By winning the race, Michael Schumacher would take his 51st career victory, putting him equal with four-time World Champion Alain Prost and join Prost and Juan Manuel Fangio as the third driver to win four or more titles. He said the championship was not in his mindset in Hungary and was looking forward to the race, "I am excited about the possibility of becoming champion a fourth time but if I don't look it, it's because I am not there yet. How can I be excited if I am not there yet? Only having the possibility doesn't count. I will get excited when it is in my pocket." In contrast, Coulthard was within four points of Michael Schumacher entering the Monaco Grand Prix; he finished fifth after failing to move off the starting grid due to a computer glitch. Thereafter, mechanical attrition and one accident gave Coulthard six points in the next five races and fell 37 points behind Schumacher.
