If last years European Grand Prix was considered a thriller, then this years race should have had a health warning.

Although race winner Jacques Villeneuve never lost his lead, he was under pressure for much of the event. Michael Schumacher drove a spectacular race to finish second, pressuring Villeneuve from the first round of pit stops until the chequered flag. After leading all of the weekend’s practice and qualifying sessions, Damon Hill had a catalogue of bad luck on his way to fourth spot behind the McLaren of David Coulthard. Rubens Barrichello drove another fine race to finish fifth, and Barrichello’s Jordan team-mate, Martin Brundle, had a bit more luck than in previous races to grab the final points finish.

Saturday Qualifying

After dominating much of the Friday and Saturday free practice sessions, Damon Hill took his third pole in a row in fine style with a time 0.78s faster than team-mate Villeneuve, and nearly a one second improvement on his own previous best. Despite the fanatical support of the German crowd, Schumacher was unable to improve much on his earlier times and was to eventually finish third fastest. Hill was obviously satisfied with his lap, "It felt really good and the time showed it.". On the prospect of a fifth successive victory he said, "I've never won in Germany, so it would be nice to win here."

Mika Hakkinen was lucky to be able to set a competitive time after his engine expired on his first fast lap, luckily not in front of the Mercedes employee grandstand. There was a long wait for him as the team adjusted the spare car, but he drove brilliantly on his return to the track to take ninth spot. Coulthard, with his best result of the year, was only 0.2s behind in sixth. The Benetton pair had differing fortunes, with Jean Alesi finishing fourth despite a nasty spin at the Castrol S corner. Gerhard Berger had a less productive session and eventually finished eighth. Rubens Barrichello drove superbly on his way to fifth spot in the Jordan but Brundle, struggling with a poor setup, finished the session a less spectacular eleventh. If the Englishman had been able to find just 0.3s he would have ended up behind his team-mate. It was that close.

After a promising test at Silverstone, the Tyrrell team were looking to perform well here. Unfortunately, Mika Salo and Ukyo Katayama could only post times good enough to grab fourteenth and sixteenth respectively. The Arrows cars, also positive after a productive test, were sporting a new distinctive livery. The first weekend under the reign of Tom Walkinshaw failed to yield a productive weekend though. The cars had been off the pace in most of the practice sessions and Verstappen must have been annoyed to only reach thirteenth position. The other big disappointment of the session was probably the news that there would only be twenty cars running in the race. The new Forti car was still waiting to be scrutineered and Badoer and Montermini were relegated to the older-spec cars. It was close for the Forti pair, but in the new tougher qualifying, close just isn't good enough.

The Race

After such a dominant qualifying performance from the Williams drivers, the fear was that the race would turn out to be a processional affair. Sceptics were commenting that last year’s race was only made exciting by the changing conditions. As the cars took their positions on the starting grid there was a slight chance that the weather would throw a spanner in the works but, despite a weak mist and overcast skies, the weather was to remain dry for the duration of the race.

As the lights went out, Jacques Villeneuve was the quicker of the two Williams off the front row. David Coulthard made an even more spectacular start from sixth on the grid, scything past the four cars in front as if they were standing still. The Scot even managed to get his nose ahead of Villeneuve for a few yards, but the Canadian braked slightly later and held the lead. Hill must have felt like he was in reverse, as both Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello outsprinted him into the first corner. The two Benetton drivers made appalling starts, Alesi suffering from lack of drive and Berger a locked brake. Berger pitted on the next lap but the team were unprepared for their driver coming in this early. The team fumbled about his car, fitting a new set of tyres, and he rejoined well down the field. Berger said after the race, "Coming out in eighteenth position, there was a little chance. Too bad because the car was very good afterwards.".

Alesi was trying to regain as many places as possible whilst the cars were still bunched. His race was to only last a few miles though, as he collided with Mika Salo on lap 2. Alesi’s aggression got the better of him once again as he dived past an Arrows into the first corner, unaware that Salo was coming around on the normal line. The Benetton was an instant retirement, its left front wheel badly damaged, but Salo was able to skim the gravel and rejoin, albeit several places further down the field. The Finn was lucky that his car was not seriously damaged, as it had bounced off the Benetton rather alarmingly. Tyrrell's weekend of woe continued as Ukyo Katayama stalled on the grid. After some assistance the Japanese driver was able to continue the race eventually finishing two laps down in twelfth. At the end of the race both of the Tyrrells were disqualified, Salo for an 1kg underweight car and Katayama for his push start.

