1995 European Grand Prix

1995 European Grand Prix
Race 14 of 17 in the 1995 Formula One World Championship ← Previous race Next race →
The Nürburgring in its 1995 configuration
Race details[1]
Date	1 October 1995
Official name	XL Grand Prix of Europe
Location	Nürburgring, Nürburg, Germany
Course	Permanent racing facility
Course length	4.556 km (2.847 miles)
Distance	67 laps, 305.252 km (190.782 miles)
Weather	Rain, later dried out, air temperature 11 °C (52 °F)
Attendance	90,000
Pole position
Driver	David Coulthard	Williams-Renault
Time	1:18.738
Fastest lap
Driver	Michael Schumacher	Benetton-Renault
Time	1:21.180 on lap 57
Podium
First	Michael Schumacher	Benetton-Renault
Second	Jean Alesi	Ferrari
Third	David Coulthard	Williams-Renault
Lap leaders

The 1995 European Grand Prix (formally the XL Grand Prix of Europe) was a Formula One motor race held on 1 October 1995 at the Nürburgring, Nürburg, Germany. It was the fourteenth race of the 1995 Formula One World Championship and the first to be held there since 1985. Michael Schumacher for the Benetton team won the 67-lap race starting from third position. Jean Alesi finished second in a Ferrari, with David Coulthard, who started the Grand Prix from pole position, third in a Williams car. This was also the last F1 race for three drivers: Massimiliano Papis, Gabriele Tarquini, and Jean-Denis Délétraz.

Damon Hill, Coulthard's teammate, started the race in second, but dropped down to third behind Schumacher on the opening lap. Hill remained behind Schumacher for the majority of the race, before losing his front wing in a collision with Alesi and dropping back due to the resultant pit stop. He then spun off the track on lap 58 when running in fourth position, leading to his retirement from the race. Alesi looked set to win the race after starting the race with dry weather slick tyres on a damp track, but was held up in lapped traffic and overtaken by Schumacher two laps before the end of the race.

Schumacher's win retained his position at the top of the Drivers' Championship, 27 points ahead of Hill. With three races remaining, Schumacher only required a further three points to secure the championship. Benetton were now 20 points ahead of Williams in the Constructors' Championship following Schumacher's win.