european grand prix european grand prix formally formula motor race held october spain originally scheduled grand prix portugal circuit moved management financial difficulties 17th final race formula season lap race won formula race victory team mate finished second williams driver took sufficient win world championship williams drivers world championships driving ferrari led championship single point ahead going race race collided battling lead resulting damage car forced retire blame incident later attributed sport governing body stripped second place finish championship tactics widely criticised media including publications based home country germany ferrari home country italy following race williams accused decide finishing order stated better let win world championship determined evidence support claims dismissed accusations report background originally scheduled grand prix portugal circuit race moved circuit management financial difficulties chosen venue engine suppliers stating wish following japanese grand prix race heading final race season drivers contention ferrari driver leading points williams driver second points point drivers championship points williams points respectively won races season meaning event tie points rules stated world champion finish race points scoring position points awarded drivers finishing sixth place higher ahead world champion finished ahead failed score points finishing lower sixth completing race williams led points ferrari second ferrari won races season compared williams williams clinched title race ferrari finished second race taking points williams cars failed score point beat williams following japanese grand prix october teams conducted testing sessions locations world williams jordan conducted test session williams jordan tested cars preparation season arrows conducted testing circuit performing wet weather tyre development tyre suppliers circuit flooded simulate wet weather conditions conducted testing performed tyre testing testing car ferrari remained circuit testing electronic driver previous race practice qualifying practice sessions held sunday race friday utc saturday morning held practice sessions driver set fastest time lap minute seconds tenths second faster arrows driver hill fourth set fifth eighth fastest times respectively separated completed final practice sessions set fastest lap time finished second fastest time williams drivers quicker sixth slipped fourth ahead best times tenth second apart ahead stewart driver hill qualifying session held saturday afternoon lasted hour driver allowed timed laps fastest lap determine grid position cars timed tag timing system measured accuracy second end session fastest drivers set time happened history world championship set time fourteen minutes hour session fourteen minutes later posted identical time minutes session remaining crossed line time regulations event drivers setting equal times qualifying order times set considered driver set time given precedence awarded pole position starting grid race second fourth place grid went reigning arrows time seconds time leading hill course pole position slow end lap yellow flags incident involving race race took place afternoon utc dry sunny weather started race pole position second moments start race blue liquid came williams influence car race start better taken lead time reached corner lead laps race got better start overtook orders williams team lap let teammate past pit stop lap stop following lap retained positions round swapped places leading dropped fifth position order leaders second round lap lap remained closer went lap second lap attempted overtake dry sack corner braking later held inside line ahead track turned resulting collision itv pit lane reporter noted onboard footage shows steering wheel left turning right commentary box alongside immediately saw deliberate saying didn work michael hit wrong friend right wheel ferrari hit left pod williams unlike collision hill inflicted damage hill suspension caused retire described incident race car felt strange hit hard small thing continued damage car meant slower cars time incident laps race remaining slower pace car meant lap caught having regained second place team orders race stated fight better let win world championship good exchange fourth place turned final grand prix catching pass crossing finish line final margin seconds place meant finished ahead drivers championship points victory career post race collision race president promised issue penalties tried influence outcome championship race officials issued statement following race stating unanimously concluded racing accident action necessary subsequently summoned disciplinary hearing november announced disqualified world championship meant lost second place overall standings retain race victories results fined face punishment following season stated panel concluded actions deliberate ordered road safety campaign season ferrari escaped despite article international sporting code stating shall responsible acts driver rule invoked driving incident ferrari punished failing control driver questioned subject said decided article question failed address public dismissed incident claimed duty media reaction german newspapers europe attacked said blame crash played high stakes lost world championship reputation fair play doubt wanted called honour commented monument starting crack foundations faulty german station asked fans views received views votes said support longer italy widespread condemnation daily newspaper called fired ferrari ought face charges spanish court grave deed committed reported driver covered ferrari italian sport shame waiting ferrari announce throwing hiring new driver intelligent wisdom real sense morality reported seeing world title waiting years sad smoke unfortunately worse sport said ferrari won title title hide said preferred waiting day passion ferrari happy ending newspaper owned family controls ferrari said image champion shattered like glass hit stone british newspapers manoeuvre hill australian grand prix comparison reports daily_mail reported lost reputation times wrote sacrificed reputation act lost right sympathy ferrari hosted press conference tuesday admitted mistake said deliberate attempt human like unfortunately mistake said don time respective books swiss author expressed view went corner fast turning turn circuit december ruled mayor disrupted podium ceremony originally verdict formula races occur track appeared ruling rescinded people chosen present trophies dependent race order chairman willing presentation driver passed williams lap meant present trophy second position winning trophy confusion late changes position whilst mayor president region presented trophies president announced disruption caused embarrassment presenting trophies rounds formula world championship held circuit race time hosted held pre season test days allegations november times newspaper published article accusing williams decide finishing order end grand prix article claims based recordings radio teams rejected claims matter brought president stated clear result race fixed arrangement williams going win able demonstrate clearly case claimed interview newspaper hours grand prix ferrari team director visited told swiss team ferrari engines time block position order help win world championship team owner manager time denied allegations said ferrari expressed desire opponent track gave interview claimed agreement williams place ron dennis deal knew helped williams quest beat ferrari wouldn way helping ron probably deny today happened classification qualifying race championship standings race note positions included sets standings drivers championship standings accurate final declaration race results subsequently disqualified championship
1997 European Grand Prix