San Marino Grand Prix 1997 - Race Schedule and Countdown

Heinz-Harald Frentzen claimed his maiden Formula 1 victory at Imola, emerging victorious in a strategic battle after pole-sitter Jacques Villeneuve suffered a suspension failure while leading. Michael Schumacher finished second for Ferrari at their home circuit, delighting the Tifosi with a strong recovery drive after starting further down the grid. Eddie Irvine completed an excellent Ferrari one-two with third place, giving the Scuderia their best result of the season to that point at the circuit bearing Enzo Ferrari's name.

Villeneuve's retirement while dominating was a bitter disappointment for Williams, marking the team's second mechanical failure in four races when seemingly cruising to victory. Frentzen's win vindicated Williams' decision to replace Damon Hill with the German driver, though his inconsistency compared to Villeneuve would remain a concern throughout the season. Ferrari's strong showing at Imola suggested they were closing the gap to Williams and would be genuine title contenders as the European season progressed.