Irvine on lap eight. Berger and the McLarens moved back up the order as drivers made a pit stop for slick tyres. As the front-runners made their stops, Alesi ended up twenty seconds ahead of Coulthard, Schumacher and Hill. By the end of lap 17, most of the drivers had pitted for slick tyres and the running order had stabilised as Alesi led ahead of Coulthard, Schumacher, Hill, Berger and Irvine. Frentzen was outside the points in seventh, but on the next lap he collided with Pedro Diniz's Forti while trying to lap him, retiring from the race as a result. Panis and Blundell were also out by this stage, both having spun off the track on lap 15. Near the front of the field, Hill was faster than third-placed Schumacher and began to catch him. Schumacher defended his position vigorously several times, but Hill eventually passed him. However, Hill then ran wide at the final corner and Schumacher overtook him. Coulthard, in the other Williams, began to suffer from excessive oversteer with his car's handling, dropping to fourth behind Schumacher and Hill, who passed him on laps 21 and 23 respectively. As Schumacher and the Williams drivers battled for position, Alesi was able to extend his lead at the front to 45 seconds. Alesi and Schumacher made their second pit stops on lap 34; Alesi took on enough fuel to finish the race, while Schumacher's was the second of three scheduled pit visits. Alesi exited from his pit stop just in front of third-placed Hill, who attempted to overtake Alesi on lap 40, the lap before his own pit stop was due to take place. In the process, the two cars made contact and Hill lost his front wing and had to pit to replace the damaged wing, losing time while driving around the track with his damaged car and rejoined behind Coulthard in fourth position. On the same lap, Berger retired with terminal engine problems. After his stop, Hill pushed hard in an attempt to catch Coulthard, but spun out of the race on lap 58. The impact with the tyre barrier was hard enough to cause a minor crack to a bone in his leg, but he escaped serious injury. Schumacher made his final pit stop on lap 52 from second place, having caught up with Alesi during his third . He rejoined some distance behind the