The win, Villeneuve's third of the season, put him back into the lead of the Drivers' Championship by three points from German Michael Schumacher, who finished fourth in his Ferrari.

Michael Schumacher, having started 7th, ended the first lap in 2nd position, and was challenging Villeneuve in the Williams for the lead.

By lap 13, the gap between him and Villeneuve was approximately 20 seconds, and a train of cars consisting to David Coulthard, Jean Alesi, Mika Häkkinen, Heinz-Harald Frentzen, and Johnny Herbert was behind him.

However, during lap 50, Panis was held up by traffic, firstly Ralf Schumacher's Jordan and then the Ferrari of Eddie Irvine.

With marshals not waving the blue flags,[3] Irvine failed to let Panis through, and thus allowing Jean Alesi and Michael Schumacher to catch him up.