Formula One 1997 World Championship

This is a season with a rough start for Damon Hill. After years in a top-team as Williams, now Damon has chosen to start from the bottom to develop and make the TWR-Arrows into a top team. The challenge is a hard one, but possible, and Damon is the right man to for the job. His team-mate is the Brasilian Pedro-Paulo Diniz.

09th March 1997 - Grand Prix of Melbourne, Australia

PRACTICE
The World Championship has started, and as Damon said during the winter tests, it is going to begin in a very hard way. While during Friday's practice Damon gained the 13th position with the Arrows-TWR, Saturday was big trouble: Hill qualified only at the end of the official hour clocking the 20th time. Before this last lap, Hill still had to qualify.

RACE
OK, the very first races had to be hard to let the team develop the car, but what happened was tragic: Arrows n.1 broke down during the recognition lap, and Damon could only park his car at the side of the track. Nothin' more to say......
At the end of the race, Damon declared: "I'm very disappointed, because I think that the team have more potential, that sure isn't what we have seen here in Australia".
Let's start hoping for the Brasilian GP.

- Practice: 20th Place (1.34.806)
- Race: Did not Start - retired

Final Standing G.P. of Melbourne, Australia

1) David Coulthard 10 pts
2) Michael Schumacher 06 pts
3) Mika Hakkinen 04 pts
4) Gerhard Berger 03 pts
5) Olivier Panis 02 pts
6) Nicola Larini 01 pts
7) Shinji Nakano -
8) H.H. Frenzten -
9) Jarno Trulli -
10) P.Paulo Diniz -

30th March 1997 - Grand Prix of Interlagos, Brasil

PRACTICE
To show that his bad performance at Melbourne was just bad luck, on Friday Damon drove his Arrows-TWR into ninth position, with a fastest lap time of 1.18.978. The same position that he achieved in the official hour on Saturday, 1.17.090, only one second behind the pole-man Villeneuve, and just one tenth of a second behind the Frentzen Williams. Good Work

RACE
At the start Damon was going fine, but at the first bend Fisichella bumped him off the track damaging Damon's rear suspension and nose. But luckilly, due to that and another accident, the red flag was shown, so the Arrows-TWR no.1 could go back to the pits where it was repaired and put back on track. At the second start all went well, and Damon gained two positions and got into seventh place, that he mantained until those in front of him went into the pits for refueling and tyre change. And here was the surprise: thanks to the quality of the Bridgestone Tyres, Hill did only one pit-stop, on the contrary to the two pit-stops of the other drivers; in this way Damon gained fourth position, and this was a good moment for Arrows, that raced well and stayed in front of Schumacher's Ferrari and the Benetton of Alesi until the 38th lap, time of Hill's only pit stop. When went back onto the track, Damon was in ninth position, but unluckily he couldn't end the race because at three laps to the end he had to stop at the pits with his engine on fire.
Even though he didn't finish the race, Damon showed the real power of the Arrows-TWR, a good car that with the development and the future steps of the Yamaha engine (the first step will arrive at Imola) will during this season give him a taste of the podium and, we hope, a victory. In addition, Hill today has shown once more that he is ever the same, a great driver, fast and daring.
Bravo!

- Practice: 9th Place (1.17.090)
- Race: dnf - (retired 69th lap - engine)

Final Standing G.P. of Interlagos, Brasil

1) Jaques Villeneuve 10 pts
2) Gerhard Berger 06 pts
3) Olivier Panis 04 pts
4) Mika Hakkinen 03 pts
5) Michael Schumacher 02 pts
6) Jean Alesi 01 pts
7) Johnny Herbert -
8) Giancarlo Fisichella -
9) H.H. Frentzen -
10) David Coulthard -
11) Nicola Larini -
12) Jarno Trulli -
13) Mika Salo -
14) Shinji Nakano -
15) Jos Verstappen -
16) Eddie Irvine -
17) Damon Hill -
18) Ukyo Katayama -

13th April 1997 - Grand Prix of Buenos Aires, Argentina

PRACTICE
The Arrows-TWR keeps on growing, and even though that Friday morning Damon got trouble with his differential, in the afternoon he took 13th place. This place was confirmed during the official hour, with the time of 1'27"076.

