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Comment form World champion |
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Your voice! Auto Race talk show coming soon! |
Who will be champion? What did the readers say |
A few comments for readers. |
Result of the votes |
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PAUL JOHNSON said, MICHAEL SCHUMACHER
Yvonne Parenteau If everyone drives like the professionals they're supposed to be, I believe it will be Villeneuve.
"Alfredo Jose Olivo" i almost sure that the winner will be schumager
Brian Clarke Villeneuve
"Phillip Withee" I will cast my vote for M. Schumacher.
"Eddy Stopaynik" Shumacher is the main man, the other contender is the Formula One Poofter! |
Nick Being a Hill fan i don't want Schummy to win !!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Old grudges die hard!)
Faris Sayegh M. SCHUMACHER of course.
Luis Gasperini Schumacher |
"anir" Villenueve has demonstrated once again he is his own driver in Japan. For Schumacher to call him dangerous is ludicrous. Villeneuve has never bumped anyone in his entire career racing, something Schumacher has done with aggression when necessary. Also if Schumacher was as good a racer as he is made out to be, he would have been able to face Villeneuve "one on one", without cheating with Eddie. Therefore I believe Jacques to be the greatest and most dynamic driver on the circuit, who can take the necessary risks and race with dignity and honor while facing his fears alone. Tony L. |
Benetton Location: Jerez, Spain. Buoyed by knowing they have secured third place in the Constructors' World Championship, the Mild Seven Benetton Renault team will travel to the European Grand Prix at Jerez in Spain this weekend (October 26) intent on giving their French technical partner Renault a memorable 'adieu' in the final race of the 1997 season. Both Jean Alesi and Gerhard Berger, for whom the European race also represents their last with Benetton, will be equally keen to provide a fitting finale to their two-years' joint service with the team. For all concerned with the team, the omens are good. When the Jerez track, south of Seville in southern Spain, was last used for a European Grand Prix in 1994, it witnessed an accomplished drive for Michael Schumacher, then in a Benetton, as he returned from suspension to claim a victory which revived his championship challenge. Earlier this year, when the team last used the track in pre-season testing, the cars went well and clocked quick times. "We are going to be using the same tyres and the ambient conditions should be very similar, although it may be a little warmer compared to February which was the last time we were there. "We feel also, that having made sure of third place now, we can be more offensive with our strategy than we have been and that could give us a chance of a much better result. Until recently, we have been fairly defensive with our tactics. Our objective will be to have both cars finishing in the top four, to give Renault a result to remember from their final race. I am sure I speak for most people in Formula One when I say I am sorry to see them going." The team tested at Silverstone last week for three days, mostly in preparation for 1998, with driver Oliver Gavin, the former British Formula Three champion, as a late replacement for Gerhard Berger who was not available. "Oliver came off the plane back from Japan and was thrown in virtually straightaway," said Symonds. "He did a great job over the three days all in the wet and we were very impressed."
MINARDI'S FINALE FOR KATAYAMA Location: Jerez, Spain The Circuito de Jerez in southern Spain will host the final round of this year's FIA Formula 1 World Championship -- the European Grand Prix. The championship ends on a low note for Minardi as the team says farewell to Ukyo Katayama who retires from a Formula 1 career spanning six years, after this event. "This year has been significant for Minardi," explains Gian Carlo Minardi. " Although our results on the track have not always reflected our ability, we have nonetheless had a successful year. The team has grown significantly, both in size and maturity, and I am confident that in 1998 with the Ford V10 package we will see another significant step forward. Jerez is particularly important for the team as we will be parting company with Ukyo. I would like to thank him personally for his tremendous help this year. Our achievements are directly linked to his collaboration and support throughout 1997." Ukyo Katayama: "This will be a very important race for me as it will be my last in Formula 1. I was here for the 1994 European Grand Prix and finished seventh after qualifying 13th. I will be doing my best to finish this race -- in the points would be nice for my final F1 event." Tarso Marques: "I last drove at Jerez in 1993 when I was testing in F3000, before the track was modified. I would really like to score a point for my final race of the season, but a top 10 finish is probably more realistic. It will be a sad race for the team because of Ukyo's retirement. He's been a fantastic guy to work with and I have drawn from his experience, especially as I had so many new circuits to learn. The team's atmosphere has been great and I know everyone will really miss him." Brian Hart: "The last time we raced at Jerez in '94, a Hart engine finished fourth, so I have fond memories of this track. A narrow and twisting circuit, making it virtually impossible to overtake, means that an excellent race strategy could be decisive."
