SEASON 1997 IN FORMULA 1: GENTLEMAN'S WAY

SEASON 1997 IN FORMULA 1: GENTLEMAN'S WAY

The outstanding dispute for the world title of the past year is carried over into the 1997 season. World champion Damon Hill, who announced his departure from Williams-Renault after winning the trophy, joins the Arrows team. So Sir Frank Williams' team signed Heinz Harald Frentzen, who moved from Sauber.

With his new team, the Arrows, Hill never managed to achieve special results and after the first few starts, it became clear that his desire to defend his world title was doomed to failure. However, there are scores to settle between Michael Schumacher and Williams-Renault. The two-time world champion is aiming for the top and in Hill's absence for Williams he underestimates the competition. Jacques Villeneuve and Heinz Harald Frentzen did not fail to take advantage of the naivety shown and accumulated a significant number of victories, leaving the fate of the world title to the last race.

In terms of points, Jacques Villeneuve and Michael Schumacher are practically equal before the European Grand Prix. However, there are events that will determine the new world champion, but not on the basis of the competition. In one of the turns, Schumacher and Villeneuve came into contact. The car of the two-time world champion was put in the pits and he did not finish the race. The Canadian finished 3rd and had enough points to triumph with the world title. Schumacher remains with 78 points and in practice should finish the season second, but after reviewing the situation from the European Grand Prix, the FIA finds the German guilty and disqualifies him. The other Williams-Renault Heinz driver Harald Frentzen finished second. David Coulthard is third.

The constructors' world title is again for Williams-Renault. Runners-up once again are Ferrari, and third is the Benetton team.

In the 1997 season, Mika Hakkinen won his first Formula 1 start. This happened in the last race of the season for the European Grand Prix.

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