RACE
Another accident at the start, involving a lot of cars. Damon avoided all trouble and continued the race that, after a few laps, saw him gain sixth position. Thanks to the race strategy and to the Bridgestone Tyres, that were to grant Damon only one pit stop, it could have been a good race. But unluckily at the 18th lap, Alesi unskilfully tried to overtake Hill on the first turn after the finish line, and the result was that the two cars span round. So innocent Damon (who was clearly forward and stayed on his own trajectory) restarted after losing a few positions. He was able to regain 8th position, when at the 33rd lap he had to retire for trouble with the hydraulics of his Arrows.

- Practice: 13th Place (1.27.281)
- Race: dnf - (retired 33th lap - HYDRAULICS)

Final Standing G.P. of Buenos Aires, Argentina

1) Jacques Villeneuve 10 pts
2) Eddie Irvine 06 pts
3) Ralf Schumacher 04 pts
4) Johnny Herbert 03 pts
5) Mika Hakkinen 02 pts
6) Gerhard Berger 01 pts
7) Jean Alesi -
8) Mika Salo -
9) Jarno Trulli -
10) Jan Magnussen -

27th April 1997 - Grand Prix of Imola, San Marino

PRACTICE
Unlucky qualifications for Damon. Though on Friday Hill gained his 'usual' 13th position, in the official hour of Saturday the Arrows broke down leaving the World Champion to take 15th place.

RACE
Unfortunately the long-awaited new step of the Yamaha engine was not available, so the Grand Prix was run with the 'old' engine. That didn't work out very well: the Arrows-TWR no.1 leaked oil on the starting grid, and Damon had to start from the pits. In that way, he started from behind and drove the car to the 15th position, when an accident with the Prost-Mugen of Nakano at the chicane before the finish line put Hill out of the race.
Now, we hope that for the next races the Arrows-TWR team will roll their sleeves up and develop a more competitive and stronger car.

- Practice: 15th Place (1.25.743)
- Race: dnf - (retired 11th lap - Accident)

Final Standing G.P. of Imola, San Marino

1) H.H. Frentzen 10 pts
2) Michael Schumacher 06 pts
3) Eddie Irvine 04 pts
4) Giancarlo Fisichella 03 pts
5) Jean Alesi 02 pts
6) Mika Hakkinen 01 pts
7) Nicola Larini -
8) Olivier Panis -
9) Mika Salo -
10) Jos Verstappen -
11) Ukyo Katayama -

11th May 1997 - Grand Prix of Monaco, Montecarlo

PRACTICE
First day of practice Damon drove his Arrows in a very good ninth position. But on the Saturday, due to the heavy traffic and some trouble, he gained only his 'usual' 13th place.

RACE
This season is getting to be very hard (for Damon and for us). At the last minute before the race it started to rain, and after only one lap Verstappen hit Damon's Arrows during an overtake: front suspension broken and Damon retired.

- Practice: 13th Place (1.19.674)
- Race: dnf - (retired 1st lap - Accident)

Final Standing G.P. of Monaco, Montecarlo

1) Michael Schumacher 10 pts
2) Rubens Barrichello 06 pts
3) Eddie Irvine 04 pts
4) Olivier Panis 03 pts
5) Mika Salo 02 pts
6) Giancarlo Fisichella 01 pts
7) Jan Magnussen -
8) Jos Verstappen -
9) Gerhard Berger -
10) Ukyo Katayama -

25th May 1997 - Grand Prix of Catalunya, Spain

PRACTICE
In spite of his qualifying position, 15th, it was not such a bad practice for Damon. The Bridgestone tyres on that circuit didn't work very well in qualifying, and Hill took his Arrows into second position among the drivers with Japanese tyres.

RACE
We all know that Yamaha is like cardboard, but until the engine blew up Damon did a very good race: at the end of the first lap he was already 11th, and when he retired, at the 18th lap, he was in fifth position, and considering also that the Bridgestones would permit to him to end the race with only two pit stops, it could have been a good performance. In any case, Damon showed us true grit.

