1997 Japanese Grand Prix

1997 Japanese Grand Prix
Race 16 of 17 in the 1997 Formula One World Championship
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Race details
Date 12 October 1997
Official name XXIII Fuji Television Japanese Grand Prix
Location Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka, Mie, Japan
Course Permanent racing facility
Course length 5.860 km (3.641[1] miles)
Distance 53 laps, 310.596[2] km (192.995 miles)
Weather Sunny[3]
Attendance 317,000[4]
Pole position
Driver
Williams-Renault
Time 1:36.071[5]
Fastest lap
Driver Germany Heinz-Harald Frentzen Williams-Renault
Time 1:38.942 on lap 48[6]
Podium
First
Ferrari
Second
Williams-Renault
Third
Ferrari
Lap leaders

The 1997 Japanese Grand Prix (officially known as the XXIII Fuji Television Japanese Grand Prix) was a Formula One motor race held on 12 October 1997 at the Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka. It was the 16th and penultimate race of the 1997 Formula One season.[3] The 53-lap race was won by Michael Schumacher for the Ferrari team after starting from second position. Heinz-Harald Frentzen finished second in a Williams, and Eddie Irvine third in the other Ferrari.[7] Irvine led much of the race before moving over to assist Schumacher's championship battle by blocking Drivers' Championship leader Jacques Villeneuve.

Villeneuve started on pole position in a Williams car. Before the race, it emerged that Villeneuve had been put to the back of the grid, for having ignored waved yellow flags on two consecutive laps during a practice session for the race. Williams appealed and Villeneuve started from the pole. He drove a conservative race to finish 5th, gaining two points. After the race, Williams withdrew their appeal, meaning he lost the two points he originally earned.[8][9] Schumacher's win put him in front of Villeneuve in the championship on 78 points, with Villeneuve on 77 points.[3] However, as a result of Frentzen finishing second, Williams clinched the Constructors' Championship as Ferrari could not pass their points total with only one race remaining.[10] This race was the last for Gianni Morbidelli.

  1. ^ "1997 Japanese Grand Prix | Motorsport Database".
  2. ^ "2013 Japanese Grand Prix: Official Media Kit" (PDF). FIA.com. Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. p. 31. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 March 2014. Retrieved 2022-09-19.
  3. ^ a b c Domenjoz, Luc (1997). Formula 1 Yearbook – 1997–98 (8th ed.). Parragon. p. 209. ISBN 0-7525-2386-4 – via Internet Archive.
  4. ^ "Formula 1 Honda Japanese Grand Prix 2022 – Media Kit" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 5 October 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  5. ^ Domenjoz, Luc (1997). Formula 1 Yearbook – 1997–98 (8th ed.). Parragon. p. 204. ISBN 0-7525-2386-4 – via Internet Archive.
  6. ^ Domenjoz, Luc (1997). Formula 1 Yearbook – 1997–98 (8th ed.). Parragon. p. 205. ISBN 0-7525-2386-4 – via Internet Archive.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference formula1.com was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ "Villeneuve in trouble". GrandPrix.com. 1997-10-13. Retrieved 2008-05-09.
  9. ^ "Williams drops its appeal". GrandPrix.com. 1997-10-20. Retrieved 2008-05-09.
  10. ^ "Grand Prix Results: Japanese GP, 1997". GrandPrix.com. Retrieved 2008-05-09.