1997 Australian Grand Prix
| Race details | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 1 of 17 in the 1997 Formula One season | |||
 |
|||
| Date | 9 March 1997 | ||
| Official name | LXII Qantas Australian Grand Prix | ||
| Location | Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit, Albert Park, Melbourne | ||
| Course | Temporary Street Circuit | ||
| Course length | 5.302 km (3.295 mi) | ||
| Distance | 58 laps, 307.516 km (191.110 mi) | ||
| Weather | Partly Cloudy, Dry | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Williams-Renault | ||
| Time | 1:29.369 | ||
| Fastest lap | |||
| Driver |
 Heinz-Harald Frentzen
|
Williams-Renault | |
| Time | 1:30.585 on lap 36 | ||
| Podium | |||
| First | McLaren-Mercedes | ||
| Second | Ferrari | ||
| Third | McLaren-Mercedes | ||
The 1997 Australian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 9 March 1997 at the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit in Albert Park, Melbourne. It was the first race of the 1997 Formula One season. It was the second Grand Prix to be hosted in Melbourne. The 58-lap race was won by McLaren driver David Coulthard after starting from fourth position. Michael Schumacher finished second for the Ferrari and Coulthard's teammate Mika Häkkinen was third.
Nicola Larini scored his last ever world championship points at this race.
Two new teams came into Formula One in 1997: Stewart and Lola. Footwork reverted to their old name of Arrows and acquired Yamaha engines, while Ligier were bought by Alain Prost and changed their name to Prost Grand Prix. Tyrrell acquired Ford engines.
The change that dominated the drivers line up was Damon Hill's surprise sacking from Williams having just won the World Championship to join Tom Walkinshaw and the newly purchased Arrows team. In the week up to the race, there were rumours of Hill having left Arrows due to the poor performance of the car, rumours that were quashed.
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