1997 French Grand Prix

Championship standings

Schumacher retakes the championship lead after Canada, his second win of the season.

Previous race

Schumacher won Canada from pole, with Alesi second and Fisichella third. David Coulthard had been leading when a clutch problem during his second pit stop cost him over a lap. Prost driver Olivier Panis crashed heavily and broke his legs, ending his race and leaving him unable to start the next seven Grands Prix. Villeneuve crashed into the wall on the exit of the final corner on lap 2.

Between-race developments

With Panis hospitalised, Minardi’s Jarno Trulli is promoted to the second Prost seat for the remainder of the season. Trulli’s Minardi drive goes to Tarso Marques, who made some appearances for the team in 1996.

Between Canada and France, Gianni Morbidelli broke his arm in a testing accident. Sauber bring in test driver Norberto Fontana to cover the next three races. Fontana becomes the first Argentine driver to start a Formula One race since Oscar Larrauri at the 1988 Australian Grand Prix.

Entrants

Jarno Trulli makes his first appearance for Prost, replacing the injured Panis. Tarso Marques takes Trulli’s Minardi seat.

Practice

Schumacher takes his second consecutive pole. Trulli qualifies in an impressive position on his first race for Prost. Wurz outqualifies teammate Alesi at Benetton in only his second Formula One start. Diniz outqualifies Hill for the first time this season. Tarso Marques starts from the back of the grid on his return.