Jacques Villeneuve clinched the 1997 F1 World Championship after Michael Schumacher was stripped of his runner-up standing for causing a collision.
Key Facts
- Race laps
- 69
- Race winner
- Mika Häkkinen (McLaren)
- Championship round
- 17th and final race of 1997 season
- Häkkinen win streak
- First F1 race victory for Häkkinen
- Finnish win drought ended
- First Finnish winner in 12 years
- Last slick tyre race
- No slick tyres again until 2009 Australian GP
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Michael Schumacher entered the season finale leading the Drivers' Championship by a single point over Jacques Villeneuve. Both drivers needed to race aggressively for the title, setting up a direct confrontation at Jerez. The race had originally been planned as the Portuguese Grand Prix at Estoril but was relocated due to the circuit management's financial difficulties.
On lap 48, Schumacher and Villeneuve collided while fighting for the lead; Schumacher's Ferrari beached in the gravel and retired, while Villeneuve continued. Mika Häkkinen went on to win the 69-lap race ahead of teammate David Coulthard, with Villeneuve finishing third—enough to secure the World Championship title.
The FIA attributed blame for the collision to Schumacher and stripped him of his second-place finish in the championship standings. Häkkinen's victory was his first in Formula One, and McLaren recorded their first one-two finish since 1991. The race was the last World Championship Grand Prix held at Jerez and the last season finale on the European continent to date.
Result
at Circuito Permanente de Jerez, Spain