- Practice: 15th Place (1.20.089)
- Race: dnf - (retired 18th lap - Engine)

Final Standing G.P. of Catalunya, Spain

1) Jacques Villeneuve 10 pts
2) Olivier Panis 06 pts
3) Jean Alesi 04 pts
4) Michael Schumacher 03 pts
5) Johnny Herbert 02 pts
6) David Coulthard 01 pts
7) Mika Hakkinen -
8) H.H. Frentzen -
9) Giancarlo Fisichella -
10) Gerhard Berger -
11) Jos Verstappen -
12) Eddie Irvine -
13) Jan Magnussen -
14) Gianni Morbidelli -
15) Jarno Trulli -

15th June 1997 - Grand Prix of Montreal, Canada

PRACTICE
Unlucky Saturday. Damon qualified in 15th position, after that he made a mistake and did an about face Hill followed the practice with the T-car, but didn't improve his time lap.

RACE
Race started, and was chaos: Damon went very well, but some drivers bumped each other and some debris hit the Arrows of the world champion, who restarted in last position. At the third lap Hill entered the pits to check the car, that got some vibration due to the accident. He went back into the race, and again in the pits at the eighth lap when the safety car came out, due to the accident of Katayama. Damon changed his tyres trying to stop the vibration. At the 40th lap Hill entered the pits for his scheduled pit-stop, and at the 52nd lap, when the safety car went back onto the track for the Panis accident, Damon was in 9th position, where he finish the race that was stopped at the 56th lap due to the position of the Prost-Mugen. That was the first finished race for Damon in '97.

- Practice: 15th Place (1.20.0129)
- Race: 9th position - 1 lap

Final Standing G.P. of Montreal, Canada

1) Michael Schmacher 10 pts
2) Jean Alesi 06 pts
3) Giancarlo Fisichella 04 pts
4) H.H. Frentzen 03 pts
5) Johnny Herbert 02 pts
6) Shinji Nakano 01 pts
7) David Coulthard -
8) P.P. Diniz -
9) Damon Hill -
10) Gianni Morbidelli -
11) Olivier Panis -

29th June 1997 - G.P. of Magny Cours, France

PRACTICE
....

RACE
....

- Practice: 17th Position (1.16.729)
- Race: 12nd Position - 3 lap

Final Standing G.P. of Magny Course, France

1) Michael Schumacher 10 pts
2) H.H. Frentzen 06 pts
3) Eddie Irvine 04 pts
4) Jacques Villeneuve 03 pts
5) Jean Alesi 02 pts
6) Ralf Schumacher 01 pts
7) David Coulthard -
8) Johnny Herbert -
9) Giancarlo Fisichella -
10) Jarno Trulli -
11) Ukyo Katayama -
12) Damon Hill -

13th July 1997 - Grand Prix of Silverstone, Great Britain

PRACTICE
Bad Friday for Damon. On track he didn't do much, gaining only the 20th place behind also his teamate Diniz, and in the pits he got very near to a fight with Walkinshaw. After making peace, more outward than real, Saturday instead was very good, and Hill drove his car to a good 12th position, first of the Bridgestone drivers. A good start.

RACE
FINALLY, A WONDERFUL RACE!!! The car had kept right 'till the end and didn't have any trouble, so Damon drove it to the finishing line in an excellent place. But let's proceed with order. After a first start stopped due to a car stop on the grid, the second start was ok, and Damon went well, taking the 11th position at the end of the first lap, when the safety car entered the track, to permit recovery of the Minardi-Hart of Katayama. After two laps the Safety car went into the pits and Damon took 10th position behind Nakano, 'till the moment of the first pit-stop, that seems anticipated, at the 16th lap. Hill went back onto the track in 16th place, and now he started a good climb back to 9th place. Damon was good, he didn't have any problems, and he earned the respect of the others. At the 44th lap the World Champion made his last pit stop. After few laps he regained ninth place, and thanks to some stops and to his great pace in the race he entered the last lap in sixth place, and there he finished the GP.
Finally the first point of the season, that Damon celebrated greeting his fans as if he was the winner of the race. And, with the car that he drove, it was reality. Perfect Work Damon!!!!!!!!!

