1997 Argentine Grand Prix

Infobox Grand Prix race report
Type = F1
Country = Argentina
Grand Prix = Argentine
Race_No = 3
Season_No = 17
Year = 1997


Official name = XX Gran Premio Marlboro de la Republica Argentina
Date = April 13
Location = Autódromo Oscar Alfredo Gálvez, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Course = Permanent Racing Facility
Course_mi = 2.646
Course_km = 4.259
Distance_laps = 72
Distance_mi = 190.542
Distance_km = 306.648
Scheduled_laps=
Scheduled_mi =
Scheduled_km =
Weather = Partially Cloudy, Dry
Pole_Country = Canada
Pole_Driver = Jacques Villeneuve
Pole_Team = Williams-Renault
Pole_Time = 1:24.473
Fast_Country = Austria
Fast_Driver = Gerhard Berger
Fast_Team = Benetton-Renault
Fast_Time = 1:27.981
Fast_L

First_Country = Canada
First_Driver = Jacques Villeneuve
First_Team = Williams-Renault
Second_Country= United Kingdom
Second_Driver = Eddie Irvine
Second_Team = Ferrari
Third_Country = Germany
Third_Driver = Ralf Schumacher
Third_Team = Jordan-Peugeot

The 1997 Argentine Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Autódromo Oscar Alfredo Gálvez in Buenos Aires, Argentina on April 13, 1997. It was the third race of the 1997 Formula One Season.

Summary

Pre-Race

Most of the talk before the grand prix was about Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Eddie Irvine and their poor starts to the season. Despite going out of business, Lola Team Principal Eric Broadley was confident that the team could be up and running again by the San Marino Grand Prix, albeit with a new main sponsor. The Tyrrell also caused a stir after arriving at the grand prix with four new wings on the car, two on the nose cone, the other two alongside the drivers head. They resembled x-wings and this was soon used as their nickname. The practice session bought no surprises with the two Williams cars first and second.

Qualifying

As with the practice session, both Williams were once again on the front row, with Jacques Villeneuve on pole. The first real surprise of the weekend was the performance of Olivier Panis in the Prost, who managed to qualify third on the grid. Another strong performance was the fifth place of Rubens Barrichello in the Stewart. As expected, both Mclarens qualified low down the field, complaining of poor handling on the bumpy surface.

Race

As the green lights went out, Jacques Villeneuve cleanly navigated the first corner and began to pull away from the other front runners. Michael Schumacher almost collided with Panis, but the Frenchman moved off line to drop a few place rather than to collide with the Ferrari. Going into the first corner, M. Schumacher was alongside his teammate Irvine and Rubens Barrichello. However, Michael then crashed into the front of Barrichello's car causing the German's retirement. Barrichello would eventually get going again. But in the melee, Coulthard crashed into the back of Ralf Schumacher's Jordan, ripping of his front wheel and putting him out of the race. The track was unpassable with the back of the field taking to the grass to get round the incident, so the Safety Car was called out. At the restart after 4 laps, Villeneuve once again pulled away from Frentzen and Panis, but Frentzen's race ended on lap 6 with throttle problems. The chance of victory for Prost ended on lap 18, also with throttle problems. On lap 24 the two Jordans collided with Fisichella retiring from the race. Hill retired with engine failure on lap 33. Although in the final few laps Irvine closed the gap to Villeneuve, the Canadian held tight and went on to win his sixth career grand prix. Irvine finished second, the highest finish of his career at that point, with Ralf Schumacher in third.

Post-Race

The talk before the race was on the futures of both Frentzen and Irvine, but both were reassured after the race. A strong performance from the German improved the relationship with Williams, while the second from Irvine meant the Italian press no longer called for his sacking.

There were rumours of discontent in the Jordan camp as both cars collided and the team did not go to the pit wall to celebrate Ralf Schumacher's podium but the team claimed this was done out of superstition after Rubens Barrichello narrowly lost 3rd place at the 1995 Hungarian Grand Prix, although in later races the team were shown awaiting their cars on pit wall if they were in the top 3.

Classification

Qualifying

Race

Notes

Records:
*Ralf Schumacher was the youngest ever driver on the podium.
*This was the 600th Grand Prix in Formula 1 history.

Milestones: Jordan 100th Race entry; Rothmans Williams-Renault 100th Pole position; Gerhard Berger 20th Fastest lap.

References

Race Details
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title=1997 Argentine GP
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Classification
"Qualifying"
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"Race"
cite web
last=
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title=1997 Argentine GP
work=Formula One
publisher=
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url=http://www.formula1.com/results/season/1997/149/
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accessdate= 2007-08-06

F1 race report
Name_of_race = Argentine Grand Prix
Year_of_race = 1997
Previous_race_in_season = 1997 Brazilian Grand Prix
Next_race_in_season = 1997 San Marino Grand Prix
Previous_year's_race = 1996 Argentine Grand Prix
Next_year's_race = 1998 Argentine Grand Prix