Driver that 'HAD' to block Vilneuve in 1997

Flow · Post by **Flow** » 20 Sep 2006, 23:30

Norberto Fontana, who was driving a sauber with Ferrari engine, finaly say it 9 years after (1997 GP won by vilneuve, hit by MS and lost campionship because JV finished in front of MS)

He had a clear message, and was forced to block Vilneuve even if he was not fighting for the Championship. This instruction was given to him by Jean Todd to both sauber driver in 1997, because they were using Ferrari engine. 'Block villeneuve if you find in his way'.

Here the french official comment :
http://www.radio-canada.ca/sports/Formu ... tana.shtml

Bilbo · Post by **Bilbo** » 21 Sep 2006, 01:11

Another page in the RED book...

Kaali · Post by **Kaali** » 21 Sep 2006, 01:41

Well, it's been nine years so who cares what he says about Ferrari (ancient history now). The statement could be true or not and maybe he wasn't such a great driver so he has to blame Ferrari for his poor f1 driving skills ... so you if you do this just to hit Ferrari I can say that Ferrari isn't the only team who use dirty tricks. Dirty tricks are used by so many teams including McLaren in their glory days in the nineties. In this sport there are many envious rivals but do I care?

killahead · Post by **killahead** » 21 Sep 2006, 09:38

Those red bastards.....

I wonder how many WC titles Schumi would have had if Ferrari wasn't a bunch of cheaters.....my guess is at least 2-3 titles less......anyone remember the season when Barrichello wasn't allowed to win for example....haha....pathetic.....

Kaali · Post by **Kaali** » 21 Sep 2006, 10:21

Peter Sauber responds and I was right about the case that it wasn't true:

Sauber contradicts Fontana
Peter Sauber says that F1 driver Norberto Fontana's claim that he was ordered by Ferrari to block Jacques Villeneuve at the 1997 championship finale at Jerez is not true. Sauber told the Swiss daily newspaper Blick that in the nine years that Sauber and Ferrari worked together "Ferrari never expressed the desire that we should obstruct an opponent of Schumacher on the track".

And thus we come to situation in which we must believe one or the other. Sauber is an honest man, who is held in the highest esteem in Formula 1 circles, yet at the same time there is no reason at all for Fontana to have made up such a story and indeed his actions in the race are confirmed by TV footage of the event. This coverage features the following commentary from ITV commentators Murray Walker and Martin Brundle.

"Case of champagne from Ferrari to Sauber," said Walker. "Because the Argentinian newcomer Norberto Fontana, up from Formula 3, really, really, helped Michael Schumacher on his way there."

"What engine have they got in that Sauber, Murray?" said Brundle. "Isn't it a Ferrari?"

"Well, it is, yes." said Walker. "Martin you are a cynical chap."

Source: grandprix.com

killahead · Post by **killahead** » 21 Sep 2006, 11:59

Well.....there are two stories and you can believe which one you want ofcourse.....but I'm not gonns dismiss it just because Peter Sauber said it wasn't so. Sean Todt could have spoken to the driver in private.....who knows.....

Kaali · Post by **Kaali** » 21 Sep 2006, 13:21

Oh so a driver would overwrite a team boss and risk all the credibility and sponsorships just to please Jean Todt?

killahead · Post by **killahead** » 21 Sep 2006, 13:49

Why not.....Schumi for example is challenging his so called dredibility constantly by putting on dumb ass performances......

And Jean Todt is a big man in F1....if he says that "help us out here and there might be something in there for ya" I would not have so hard to believe that a new comer would jump on that proposal......especially since it it hard to prove that he actually did something just because Jean Todt might have told him to do it.

You said it your self

Dirty tricks are used by so many teams

so why couldn't it be true......? I think that this latest of the sad attempts (Im talking about the the qualifying at Monza odcourse) to "give" Schumi another title before he leaves is just something that adds to the beliefs that this also might have happened.... IMO

Flow · Post by **Flow** » 21 Sep 2006, 14:06

Anyway, Fontana find out to help Jacques Villneuves by having a speeding in pit penality, and lost position to give enough points to finaly help out JV and by the way not helping Ferrari...

Kaali · Post by **Kaali** » 21 Sep 2006, 14:11

Team orders are one thing and conspiracy is another thing but all I know that we won't get this solved no matter what. But I just hate when people attack Ferrari theoretically.

Flow · Post by **Flow** » 21 Sep 2006, 14:11

True or not, MS lost all his point of the 1997 season for being guilty of deliberate cheating by hiting JV in race... Alot more cheating is hide, probably by alot of team also, maybe. We should have the other driver Sauber version.

Flow · Post by **Flow** » 21 Sep 2006, 14:14

Yeah Kaali, he maybe should not wait untill Ferrari wins at top to speak it out. Maybe his parole would of been taken seriously at that time, but he might loose his job faster at that time, lol.

When your at the top, you must be prepared to be under any suspission. I think they are not alot of attack against SuperAgury, haha who cares, no money to do with them!

Kaali · Post by **Kaali** » 22 Sep 2006, 14:50

LOL! So true Flow. So true.

Final comment: "it’s harder to stay at the top than it is to get there"