Damon celebrates his sixth place as a victory!

- Practice: 12th Place (1.23.271)
- Race: 6th position

Final Standing G.P. of Silverstone, Great Britain

1) Jacques Villeneuve 10 pts
2) Jean Alesi 06 pts
3) Alexander Wurz 04 pts
4) David Coulthard 03 pts
5) Ralf Schumacher 02 pts
6) Damon Hill 01 pts
7) Giancarlo Fisichella -
8) Jarno Trulli -
9) Norberto Fontana -
10) Tarso Marques -
11) Shinji Nakano -

27th July 1997 - Grand Prix of Hockeneim, Germany

PRACTICE
...........

RACE
........

- Practice: 13th Place (1.43.361)
- Race: 8a position

Final Stading G.P. of Hockeneim, Germany

1) Gerhard Berger 10 pts
2) Michael Schumacher 06 pts
3) Mika Hakkinen 04 pts
4) Jarno Trulli 03 pts
5) Ralf Schumacher 02 pts
6) Jean Alesi 01 pts
7) Shinji Nakano -
8) Damon Hill -
9) Norberto Fontana -
10) Jos Verstappen -
11) Giancarlo Fisichella -

FINALLY, DAMON GOT THE PODIUM!!!

10th August 1997 - Grand Prix of Hungaroring, Hungary

PRACTICE
Practice started very well for Damon, Friday got him fifth time. And, to confirm that it wasn't just luck, Saturday on the last lap Damon drove his Arrows into a wonderful third place on the grid, with only less than half a second behind the pole man Schumacher, with a time of 1.15.044

RACE
WHAT CAN WE SAY AFTER A RACE LIKE THAT? If, before the start of the GP we would still have been very happy with a second place, now it seems like a bad joke..... Damon's race was FANTASTIC, he really dominated the Grand Prix from start to finish. At the start Hill went very well and overtook Villeneuve, got into second position, remaining just behind Schumacher. When, after ten laps, the German got trouble with his tyres, Damon with a skilful move overtook him at the end of the finishing straight, taking first place. Damon was first, and stayed there until his first pit-stop, that was all perfect, and permitted Damon to rejoin the race in second place, behind Frentzen, who after a few laps retired. Damon continued the race in the lead, marking up good times and gaining time over the other drivers, showing that the Arrows were going well. Also after his second and last pit stop Damon stayed in the lead, and lap afer lap, he gained seconds over Villeneuve, driving in a constant and fast way. But, when the race seemed won, at the last but one lap Arrows no.1 had a problem with gear and the hydraulic pump, and Damon couldn't do anything but slow down, and be overtaken by Villeneuve, who won the race. Damon ended the race second at 9 seconds behind, in a race that he deserved to win. It's hard, but at least we can say that, it's true that Arrows has improved thanks to the new step of the Yamaha engine and to the aerodynamic improvements of John Barnard, but anyway in a race like that where the driver counts a great deal, Damon showed again that he is the World Champion, and one of the fastest drivers of that Formula One. BRAVO Damon, and who knows now whether the Arrows can let you gain some other good results.....

- Practice: 3rd Place (1.15.044)
- Race: 2nd position

Final Standing G.P. of Hungaroring, Hungary

1) Jacques Villeneuve 10 pts
2) Damon Hill 06 pts
3) Johnny Herbert 04 pts
4) Michael Schumacher 03 pts
5) Ralf Schumacher 02 pts
6) Shinji Nakano 01 pts
7) Jarno Trulli -
8) Gerhard Berger -
9) Eddie Irvine -
10) Ukyo Katayama -
11) Jean Alesi -
12) Tarso Marques -
13) Mika Salo -

24th August 1997 - Grand Prix of Spa, Belgium

PRACTICE
Damon qualified in ninth place that, even if it was a good starting position, he could have done better if during his last lap he hadn't found a couple of cars that spoilt his chances.

