Schumacher set the fastest time in the first session, posting a lap of 1:16.057, three-tenths of a second quicker than Hill and Coulthard, in second and third places respectively.
V želji, da bi nadomestili zaostanek za Williamsom, je Benetton za to dirko spremenil geometrijo zadnjega krilca svojega dirkalnika Benetton B195.