Countdown to
000d 00h 00m 00s1997 Australian Grand Prix
| Overview | Grid | Race Entries |
| Race | Qualifying |
| Race Name: | LXII Qantas Australian Grand Prix |
| Track: | Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit |
| Round: | 1 of 17 |
| Race date: | Sunday, March 9th, 1997 |
| Race time: | 14.00 |
The Podium
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | |
| Driver | David Coulthard | Michael Schumacher | Mika Häkkinen |
| Constructor | McLaren-Mercedes | Ferrari | McLaren-Mercedes |
| Car | McLaren MP4/12 | Ferrari F310B | McLaren MP4/12 |
| Engine | Mercedes FO 112 | Ferrari 046/2 | Mercedes FO 112 |
| Tyre | Goodyear | Goodyear | Goodyear |
| Time | 1:30:28.718 | 1:30:48.764 | 1:30:50.895 |
| Gap | 20.046 secs | 22.177 secs |
Fastest weekend laptimes
| P | No. | Driver | Qual | Race | Total | |
| 1 | 3 | Jacques Villeneuve Williams-Renault | 1:29.369 0 | No Time 0 | 1:29.369 0 | |
| 2 | 4 | Heinz-Harald Frentzen Williams-Renault | 1:31.123 0 | 1:30.585 55 | 1:30.585 55 | |
| 3 | 5 | Michael Schumacher Ferrari | 1:31.472 0 | 1:31.067 58 | 1:31.067 58 | |
| 4 | 10 | David Coulthard McLaren-Mercedes | 1:31.531 0 | 1:31.412 58 | 1:31.412 58 | |
| 5 | 9 | Mika Häkkinen McLaren-Mercedes | 1:31.971 0 | 1:31.509 58 | 1:31.509 58 | |
| 6 | 8 | Gerhard Berger Benetton-Renault | 1:32.870 0 | 1:31.624 58 | 1:31.624 58 | |
| 7 | 14 | Olivier Panis Prost-Mugen Honda | 1:32.842 0 | 1:31.762 58 | 1:31.762 58 | |
| 8 | 6 | Eddie Irvine Ferrari | 1:31.881 0 | No Time 0 | 1:31.881 0 | |
| 9 | 7 | Jean Alesi Benetton-Renault | 1:32.593 0 | 1:31.976 34 | 1:31.976 34 | |
| 10 | 16 | Johnny Herbert Sauber-Petronas | 1:32.287 0 | No Time 0 | 1:32.287 0 | |
| 11 | 17 | Nicola Larini Sauber-Petronas | 1:33.327 0 | 1:32.784 58 | 1:32.784 58 | |
| 12 | 22 | Rubens Barrichello Stewart-Ford Cosworth | 1:33.075 0 | 1:33.386 49 | 1:33.075 49 | |
| 13 | 11 | Ralf Schumacher Jordan-Peugeot | 1:33.130 0 | 1:48.323 1 | 1:33.130 1 | |
| 14 | 12 | Giancarlo Fisichella Jordan-Peugeot | 1:33.552 0 | 1:34.147 14 | 1:33.552 14 | |
| 15 | 20 | Ukyo Katayama Minardi-Hart | 1:33.798 0 | 1:34.918 32 | 1:33.798 32 | |
| 16 | 15 | Shinji Nakano Prost-Mugen Honda | 1:33.989 0 | 1:34.171 56 | 1:33.989 56 | |
| 17 | 21 | Jarno Trulli Minardi-Hart | 1:34.120 0 | 1:35.959 55 | 1:34.120 55 | |
| 18 | 19 | Mika Salo Tyrrell-Ford Cosworth | 1:34.229 0 | 1:34.194 42 | 1:34.194 42 | |
| 19 | 2 | Pedro Diniz Arrows-Yamaha | 1:35.972 0 | 1:34.465 54 | 1:34.465 54 | |
| 20 | 23 | Jan Magnussen Stewart-Ford Cosworth | 1:34.623 0 | 1:35.257 36 | 1:34.623 36 | |
| 21 | 1 | Damon Hill Arrows-Yamaha | 1:34.806 0 | 1:34.806 0 | ||
| 22 | 18 | Jos Verstappen Tyrrell-Ford Cosworth | 1:34.943 0 | 1:37.038 2 | 1:34.943 2 | |
| 23 | 24 | Vincenzo Sospiri Lola-Ford Cosworth | 1:40.972 0 | 1:40.972 0 | ||
| 24 | 25 | Ricardo Rosset Lola-Ford Cosworth | 1:42.086 0 | 1:42.086 0 |