1997 Japanese Grand Prix
| Race details | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 16 of 17 in the 1997 Formula One season | |||
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| Date | 12 October 1997 | ||
| Official name | XXIII Fuji Television Japanese Grand Prix | ||
| Location | Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka, Mie, Japan | ||
| Course | Permanent racing facility | ||
| Course length | 5.860 km (3.641 mi) | ||
| Distance | 53 laps, 310.596 km (192.995 mi) | ||
| Weather | Sunny | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Williams-Renault | ||
| Time | 1:36.071 | ||
| Fastest lap | |||
| Driver |
 Heinz-Harald Frentzen
|
Williams-Renault | |
| Time | 1:38.942 on lap 48 | ||
| Podium | |||
| First | Ferrari | ||
| Second | Williams-Renault | ||
| Third | Ferrari | ||
The 1997 Japanese Grand Prix (officially known as the XXIII Fuji Television Japanese Grand Prix) was a Formula One motor race held on 12 October 1997 at the Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka. It was the 16th and penultimate race of the 1997 Formula One season. The 53-lap race was won by Michael Schumacher for the Ferrari team after starting from second position. Heinz-Harald Frentzen finished second in a Williams, and Eddie Irvine third in the other Ferrari. Irvine led much of the race before moving over to assist Schumacher's championship battle by blocking Drivers' Championship leader Jacques Villeneuve.
Villeneuve started on pole position in a Williams car. Before the race, it emerged that Villeneuve had been put to the back of the grid, for having ignored waved yellow flags on two consecutive laps during a practice session for the race. Williams appealed and Villeneuve started from the pole. He drove a conservative race to finish 5th, gaining two points. After the race, Williams withdrew their appeal, meaning he lost the two points he originally earned. Schumacher's win put him in front of Villeneuve in the championship on 78 points, with Villeneuve on 77 points. However, as a result of Frentzen finishing second, Williams clinched the Constructors' Championship as Ferrari could not pass their points total with only one race remaining.
For each race in the 1997 Formula One season there were four practice sessions; two sessions on Friday and two sessions on Saturday morning. The practice sessions on Friday lasted an hour and the practice sessions on Saturday lasted 45 minutes.
"I clearly saw the yellow flag. If they had been waved in a corner, I would have slowed down. But on a straight it was not necessary."
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