The Canadian GP started in sensational style as Michael Schumacher failed to get away for the parade lap and was forced to start the race from the back of the grid. Mika Salo was in the spare car as his Tyrrell had a water leak.

As they got away Villeneuve made a strong challenge for the first corner, but Hill held firm and he led out with Alesi behind them, Martin Brundle got a good start and was ahead of his team mate. Early into the start of the second lap Irvine pulled up and stopped, he then started again as the last car passed him, it turned out that his suspension had broken and he cruised into the pits to retire. Race order was Hill, Villeneuve, Alesi, Hakkinen, Berger and Brundle.

By the start of lap 4 Hill had a 3 second lead and Schumacher was beginning to cut his way through the back of the field, by lap 5 Schumacher was 14th and both Berger and Brundle had passed the McLaren of Hakkinen.

The next retirements were Katayama and Rosset, Rosset had moved over to let Katayama through, but the Tyrrell stepped out under braking and the two cars touched wheels, Katayama was left with a badly broken rear end and Rosset was dumped in the gravel.

As Hill continued to extend his lead with a string of fastest laps Verstappen and Frentzen both retired. By lap 20 Hill had a 7 second lead over Villeneuve and Berger and Brundle were catching Alesi, the pit stops began and Fisichella and Barrichello both went in on lap 20, Barrichello went back to the pits on lap 22 and again on lap 23 when he retired with clutch problems.

By lap 26 the running order was getting disrupted by pit stops, Hill lead from Villeneuve, Alesi, Berger, Hakkinen and Coulthard with Brundle dropping down to seventh after his stop.

Hill went in for the first of his two stops on lap 27 and rejoined in second place, Berger stopped on lap 36 rejoining in fifth, Villeneuve, Alesi, Coulthard, Hakkinen all pitted too.

Berger then spun and stalled, and Schumacher retired leaving the order on lap 45 as Hill, Villeneuve, Alesi, Brundle, Coulthard, Hakkinen and Herbert. Martin Brundle then collided with Lamy and damaged his front wing, a quick pit stop saw him come out seventh, he overtook Johnny Herbert a few laps later and by lap 50 the race order was settled. Hill went in for his second stop 27 seconds in the lead and came out 8 seconds ahead of Villeneuve, Alesi, Coulthard, Hakkinen and Brundle filled the remaining points positions.

Villeneuve continued to press Hill, and indeed he was catching, but the rate at which he was catching was not fast enough, but he did set the fastest lap of the race on lap 67 with a time of 1.21.916.

Canadian GP Results