SUNSHINE FINISH TO FORMULA 1 SEASON Friday 17th October 1997 The Formula 1 season draws to a close next weekend with the European Grand Prix at the little-known circuit of Jerez de la Frontera in Southern Spain and the event is sure to be marked by an end-of-term party atmosphere. Confirmed as the final venue on this year's calendar only back in May, the Jerez track replaces the scheduled Portuguese Grand Prix which was cancelled after the authorities failed to complete essential safety work on time at the Estoril circuit. The Tyrrell Racing Organisation will say 'Adios' to their flying Finn, Mika Salo after the last Grand Prix of 1997. Following three promising years with the Surrey based team, during which time he has developed into one of the rising stars of the pit lane, 30-year old Mika's departure has opened the way for Tyrrell's new arrival, highly rated Japanese driver Tora Takagi. Mika Salo has a host of memories from the last three years. "It is difficult to pick out one," he says, "but this year's non-stop run to fifth place in Monaco was particularly special. After three years with Tyrrell, I cannot say enough positive things about the team. From day one they made me really welcome and I will miss many of the people there who have become such good friends. The mechanics have always been magnificent and they have done a fantastic job, as has my race engineer, David Brown, who has had to put up with a lot of my outbursts! I must thank Tyrrell for giving me a chance in F1 and it will certainly be a wrench to leave the team where I have had such an excellent time. I am sure that Tyrrell will be very competitive next year with the Ford V10 engine, but I felt that I needed a fresh challenge. I wish everyone well for the future". Jos Verstappen tested with Tyrrell in Jerez at the start of the season. "We will be able to take some of the set-up work that we did back in February as a starting point next weekend, but the car has changed so much since then that a great deal of the data is no longer relevant. I drove in the Grand Prix of Europe when it was at Jerez in 1994. It is quite a nice circuit to drive and it is one of those tracks that does not penalise a lack of power as much as somewhere like Suzuka last week. It will be the last race of the season so I hope we can end the year with a good performance." Having spent four days testing at Jerez back in February, the Tyrrell team knows what to expect from the Spanish circuit. Mike Gascoyne, Deputy Technical Director, explains some of the features of the track that last hosted a Formula 1 race in 1994. "Generally we found Jerez to be a challenging circuit with good facilities, if a little bland. It is not really a technical circuit in the sense that it does not have any peculiarities in the set-up of the car, although we did find that a lack of traction can cause a few problems. It is a medium speed track, similar in nature to Hungary and Austria, where the cars will be running with high -- but not maximum -- downforce settings. There are three or four tight second gear corners, two straights and a couple of quick bends. "It is undoubtedly going to be a difficult circuit to overtake on. The entry to the start-finish straight is an 85km/h hairpin so that will make it difficult to get behind anyone as you go up the hill to turn one, another tight bend. There is a fast left-hand sweep after turn two which some of the drivers may take flat and this leads into the quick right-hander before the back straight. There might be an overtaking opportunity here before the second gear 'Dry Sack' corner. There are some contour changes during the course of a lap and it will suit a nimble, good handling chassis." The European Grand Prix is the 17th and final round of the 1997 FIA Formula 1 World Championship. The race will be held on Sunday 26th October near Cadiz in South-West Spain at the 4.428km / 2.751 mile Jerez circuit, beginning at 14.00hrs local time. In the UK, clocks will be put back on the Sunday morning, so the race itself will begin at 13.00hrs GMT which is also UK time. The event is scheduled for 69 laps, making a total distance of 305.532km / 189.819 miles, and is expected to last one hour forty minutes. The last Grand Prix held here in 1994 was won by Michael Schumacher in the Benetton Ford on his way to securing the World Drivers' Championship. Chassis Numbers
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