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EXCLUSIVE TACH COVERAGE

Spanish Grand Prix

May 24, 1997
Barcelona, Spain
 

Formula 1 World Championship - Spanish Grand Prix

 
 
May 23 Update: Pain in Spain!
May 24 Update: Williams' top Qualifying

Villeneuve in a class of his own!

Andrew Frankl, European Bureau Chief
reporting live from Barcelona

The rain is Spain falls mainly on the plain according to the well known tune. Sunday morning it also rained on the track. Not during warm-up but immediately afterwards. This meant that yet again the teams did not know what to expect, just like two weeks ago in Monaco. Williams, as is well known now ,employ a meteorologist for a small fee of 6000 dollars per race (according to well-informed sources) and yet again he will have his cut out . He got it completely wrong in Monaco , I cannot help feeling that if he gets it wrong once more he will be out on his ear.

During the morning warm-up yet again Jacques Villeneuve was fastest but this time young Ralf Schumacher got it all together and ended up second. Brother Michael -suffering from a cold - could do no better than 10th. The papers, especially the British ones, were full of speculation concerning the future of Formula One.

Bernie Ecclestone, the undisputed czar of the sport intends to float it on the stock exchange and there are several teams who are very much against it. It is rumour, counter-rumour ,the whole thing right now is a big mess although knowing Bernie I am sure he will get it right .He always does!

The race did in fact get held up, Ralf Schumacher held his hand up signaling a problem and it would have been lethal to start with his car stuck on the grid. Things finally got sorted and they were off! Especially Michael Schumacher who made a demon start from the 4th row ending up in second place half-way round the first lap. What a driver! Unfortunately for him the Ferrari was not up to it this time and several people got by him.

Because of the highly abrasive track surface we all knew that tyres would be at a premium and they certainly were. Several drivers had to come three times for news sets but amazingly enough the young French-Canadian managed with only two stops .The Prost team did better than ever, less than four times champion Alain Prost Olivier Panis was just five seconds behind Jacques at the end ,claiming an excellent second place.

Much-maligned Jean Alesi finally came good in third place, whilst Michael Schumacher was fourth, exactly as he predicted. Fifth went to hard-working Johnny Herbert whilst David Coulthard managed to rescue a point for Mercedes-McLaren.

With his third victory of the season Villeneuve reclaimed his place at the top of the championship table but he is only three points ahead of Schumacher. Jacques has 30 points, Michael 27 and Panis 15. The Constructors' Championship is still led by Ferrari but only by one point from Williams (41-40).

Damon Hill was yet again the first to retire, as luck would have it right in front of the Grand stand. His teammate Diniz also finished to finish. What a tragedy, what a mess . Hill 's legal people were at the track no doubt negotiating with other teams for next season unless he can get out of his contract now.

Now the circus moves on to Montreal in three weeks time, which of course is Villeneuve 's home track named after his late Father. Only a brave man would bet against his success.

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