash with his own brother.
  • Coulthard wins his second race this season at Monza.
  • McLaren are having engine reliability problems.
What happened in October
  • The championship is decided in the last race. Michael Schumacher tries to take Villeneuve off but only takes himself off. Villeneuve is this year's world champion.
  • Hakkinen wins his first race at Jerez.
  • The three top men at Williams finally appear at the Senna trial.
What happened in November
  • Michael Schumacher loses his second place in the final standings because of his 'move' on Villeneuve.
  • The Trial Senna ends for now. Verdict is in December.
  • No testing because the teams are not allowed to test before December 1.
What happened in December
  • British American Racing takes over Tyrrell and will enter in 1999.
  • Goodyear announces their retirement.
  • All accused in the Senna trial are cleared of all charges.
  • First real testing begins for next season.

1995 Index | 1996 Index | 1998 Index

CURRENT ATLAS F1 NEWS PAGE

 

The 1997 Championship:

DatePlaceCountryWinner
March 9
March 30
April 13
April 27
May 11
May 25
June 15
June 29
July 13
July 27
August 10
August 24
September 7
September 21
September 28
October 12
October 26
 Melbourne
Interlagos
Buenos Aires
Imola
Monaco
Barcelona
Montreal
Magny Cours
Silverstone
Hockenheim
Hungaroring
Spa-Francorchamps
Monza
Zeltweg
Nurburgring
Suzuka
Jerez
 AUSTRALIA
BRAZIL
ARGENTINA
SAN MARINO
MONACO
SPAIN
CANADA
FRANCE
GREAT BRITAIN
GERMANY
HUNGARY
BELGIUM
ITALY
AUSTRIA
LUXEMBOURG
JAPAN
SPAIN (EUROPE) 		Coulthard
Villeneuve
Villeneuve
Frentzen
M. Schumacher
Villeneuve
M. Schumacher
M. Schumacher
Villeneuve
Berger
Villeneuve
M. Schumacher
Coulthard
Villeneuve
Villeneuve
M. Schumacher
Hakkinen

Final Standings after the Grand Prix of Europe
round 17

 Drivers Championship table 
1. Jacques Villeneuve (Williams) 4)81
2. H.H. Frentzen (Williams)42
3. Jean Alesi (Benetton) 36
= David Coulthard (McLaren) 36
5. Mika Hakkinen (McLaren) 27
= Gerhard Berger (Benetton) 2)27
7. Eddie Irvine (Ferrari)24
8. Giancarlo Fisichella (Jordan)20
9. Olivier Panis (Prost) 1) 16
10. Johnny Herbert (Sauber) 15
11. Ralf Schumacher (Jordan)13
12. Damon Hill (Arrows)7
13. Rubens Barrichello (Sewart) 6
14. Alexander Wurz (Benetton) 2) 4
15. Jarno Trulli (Prost) 3
16. Mika Salo (Tyrrell) 2
= Shinji Nakano (Prost) 2
= Pedro Diniz (Arrows) 2
19. Nicola Larini (Sauber) 3) 1

 Constructors Championship table 
1. Williams-Renault 4)123
2. Ferrari 5)102
3. Benetton-Renault67
4. McLaren-Mercedes 63
5. Jordan-Peugeot 33
6. Prost-Mugen21
7. Sauber-Petronas 16
8. Arrows-Yamaha9
9. Stewart-Ford 6
10. Tyrrell-Ford 2