Italian Grand Prix 1997 - Race Schedule and Countdown

David Coulthard claimed his second victory of 1997 at Monza, winning a tactical battle at the Temple of Speed for McLaren-Mercedes. The Scot drove a measured race, making his tire and fuel strategy work perfectly to emerge ahead at the end. Jean Alesi secured second place for Benetton with another strong performance, while Heinz-Harald Frentzen took third for Williams after a steady drive through the field.

Jacques Villeneuve could only manage sixth place, while Michael Schumacher was disqualified after the race for a technical infringement related to his Ferrari's floor, costing him valuable championship points. The disqualification kept Villeneuve's championship lead at a comfortable margin with just four races remaining, though the inconsistency of results suggested the title fight would go down to the wire. Ferrari's disqualification sparked controversy about technical regulations and whether the infringement had provided a competitive advantage.