Qualifying times: mins secs 1 D Hill GB Williams 1:20.330, 195.394kph 2 J Villeneuve Can Williams 1:20.339 3 J Alesi Fr Benetton 1:21.088 4 M Schumacher Ger Ferrari 1:21.236 5 G Berger Aut Benetton 1:21.293 6 E Irvine GB Ferrari 1:21.362 7 M Hakkinen Fin McLaren 1:21.640 8 D Coulthard GB McLaren 1:22.066 9 R Barrichello Brz Jordan 1:22.205 10 M Brundle GB Jordan 1:22.324 11 H Frentzen Ger Sauber 1:22.325 12 J Herbert GB Sauber 1:22.655 13 M Salo Fin Tyrrell 1:22.765 14 U Katayama Jpn Tyrrell 1:23.013 15 O Panis Fr Sauber 1:23.055 16 J Verstappen Hol Footwork 1:23.531 17 R Rosset Brz Footwork 1:24.230 18 P Diniz Brz Ligier 1:24.293 19 P Lamy Por Minardi 1:24.510 20 G Lavaggi It Minardi 1:25.612Notes:-
Weather: odd spot of rain, threatening more
* All the cars came out early to get a 'banker' time in. Eddie Irvine set the early pace taking pole with 1 1:21.759. Schumacher was 2nd with 1:21.933, Hakkinen 3rd with 1:22.130 and Berger 4th with 1:22.371.
* 5 minutes in. Damon Hill emerged, setting a 1:21.104 (-0.655) to take pole. The cars were only managing one flying lap due to the high tyre wear rates.
* 8 minutes. Villeneuve went 2nd with a 1:21.317.
* 11 minutes. Diniz, Herbert, Alesi, Brundle, Hakkinen and Barrichello all go out.
* 14 minutes. Alesi goes 3rd (times temporarily unavailable due to computer problem!)
* 16 minutes. Irvine and Coulthard go out. Irvine had completed 3 days of testing at Fiorano prior to the meeting, and had set a new lap record.
* 18 minutes. Irvine went third setting a 1:21.36.
* 20 minutes. Berger went second, setting a 1:21.293. Lamy pulled off trackside, and removing his seat from the car he ran back to the pits.
* 21 minutes. Schumacher went out and set a 1:22.022 (+0.918), struggling to match Irvine, the first time since Australia. Villeneuve was on track, and was 0.2s up at one stage, but dropped time further round the track.
* 25 minutes. Hill went out again, setting a 1:20.330 (-0.774) to stamp his authority on pole position. This was faster than the previous years pole position time.
* 29 minutes. Barrichello went out, setting a 1:22.205, (+1.875), 9th. Schumacher also went out again, and was only 0.038s down at the first split. At the 2nd he was 0.617 down, and finally +0.906, 1:21.236, 2nd.
* 34 minutes. Alesi out, setting a 1:21.088 (+0.758), 2nd. In the pits Villeneuve was out of the car and pacing around, not as relaxed as normal. The mechanics changed the front shock/damper settings. Irvine went out again, setting a 1:21.449 (+1.119s).
* 37 minutes. Pedro Lamy was out in the spare car on an empty track, setting a 1:24.510 (+4.180), 19th.
* 43 minutes. Brundle set a 1:22.421 (+2.091). Villeneuve was out again, and driving much more smoothly than before. He was -0.024s at the first split, +0.114 at the 2nd (he had a slide at the chicane), and finally finished on 1:20.339 (+0.009) to go 2nd.
* 48 minutes. Frentzen and Hill went out. Hill was +0.375s at the second split, so he aborted the lap and came into the pits. Barrichello set a 1:22.414 (+2.084), and Lamy a 1:24.809 (+4.479).
* 50 minutes. Coulthard and Irvine went out, followed by Villeneuve. It started to rain, so the cars came in again, and no further qualifying times were set.