 Before the race McLaren driver Mika Häkkinen led the Drivers'Championship with 64 points, ahead of Michael Schumacher (62 points) and David Coulthard (58). Rubens Barrichello was fourth with 49 points, and Giancarlo Fisichella was fifth with 18. In the Constructors' Championship McLaren led with 112 points, one point ahead of rival Ferrari. Williams were third with 24 points, while Benetton (18 points) and Jordan (12) contended for fourth place. McLaren and Ferrari had dominated the championship, winning the previous twelve races. Barrichello and Fisichella had second-place finishes, and Ralf Schumacher and Heinz-Harald Frentzen had finished third.
