The Minardi M197 was the car with which the Minardi

Minardi

Minardi was an automobile racing team and constructor founded in 1979 by Giancarlo Minardi. It competed in the Formula One World Championship from 1985 until 2005 with little success, nevertheless acquiring a loyal following of fans...

 Formula One

Formula One

Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...

 team competed in the 1997 Formula One season

1997 Formula One season

The 1997 Formula One season was the 48th FIA Formula One World Championship season. It commenced on March 9, 1997, and ended on October 26 after seventeen races.-Season summary:...

. It was initially driven by Ukyo Katayama

Ukyo Katayama

is a Japanese racing driver, most notable for competing six years in Formula One. Despite struggling with under-funded teams throughout his career, Katayama's performances impressed on several occasions, and was popular in the F1 paddock for his unshakeably sunny disposition and self-deprecating...

, who moved from Tyrrell

Tyrrell Racing

The Tyrrell Racing Organisation was an auto racing team and Formula One constructor founded by Ken Tyrrell which started racing in 1958 and started building its own cars in 1970. The team experienced its greatest success in the early 1970s, when it won three drivers' championships and one...

, and Jarno Trulli

Jarno Trulli

Jarno Trulli is an Italian Formula One racing driver. He has been a regular in Formula One since 1997, driving for Minardi, Prost, Jordan, Renault and Toyota. He won the 2004 Monaco Grand Prix for Renault, his only Grand Prix victory to date. He is known for being a qualification expert...

, the reigning German Formula Three

Formula Three

Formula Three, also called Formula 3 or F3, is a class of open-wheel formula racing. The various championships held in Europe, Australia, South America and Asia form an important step for many prospective Formula One drivers...

 champion. However, Trulli would be called up to Prost Grand Prix

Prost Grand Prix

Prost Grand Prix was a Formula One racing team managed by former world champion Alain Prost. The team participated in five seasons from 1997 to 2001.-Purchase of Ligier:...

 following Olivier Panis

Olivier Panis

Olivier Panis is a French racing driver. Panis is best known in F1 not only as a test driver for the McLaren team but for his win at the eventful Monaco Grand Prix in 1996 for the Ligier team after starting 14th...

' serious accident in Montréal

1997 Canadian Grand Prix

The 1997 Canadian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on June 15, 1997.The race was marred by a big crash involving Olivier Panis, who broke his legs and would be unable to start the next seven grands prix. It has been argued that this crash affected Panis's...

, and the team would select part-time driver Tarso Marques

Tarso Marques

Tarso Anibal Santanna Marques is a racing driver from Brazil. He participated in 24 Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on March 31, 1996...

 to take over his vacated seat.

The year saw investment from Fondmetal

Fondmetal

Fondmetal is a Italian wheel manufacturer, founded by Gabriele Rumi.It also was a Formula One constructor from 1991 through 1992, as well as a Formula One engine supplier in 2000 and sponsor of several teams throughout this period...

, ensuring the team's budget, but the car was unresponsive. Combined with an underpowered (albeit well-prepared) V8 engine

V8 engine

A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....

 from Brian Hart

Brian Hart

Brian Hart is a British former racing driver and engineer with a background in the aviation industry. He is best known as the founder of Brian Hart Limited, a company that developed and built engines for motorsport use.- Racing career :Beginning in 1958, Hart enjoyed a successful career as a...

, it left the team at the bottom of the grid, although the newly-acquired Bridgestone

Bridgestone

The is a multinational rubber conglomerate founded in 1931 by in the city of Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan. The name Bridgestone comes from a calque translation and transposition of ishibashi, meaning "stone bridge" in Japanese....

 tyres did allow them to occasionally challenge Tyrrell

Tyrrell Racing

The Tyrrell Racing Organisation was an auto racing team and Formula One constructor founded by Ken Tyrrell which started racing in 1958 and started building its own cars in 1970. The team experienced its greatest success in the early 1970s, when it won three drivers' championships and one...

. Minardi also had the satisfaction of comfortably beating debutants MasterCard Lola

MasterCard Lola

MasterCard Lola is a former Formula One team that contested one race in the 1997 Formula One season. It quickly withdrew from the sport after failing to qualify in its sole race...

, despite the British

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 team's experience in motor racing.

The team were unclassified in the Constructors' Championship, with no points.

Complete Formula One results

(results in bold indicate pole position)

