The Luxembourg Grand Prix was the name given to two races of the FIA Formula One World Championship, held in 1997 and 1998. The FIA rulings for Formula One stipulate that no country be allowed more than one race. However, the FIA has got around this ruling in the past by running Grands Prix under another name; although the Imola circuit is not in San Marino, races held there have been run under the title of the San Marino Grand Prix as the circuit is nearby. In 1997, there were two Grands Prix in Spain and two in Germany. Barcelona hosted the Spanish Grand Prix whilst Jerez hosted the European Grand Prix; in Germany, Hockenheim hosted the German Grand Prix and a second race was planned for the Nürburgring. The FIA decided to name the race the Luxembourg Grand Prix as the circuit was located some from the Germany–Luxembourg border, thereby circumventing the ban on two races having the same name. The 1998 race was also known as the Luxembourg Grand Prix despite no European Grand Prix taking place: the rights to the European Grand Prix had been revoked from the organisers of the Jerez race after an incident on the podium in 1997, and they refused to allow the Nürburgring to use the title in 1998. From 1999 to 2007, the Nürburgring hosted its race under the title of the European Grand Prix. And then, since in 2008–2012 the European Grand Prix race was held at the Valencia Street Circuit, the race at the Nürburgring returned to its main title of the German Grand Prix for the races held there in 2009, 2011, and 2013.
History
1997
As it was, the Luxembourg Grand Prix provided a moment in history, as Renault-powered cars took the first four places at the finish with Jacques Villeneuve taking first place. The race was also Villeneuve's final Formula One victory. For a long time it looked as if Mika Häkkinen would take his first Formula One win as he pulled away at the front from his McLaren teammate David Coulthard. However, in the space of one lap, both McLarens had pulled out of the race with blown engines allowing Villeneuve to move close to an eventual World Championship. Michael Schumacher's race was over by the end of the first lap after his brother Ralf Schumacher collided with his teammate Giancarlo Fisichella at the first corner; this caused immediate retirement for three out of the four cars involved, and also caused suspension damage to the fourth car which also led to its retirement two laps later.
1998
1998 saw Mika Häkkinen gain revenge for his engine failure at the previous race by taking victory at this one, with Michael Schumacher second despite qualifying on pole, and Häkkinen's teammate Coulthard third. Häkkinen also, like Villeneuve the year prior, went on to win the World Championship in the final race of the season at Suzuka; this meant that every winner of the Luxembourg GP went on to win that year's World Championship.