RACE
Very few minutes before the start of the race, it started to rain, and that upset all the team's strategies for the tyre changes and fuel. And, the race, due to the heavy rain, was started with the safety car, that re-entered the pits after three laps and so the race got a fast start. Meanwhile, the rain was over and the track became dry. Damon went into the pits, but the team mounted the medium tyres instead of the slick ones. That - wrong - move forced Damon to enter again into the pits after a few laps to mount the slick ones. After these changes, Hill was 14th. But it wasn't a good day and in that position he ended the race, even if in actual fact the Arrows no. 1 stopped at the pits due to a technical problem a couple of laps before the end of the race.

- Practice: 9th Place (1.50.970)
- Race: 14th position

Final Standing G.P. of Spa, Belgium

1) Michael Schumacher 10 pts
2) Giancarlo Fisichella 06 pts
3) Mika Hakkinen 04 pts
4) H.H. Frentzen 03 pts
5) Johnny Herbert 02 pts
6) Jacques Villeneuve 01 pts
7) Gerhard Berger -
8) P.P. Diniz -
9) Jean Alesi -
10) Gianni Morbidelli -
11) Eddie Irvine -
12) Mika Salo -
13) Jan Magnussen -
14) Damon Hill -
15) Ukyo Katayama -

07th September 1997 - Grand Prix of Monza, Italy

PRACTICE
A bit disappoiting the qualifying results, also for Damon, who said he was expecting something rather better than 14th position on the starting grid.
Notice Damon's commitment in observing the minute's silence in honour of Diana Princess of Wales.

RACE
Not a brilliant race, as the qualifier was. The race started, and Damon got his grid position, clocking good times, near 1.27", like all the drivers in front of him. At the 32nd lap Hill made his only pit stop, and went back onto the track to gain 9th position. But at the 47th lap the Arrows no. 1 had to stop due to the engine breaking down, right before the finish straight.

- Practice: 14th Place (1.24.482)
- Race: dnf (retired 47th lap - engine)

Final Standing G.P. of Monza, Italy

1) David Coulthard 10 pts
2) Jean Alesi 06 pts
3) H.H. Frentzen 04 pts
4) Giancarlo Fisichella 03 pts
5) Jacques Villeneuve 02 pts
6) Michael Schumacher 01 pts
7) Gerhard Berger -
8) Eddie Irvine -
9) Mika Hakkinen -
10) Jarno Trulli -
11) Shinji Nakano -
12) Gianni Morbidelli -
13) Rubens Barrichello -
14) Tarso Marques -

21st September 1997 - Grand Prix of Zeltweg, Austria

PRACTICE
After a bad Friday, in the qualifying session Damon drove his Arrows in a good seventh place in the grid, clocking in 1.11.025.

RACE
The race wasn't explosive, but it was good. Damon kept his position after the start, drove in decent times and after his pit-stop, at the 39th lap, recovered till the 6th position, when he was overtaken by Schumacher on the last lap. Probably, Damon was already thinking of next season...

- Practice: 7th Place (1.11.025)
- Race: 7th Place

Final Standing G.P. of Zeltweg, Austria

1) Jacques Villeneuve 10 pts
2) David Coulthard 06 pts
3) H.H. Frentzen 04 pts
4) Giancarlo Fisichella 03 pts
5) Ralf Schumacher 02 pts
6) Michael Schumacher 01 pts
7) Damon Hill -
8) Johnny Herbert -
9) Gianni Morbidelli -
10) Gerhard Berger -
11) Ukyo Katayama -
12) Jos Verstappen -
13) P.P. Diniz -
14) Rubens Barrichello -

28th September 1997 - Grand Prix of Nurburgring, Luxemburg

PRACTICE
Damon immediately gained his time, the 13th place with 1.17.795

RACE
A very good race for Damon. If only his engine didn't stop at the pits, he probably would have got a place on the podium. For all the race Hill made very good times, also after his problem in the pits. The final place wasn't good, but again Damon showed what a Champion he is.