At the end of the first lap the top six cars were in close succession, and Hill was keen to get past Schumacher as soon as possible. By the end of the second lap Damon was already looking for a way past the German, and on lap 5 he was close enough to get a tow on the main straight and outbrake the Ferrari into the first corner. Villeneuve was beginning to pull out a gradual lead, and Hill didn't want to lose too much time to his team-mate if he was still to stand a chance of winning.

Berger, enjoying a clear track, was able to stretch the legs of the Benetton and set several fastest laps whilst trying to catch the rest of the field. The next retirements in an unusually reliable race came on lap 6. Eddie Irvine, down in ninth after a poor start, collided with the Ligier of Olivier Panis at the Veedol chicane. Panis and Irvine both pulled into the pits and retired immediately, although Ferrari claimed a misfire was the cause of the Irishman’s retirement.

By lap 8, Jacque Villeneuve's lead had stretched to 5.11s. Coulthard was slightly ahead of the rest of the pack and slowly beginning to pull away. Barrichello was obviously holding the Williams and Ferrari up, but the Brazilian was driving a brilliant race in a car designed with a fraction of the budget of the two F1 heavyweights behind him. All this was allowing Hakkinen and Frentzen to close up on Schumacher, and there was soon a danger that they too would get involved in the battle for third

On lap 11 Barrichello was slow through the Veedol chicane, and Hill almost got by. Damon then tried the outside of the final corner but Barrichello managed to hold the inside and Damon had to back off. Three laps later, and Hill had another look through the chicane. This time Schumacher used the opportunity to try and get past the Williams. Hill brilliantly countered the German’s moves and tucked back in behind Barrichello. The doubters must have been eating humble pie, as this was turning out to be the best race for ages. As the cars approached third distance it was becoming apparent that, with the top six so close, fuel stops would be all important. Frentzen, currently seventh, was the first of the top drivers to pit on lap 20.

Barrichello, meanwhile, had begun to open up a gap to Hill and it was beginning to look as though the Englishman might have a problem. Hill explained after the race, "I got by Michael okay and was having problems with Rubens, but then suddenly the car started to feel strange and I was convinced I had a puncture or that something had broken on the car.". The Williams was looking decidedly sloppy, and Hill was uncharacteristically locking his brakes. Damon was eventually called in on lap 22 and had to endure an agonising 20s wait whilst Patrick Head checked the rear of the Williams for problems. The car appeared okay, and Hill was let out only to be baulked on the exit by Herbert and Brundle, rejoining after their stops ahead of him. The prospect of Hill getting four wins on the trot was looking increasingly unlikely.

The next few laps saw a flurry of pit stops as teams dragged their drivers in. Schumacher was in first, losing fourth place to Hakkinen. Coulthard and Barrichello were in next time around, with Coulthard rejoining a mere cars length in front of Schumacher. With the support of the crowd behind him, and the advantage of slightly hotter tyres, it was obvious that Schumacher would not be blocked for long, and Coulthard sensibly let Schumacher through without much of a fight. Next time round, and Coulthard’s designs on Schumacher were brought to a premature end as Hakkinen left the pits right in front of him. Ron Dennis must have been praying that, with two cars finally in the top runners, they didn't take each other off.

Villeneuve made a late stop on lap 26, and was able to rejoin with the length of the straight between him and second placed Schumacher. With the majority of pitstops over, the order was now Villeneuve, Schumacher, Hakkinen, Coulthard, Barrichello, Frentzen, Salo, Diniz, Brundle, Hill, Herbert, Verstappen, Rosset, Lamy, Berger, Fisichella, and Katayama.

Hill, now in tenth, had taken Herbert by lap 27 and was swarming all over Brundle. Pedro Diniz, yet to stop, was holding up the Jordan, and Hill was able to squeeze by his fellow Englishman on the inside of the last corner. Damon was eager not to get held up by the Ligier, and attempted to pass it going into the Dunlop-Kehre on the next lap. Diniz astonishingly tried to outbrake Hill, the Englishman taking to the kerbs to avoid the Ligier. Despite Hill’s best efforts, the pair still collided and understeered off into the gravel. Both drivers were able to keep going but Hill was now back behind Herbert and Verstappen.

Schumacher was on a charge, and had cut Villeneuve’s lead down to 4.2s by lap 29. Coulthard was 13s behind in third, but driving a storming race. McLaren's promising weekend was brought to an abrupt end by the stewards though, as they announced a 10s pit lane speeding penalty for Hakkinen. This was to be the first of two such infringements for the Finn, and effectively put him out of the running.

