Sauber-Ferrari and the Ferrari blocking orders at Jerez 1997
Discussion
Hmmmm Ferrari ask Sauber-Ferrari driver Norberto Fontana to block Jacques Villeneuve at the title deciding Jerez race in 1997. Check out the video here to see what you think - www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8rv23q9sZM
Fontana's allegation:
Nine years after the World Championship showdown at Jerez in 1997, the then Sauber driver Norberto Fontana has decided to tell the story of what happened to him during that highly-charged weekend. In an interview with the Argentine magazine Ol?, Fontana claims that three or four hours before the race Jean Todt visited the Sauber motorhome and told the Swiss team, which used Ferrari engines at the time, that the Saubers must block Jacques Villeneuve if they were in a position to do so in order to help Michael Schumacher win the World Championship.
Fontana said that he blocked Villeneuve for only three or four corners but that it cost the French-Canadian around three seconds. In the end Villeneuve challenged Schumacher for the lead and the two cars collided. Schumacher went off into a gravel trap and was unable to rejoin. Villeneuve won the World Championship and Michael Schumacher was later punished for deliberately driving Villeneuve off the track.
Fontana said that the action had hurt his career but that Todt and Schumacher never thanked him for what he had done.
While this is all ancient history now, there is a certain irony in that after the same race there were claims that Williams and McLaren colluded to rig the result of the race. That claim was rejected by the FIA World Council although it was never clear why the allegations ever got as far as the World Council.
Remember this was also the race when Coulthard clearly pulled over and let Hakkinen pass him to win his first ever grand prix. Also memorable for the qualifying result when Villeneuve, M Schumacher and Frentzen all set exactly the same time down to the 1000th of a second. Positions decided on who did it first.
Fontana's allegation:
GP.com said:
Nine years after the World Championship showdown at Jerez in 1997, the then Sauber driver Norberto Fontana has decided to tell the story of what happened to him during that highly-charged weekend. In an interview with the Argentine magazine Ol?, Fontana claims that three or four hours before the race Jean Todt visited the Sauber motorhome and told the Swiss team, which used Ferrari engines at the time, that the Saubers must block Jacques Villeneuve if they were in a position to do so in order to help Michael Schumacher win the World Championship.
Fontana said that he blocked Villeneuve for only three or four corners but that it cost the French-Canadian around three seconds. In the end Villeneuve challenged Schumacher for the lead and the two cars collided. Schumacher went off into a gravel trap and was unable to rejoin. Villeneuve won the World Championship and Michael Schumacher was later punished for deliberately driving Villeneuve off the track.
Fontana said that the action had hurt his career but that Todt and Schumacher never thanked him for what he had done.
While this is all ancient history now, there is a certain irony in that after the same race there were claims that Williams and McLaren colluded to rig the result of the race. That claim was rejected by the FIA World Council although it was never clear why the allegations ever got as far as the World Council.
Remember this was also the race when Coulthard clearly pulled over and let Hakkinen pass him to win his first ever grand prix. Also memorable for the qualifying result when Villeneuve, M Schumacher and Frentzen all set exactly the same time down to the 1000th of a second. Positions decided on who did it first.
Edited by FourWheelDrift on Wednesday 20th September 00:48
pablo said:
from the video, sauber moves to the right to let JV through, JV doesnt have enough speed, sauber doesnt have to slow down, Sauber moves back to the eft and JV is still behind...... end of.
No he doesn't. He lets Schumacher through by slowing down, then speeds up and retakes the racing line in front of Villeneuve and keeps the racing line all the way to the back straight and then pulls over at the end and lets Villeneuve past, poor driving from someone being lapped.
deevlash said:
robbiemeister said:
deevlash said:
I wonder if F1 needs a rule such as the one in football WRT to the "tapping up" of another clubs player without first contacting the players team?
I don't think that would go dowm to well with The Bolt. I think it's he that does most of the "tapping up".
Pardon my ignorance but who is "The Bolt"?
Bernie The Bolt. I'm too young to remember the phrase but it was on the Golden Shot with Bob Monkhouse as part of Sunday Night at the London Paladium during the 1890's.
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