- Practice: 13th Place (1.17.795)
- Race: 8th Place

Final Standing G.P. of Nurburgring, Luxemburg

1) Jacques Villeneuve 10 pts
2) Jean Alesi 06 pts
3) H.H. Frentzen 04 pts
4) Gerhard Berger 03 pts
5) P.P. Diniz 02 pts
6) Olivier Panis 01 pts
7) Johnny Herbert -
8) Damon Hill -
9) Gianni Morbidelli -
10) Mika Salo -

12th October 1997 - Grand Prix of Suzuka, Japan

PRACTICE
Not a good qualifier for Damon, because he did his time when the track was too warm and the grip wasn't optimal. He did the 17th fastest time.

RACE
The first part of the race was very gritty, in fact after the first lap Damon was 12th. When he did his first pit-stop he was 6th. After that, Hill ended the race 12th, a place that in actual fact does not show that his race was not a bad one.

- Practice: 17th Place (1.38.082)
- Race: 12th Place

Final Standing G.P. of Suzuka, Japan

1) Michael Schumacher 10 pts
2) H.H. Frentzen 06 pts
3) Eddie Irvine 04 pts
4) Mika Hakkinen 03 pts
5) Jacques Villeneuve 02 pts
6) Jean Alesi 01 pts
7) Johnny Herbert -
8) Giancarlo Fisichella -
9) Gerhard Berger -
10) Ralf Schumacher -
11) David Coulthard -
12) Damon Hill -
13) P.P. Diniz -
14) Jos Verstappen -

26th October 1997 - Grand Prix of Jerez, Europe

PRACTICE
The track seems favourable for the Arrows of the World Champion, so much that on Friday Damon made the second fastest time, and during the official qualifier he got fourth place, only 53 hundredths behind the pole; the pole that Damon would surely have won if only he hadn't found Katayama in a tailspin on the last curve.

RACE
Luckily, that unlucky season came to an end. At the start Damon was overtaken by the two McLarens, so he found himself in sixth position, where he remained until the first pit stop; after that Hill went back onto the track and gained seventh place. But one more time the engine broke and left Damon during the 47th lap.
A small addition: in the same lap Damon retired, Schumacher tried again, this time with Villeneuve, the same manouvre that he did in 1994 against Hill, but the German driver wasn't so lucky as the first time and the title goes to Villeneuve, quite rightly!
The 1997 season is now at an end, and we hope that the 1998 Jordan-Mugen Honda will make it possible for Damon to win some races and fight for the World Championship.

- Practice: 4th Place (1.21.130)
- Race: dnf - (retired 47th lap - engine)

Final Standing G.P. of Jerez, Europe

1) Mika Hakkinen 10 pts
2) David Coulthard 06 pts
3) Jacques Villeneuve 04 pts
4) Gerhard Berger 03 pts
5) Eddie Irvine 02 pts
6) H.H. Frentzen 01 pts
7) Olivier Panis -
8) Johnny Herbert -
9) Jan Magnussen -
10) Shinji Nakano -
11) Giancarlo Fisichella -
12) Mika Salo -
13) Jean Alesi -
14) Norberto Fontana -
15) Tarso Marques -
16) Jos Verstappen -
17) Ukyo Katayama -

F.1 World Championship - Standing

Points	Driver	Points	Constructor
81	Jacques Villeneuve - Champion	123	Williams-Renault - Champion
78	Michael Schumacher	102	Ferrari
42	H.H. Frentzen	67	Benetton-Renault
36	David Coulthard	63	McLaren-Mercedes
36	Jean Alesi	33	Jordan-Peugeot
27	Gerhard Berger	21	Prost-Mugen Honda
27	Mika Hakkinen	16	Sauber-Petronas
24	Eddie Irvine	9	TWR Arrows-Yamaha
20	Giancarlo Fisichella	6	Stewart Ford
16	Olivier Panis	2	Tyrrell-Ford
15	Johnny Herbert
13	Ralf Schumacher
7	Damon Hill
6	Rubens Barrichello
4	Alexander Wurz
3	Jarno Trulli
2	M. Salo - S.Nakano
2	P.P. Diniz
1	Nicola Larini

Grand Prix:	84
Victories:	21
Pole Position:	20
Fastest Laps:	19
Total Points:	333

Updated at 26/10/97

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