The 1997 French Grand Prix was held at Circuit de Nevers, Magny-Cours, France on 29 June 1997. The 72-lap race was won from pole position by Michael Schumacher, driving a Ferrari. In the middle of one of the most frantic final laps a Formula One race has ever seen, a cool-headed Michael Schumacher found the time to help out his little brother. He did it while winning the race for himself, inflicting another surprising defeat on Williams and Jacques Villeneuve.
The final moments of the race were pure drama. The penultimate lap began with four cars battling over fourth place separated by three seconds: Coulthard ahead of Villeneuve, who’d just passed Ralf Schumacher, pursued by Alesi. Villeneuve picked off Coulthard, whose tyres were now beginning to fade, and the younger Schumacher did likewise.
However the Jordan skidded off the track at 180, seemingly ending his chance of points. That changed when his race-leading brother had a brainwave. Moments after lapping the Jordan, and with the chequered flag in sight, Michael waved Ralf back onto the lead lap.
This would prove crucial. Alesi mounted a last-lap attack on Coulthard which left the McLaren in a gravel trap. He would have been classified sixth had Schumacher not put his brother back on the lead lap. The Jordan driver motored past to collect the final point.
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