F1 Rewind: When three drivers set the same time in qualifying in unprecedented 1997 qualifying

1:21.072. This was the identical race time set for the pole position in the 1997 Formula One race in Jerez, Spain. It was set by not one but three drivers. It was an unprecedented scene in Formula One at that time. Jacques Villeneuve, Michael Schumacher and Heinz Herald Frentzen all set the same lap-time for the pole position. The 1997 Formula One season was heading down to the wire. Schumacher was leading the F1 points table by one point. Villeneuve needed to win and Schumacher needed to finish outside of the podium to secure a maiden F1 title.

The stakes were incredibly high. On qualifying day, Villeneuve set the original time first. Schumacher also followed suit in his Ferrari with an identical time. To compound matters even more, Villeneuve’s Williams team-mate Frentzen also set the same time. According to the F1 rules, in the event of drivers setting equal times in qualifying, the order in which the times were set is considered. The first driver to set the time got precedence. Villeneuve got pole position with Schumacher second and Frentzen third.

With qualifying on a razor’s edge, it was only a prelude to the race which would prove to be the most controversial event in Formula One history.

Schumacher turns into Villeneuve and bows out

Schumacher’s getaway at the start was better than Villeneuve’s and he had taken the lead by the time they reached the first corner. Schumacher led 40 of the first 47 laps of the race. Frentzen also got a better start than Villeneuve and overtook him for second position. Under the orders of the Williams team, on lap eight Frentzen let teammate Villeneuve past.

Schumacher made his first pit-stop on lap 22 and Villeneuve made his first stop the following lap. Both retained their positions. During the first round of pitstops the McLarens swapped places with Coulthard leading Hakkinen and Frentzen dropped to fifth position behind both of them. The order of the leaders after the second round of pit stops on lap 43 and lap 44 remained the same but with Villeneuve closer to Schumacher.

By lap 48, Villeneuve was less than one second behind Schumacher. The Canadian attempted to overtake Schumacher at one of the major corners in Jerez called the Dry Sack corner. Braking later than Schumacher, Villeneuve held the inside line and was ahead on the track. Schumacher turned into him and collided with Villeneuve. Unlike the 1994 collision with Hill where Schumacher inflicted damage on Damon Hill’s suspension, Schumacher was out of the race

Villeneuve holds on, massive penalty for Schumacher

Villeneuve’s car sustained damage and he was slower for the remainder of the 22 laps. David Coulthard and Mika Hakkinen overtook Villeneuve but he was holding on. Villeneuve crossed the line in third position to clinch his maiden F1 title. It was fitting for Villeneuve junior to win the F1 title. His father, Gilles Villeneuve, was a talented racer who came close to winning the title but never did so. It is under Gilles Villeneuve that the Montreal race circuit in Canada is named after him.

Villeneuve’s win mirrored the stark contrasts of Schumacher. The German was subsequently summoned to a disciplinary hearing by the FIA. On 11 November 1997, it was announced that Schumacher would be disqualified from the 1997 World Championship. This meant he lost his second place in the overall standings to Frentzen. But, he would retain his race victories and other results. Schumacher would not be fined or face any further punishment in the following season.

The 1997 season had plenty of thrills. It was also the most controversial. In the end, both Villeneuve and Schumacher emerged with different fortunes. But, Schumacher would carve his legacy on F1 while Villeneuve would sadly fade away.