Qualifying - European GP, Nurburgring. Saturday 27th April
The weather was warm and sunny, with a few clouds floating around to occasionally block the sun. The session started, and Hakkinen went out, in more ways than one.
Hakkinen, 6th fastest in the morning warm up, had just completed his out lap when his engine let go in dramatic fashion. As he flashed past the pits, the engine issued a huge plume of white smoke, and disgorged the contents of its water system onto the left rear tyre. Hakkinen tried to hold it, but the car gently span around, coming to rest in front of the barrier just past the pit exit. At least he didn't have far to go to return to the pits.
A gaggle of cars emerged, and the Jordan's set the early pace. Interestingly, Brundle decided to run without the mid-wing he had used the day before. Barrichello had been 5th in the morning warm up. Panis also came out, but was only allowed to do 11 laps, instead of 12, having done 31 laps instead of 30 the previous day - he had also been 9th in the morning warm up. Katayama stopped after a couple of laps on the grass at the exit to the Dunlop Hairpin, victim of some mechanical malady.
The Williamses came out mid-session, but the difference between them was stark, Villeneuve initially took the fastest lap, but was all over the kerbs. Hill, by contrast, was smoothness personified. He was also by far the fastest. He was the first to break into the 1:19s, 0.5s faster than anyone else. Just to rub it in, on his second appearance he lowered his time by 0.985s. No-one had an answer.
Schumacher tried, but was possibly over-driving, using all the kerbs and available gravel. Alesi did as well, but he lost it on the exit of the Castrol Curve. This earned him the dubious distinction of having managed to spin in every session he had taken part in. He managed to stall it in the middle of the track, in what was obviously a dangerous position. Irvine was first on the scene, but had heeded the warnings and avoided trouble. Rosset on the other hand saw it very late, and locked up in avoidance. Luckily he missed, and the marshals pushed the car out of the way. The FIA took a dim view of this and issued Rosset with a fine.
Irvine tried even harder on the next lap, taking
out a bollard at the Veedol Chicane. Coming out of the final corner
he laid down twin tracks of rubber in a glorious power slide.
There was no improvement though.
Results - Qualifying
| 1 | D.Hill | 1:18.941 | 207.770kph |
| 2 | J.Villeneuve | 1:19.721 | |
| 3 | M.Schumacher | 1:20.149 | |
| 4 | J.Alesi | 1:20.711 | |
| 5 | R.Barrichello | 1:20.818 | |
| 6 | D.Coulthard | 1:20.888 | |
| 7 | E.Irvine | 1:20.931 | |
| 8 | G.Berger | 1:21.054 | |
| 9 | M.Hakkinen | 1:21.078 | |
| 10 | H.Frentzen | 1:21.113 | |
| 11 | M.Brundle | 1:21.177 | |
| 12 | J.Herbert | 1:21.210 | |
| 13 | J.Verstappen | 1:21.367 | |
| 14 | M.Salo | 1:21.458 | |
| 15 | O.Panis | 1:21.509 | |
| 16 | U.Katayama | 1:21.812 | |
| 17 | P.Diniz | 1:22.733 | |
| 18 | G.Fisichella | 1:22.921 | |
| 19 | P.Lamy | 1:23.139 | |
| 20 | R.Rosset | 1:23.620 | |
| DNQ | |||
| 21 | A.Montermini | 1:25.053 | |
| 22 | L.Badoer | 1:25.840 |