Schumacher Vs Frentzen Vs Villeneuve (Monaco 1997)
When the lights went green Michael Schumacher got away well but Frentzen and Villeneuve were not as quick off the mark, which gave Fisichella the opportunity to sneak ahead of Jacques going into Ste Devote. He took Ralf Schumacher with him, so Villeneuve found himself bumped down to fifth. Behind there was plenty of chaos and confusion with drivers bumping into one another a great deal.
"It was chaotic," Irvine said. "The Ferrari must be a very strong car because I was hitting cars up the back and being hit from behind and from the sides. God knows how many contacts I had with other cars."
Damon Hill was in agreement. "The first lap was absolutely extraordinary," he said. "It was so slippery. We were going slowly and everybody was trying like mad to pass everyone else. They were going around the outside, the inside. I went round Loews Hairpin with four cars abreast."