Year	Team	Engine	Tyres	Drivers	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	Points	WCC
	Minardi Minardi Minardi was an automobile racing team and constructor founded in 1979 by Giancarlo Minardi. It competed in the Formula One World Championship from 1985 until 2005 with little success, nevertheless acquiring a loyal following of fans...	Hart Brian Hart Ltd. Brian Hart Ltd., also known as Hart and Hart Racing Engines was a motor racing engine manufacturer that participated in 157 Formula One Grands Prix, powering a total of 368 entries....  V8 V8 engine A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....			AUS 1997 Australian Grand Prix The 1997 Australian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 9 March 1997 at the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit in Albert Park, Melbourne. It was the first race of the 1997 Formula One season. It was the second Grand Prix to be hosted in Melbourne.-Pre-race:...	BRA 1997 Brazilian Grand Prix The 1997 Brazilian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Autódromo José Carlos Pace near Interlagos, Brazil on March 30, 1997. It was the second race of the 1997 Formula One season.-Pre-Race:...	ARG 1997 Argentine Grand Prix The 1997 Argentine Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Autódromo Oscar Alfredo Gálvez in Buenos Aires, Argentina on April 13, 1997. It was the third race of the 1997 Formula One season.-Pre-Race:...	SMR 1997 San Marino Grand Prix The 1997 San Marino Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari near Imola, Italy on April 27, 1997. It was the fourth race of the 1997 Formula One season.-Pre-race:...	MON 1997 Monaco Grand Prix The 1997 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on May 11, 1997 at the Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo, Monaco.- Summary :Qualifying saw Heinz-Harald Frentzen in his Williams-Renault in front of Michael Schumacher in the Ferrari; third was Jacques Villeneuve in the other Williams...	ESP 1997 Spanish Grand Prix The 1997 Spanish Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on May 25, 1997 at the Circuit de Catalunya.This classic Spanish Grand Prix is memorable for the great performance of Olivier Panis, starting from 12th on the grid, and finishing 2nd closing on the leader Jacques Villeneuve by 1.5 to 2 seconds...	CAN 1997 Canadian Grand Prix The 1997 Canadian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on June 15, 1997.The race was marred by a big crash involving Olivier Panis, who broke his legs and would be unable to start the next seven grands prix. It has been argued that this crash affected Panis's...	FRA 1997 French Grand Prix The 1997 French Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Magny-Cours on June 29, 1997.-Race summary:At the start, Michael Schumacher led away from pole with Frentzen in the Williams behind him all the way...	GBR 1997 British Grand Prix The 1997 British Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Silverstone on 13 July 1997. It was the ninth round of the 1997 Formula One season. Jacques Villeneuve won the race despite being stuck in the pitlane for half a minute during his first pitstop, after a wheelnut problem.Two previous...	GER 1997 German Grand Prix The 1997 German Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Hockenheimring on July 27, 1997. It was won by Austrian driver Gerhard Berger in a Benetton. This race proved to be his final victory and final pole position, as he retired at the end of the season. Berger had missed the previous 3...	HUN 1997 Hungarian Grand Prix The 1997 Hungarian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Hungaroring on August 10, 1997.Damon Hill, as defending world champion, had experienced a miserable year in the uncompetitive Arrows-Yamaha, but the team experienced a spike in performance levels at Hungary, mainly due to their...	BEL 1997 Belgian Grand Prix The 1997 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Spa-Francorchamps on August 24, 1997. The wet weather associated with the circuit came heavily, causing the race to be started behind the safety car for the first time in Formula One history....	ITA 1997 Italian Grand Prix The 1997 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Monza on September 7, 1997. Jean Alesi, starting from pole position, led the race until the halfway stage; however, David Coulthard, who had jumped from sixth on the grid into third place coming out of the first corner, got ahead of...	AUT 1997 Austrian Grand Prix The 1997 Austrian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at A1-Ring on September 21, 1997. Qualifying threw up a few surprises, as the Bridgestone tyres used by several smaller teams proved strong, but it was ultimately Jacques Villeneuve who won...	LUX 1997 Luxembourg Grand Prix The 1997 Luxembourg Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Nürburgring on September 28, 1997. Jacques Villeneuve took what proved to be his final Formula One victory, after the race-leading McLaren-Mercedes cars had identical engine failures within moments of each other...	JPN 1997 Japanese Grand Prix The 1997 Japanese Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on October 12, 1997 at the Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka. It was the 16th and penultimate race of the 1997 Formula One season. The race, contested over 53 laps, was won by Michael Schumacher for the Ferrari team after starting from...	EUR 1997 European Grand Prix The 1997 European Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on October 26, 1997 at the Circuito Permanente de Jerez, Spain. Originally scheduled as the Grand Prix of Portugal at the Estoril circuit, it was moved when Estoril’s management had financial difficulties. It was the 17th and final...	0	NC
				Jarno Trulli Jarno Trulli Jarno Trulli is an Italian Formula One racing driver. He has been a regular in Formula One since 1997, driving for Minardi, Prost, Jordan, Renault and Toyota. He won the 2004 Monaco Grand Prix for Renault, his only Grand Prix victory to date. He is known for being a qualification expert...	9	12	9	DNS	Ret	15	Ret
				Tarso Marques Tarso Marques Tarso Anibal Santanna Marques is a racing driver from Brazil. He participated in 24 Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on March 31, 1996...								Ret	10	Ret	12	Ret	14	EX	Ret	Ret	15
				Ukyo Katayama Ukyo Katayama is a Japanese racing driver, most notable for competing six years in Formula One. Despite struggling with under-funded teams throughout his career, Katayama's performances impressed on several occasions, and was popular in the F1 paddock for his unshakeably sunny disposition and self-deprecating...	Ret	18	Ret	11	10	Ret	Ret	11	Ret	Ret	10	14	Ret	11	Ret	Ret	17