Back at the front of the field, and Villeneuve’s lead was now down to 2.5s. Villeneuve was obviously having a hard time dealing with the back markers, but Schumacher was driving brilliantly to cut huge chunks out of the Canadian’s lead. Villeneuve was stuck behind Diniz, and he too was almost outbraked and taken off by the Ligier on one occasion.

Hill managed to get past Verstappen after the Arrows had slid wide through the chicane, and was now up to eighth ahead of Herbert. Damon was attempting to close the 4s gap to Brundle, in seventh, and hoping to at least finish in the points after a disastrously unlucky race. After setting the fastest lap of the race so far, he soon closed the deficit to just over a second. Hakkinen, meanwhile, was closing the gap to Frentzen and, on lap 42, took him at the Dunlop-Kehre after Frentzen had slid wide at the chicane on the previous lap.

Laps 42 to 46 saw a flurry of second stops. Schumacher came in on lap 43, and rejoined third between the battling pair of Coulthard and Barrichello. Coulthard, yet to stop, was holding up Schumacher and this enabled Villeneuve to pit and rejoin comfortably in the lead. Coulthard came in on the same lap, his stop dropping him to third ahead of Brundle. The Jordan driver was in next lap, and he dropped to seventh behind Hill. Hakkinen had to suffer the second of his speeding penalties, and this promoted Hill up to fifth. If Hill could maintain his pace he would have a chance of getting on the podium. With Barrichello and Coulthard in his way though, it was looking increasingly unlikely.

On lap 56 Frentzen had a nasty spin at the first corner. The severity and speed of the snap-oversteer suggested a gearbox failure and, although he was able to drive over the gravel trap, he retired on the next lap.

Villeneuve was still brilliantly holding off Schumacher, despite being badly baulked by backmarkers. As the race entered the final few laps it looked as though Schumacher might be able to make a repeat of last year’s late surge. Ahead of Villeneuve was a train of backmarkers containing Mika Salo and Gerhard Berger, fighting for ninth spot. With all this ahead of him, even Villeneuve couldn't be expected to hold off the charging Schumacher. With some superb driving, and a little assistance from the backmarkers, Villeneuve was able to keep the Ferrari at bay and crossed the finish line a scant 0.76s ahead of second placed Schumacher. The battle for third was just as close, Coulthard finishing with only a second between himself, Hill and Barrichello in fifth place. Hill had been setting fastest lap after fastest lap whilst attempting to close the gap to Barrichello. He had passed the Brazilian on lap 57, and was less than 2s behind Coulthard with ten laps to go. He was unable to pass the McLaren though and eventually finished fourth. Barrichello was right behind the Williams and, as the trio crossed the finish line, had one last look as Hill ran wide.

Villeneuve was appeared surprisingly calm about his victory, but said, "It is a great feeling to win here, and win my first race in Formula One. It is great for the team as well because we have been competitive since the beginning of the season and finally we get onto the highest step on the podium. We have worked hard to get there and it is good to be there so early. The car was much better than in qualifying and it was particularly good for the third stint, which was a good thing as Michael was going really strongly and we needed the car to be good at that point. As long as the race wasn't going to get too bad with the traffic I could keep an eye on Michael and see where he was. At times he was too close to be comfortable but he made it fun - as long as I stayed in front it was fun, but if he had got by me I wouldn't have thought it was!"

Schumacher was obviously happy with his second place, especially finishing so close to the Williams, "I must admit that I hoped it would turn out to be a similar situation to last year, when I managed to win in the very last laps, but Villeneuve drove a very good race and did not make the slightest mistake. We had an enjoyable fight and I am delighted with this result and with the fact that I was able to put on a good show in front of a crowd that gave me and Ferrari so much support.” Schumacher was sceptical about his performance relative to the Williams, “The fact that I was able to fight for the lead today does not mean that we have closed the gap to the Williams, but only that we are improving step by step in a methodical and planned fashion. We have a long way to go but I am sure we will get there."

Coulthard was, as ever, exuberant about his third place, “It feels like a win for me! When I saw Damon behind me with eight laps to go, I didn't think I could last out. But I made my car so wide that you wouldn't have got a motorbike past. The only way he could have got by me was over the top!"

Damon Hill was upbeat despite an unlucky race, “I got a very bad start and everything went bad from there. However, I got some points and I am very pleased that Jacques in the Williams-Renault won the race, so congratulations are due to him for winning his first Grand Prix. It wasn't easy to pass here, particularly the Peugeots who were very strong. It was a tough race, but the points are important. I had a few dices at David, my old team-mate, there at the end and fortunately it didn't end in tears, but I would have loved to have third place."