The second lap was dominated by the duel for the leading between Salo and Berger and was not decided until the Ferrari went to the pits and the Williams could go on without doing so. Behind them Hakkinen and Frentzen fought for the third position, Heidfeld risked too much at the 4th corner and spun out there at 5th position. Of course he was last shortly after that. Frentzen and Verstappen pushed very hard throughout the second and third lap, both went to the pits but the could close up to the two leaders and with a little luck, one of them could have take the lead at the fifth corner, where Salo had to slow down because his tires was absolutely at the end and Berger too could not drive that fast anymore. But the Williams held his advantage until the finish line and did the first Williams-victory in the season, close followed by Frentzen who did the 4th second place in a row. Verstappen and Salo brought in their cars on 3rd and 4th place in a photo-finish.
Hakkinen, who were on 4th position at the beginning of the third lap, had also to put down his car at the fifth corner like a frustrated Nick Heidfeld some time later. So it was on Räikkönen to save two points for Jaguar because Villeneuve still fought more with his car than with his opponents and had to let pass by Irvine and Schumacher in the last half of the third lap.