At the start of the race, Damon Hill clipped the left rear tyre of Mika Häkkinen's McLaren just before the St. Devote corner. Häkkinen retired immediately, while Hill continued for a few corners before retiring with broken right front suspension. Gianni Morbidelli and Pierluigi Martini also collided before St. Devote, putting each other out. Eric Bernard in the second Ligier had soon spun out of the race at the Nouvelle chicane.
