(GMM) Nine years after the fact, former Sauber racer Norberto Fontana has threatened to deepen the saga of F1’s championship finale of 1997.

Fontana, who at the age of 22 was replacing team regular Gianni Morbidelli and never again raced in formula one, told a newspaper in his native Argentina that he was instructed before the race to deliberately block Michael Schumacher’s title rival, Jacques Villeneuve.

”And I did it,” Fontana, now 31, told Diario Ole.

In 1997, Sauber was powered by customer Ferrari engines. Fontana explained that, prior to the green lights in Jerez, he was visited in his motor home by Ferrari boss Jean Todt.

”It was two or three hours beforehand,” he said. ”Jean Todt came in and said that we must block Villeneuve if he comes up behind me.

”It was a strict order.

”To this day I regret what I did.”

Indeed, after pulling over for Schumacher whilst being lapped, video evidence shows Fontana impeding Williams’ Villeneuve for three or four corners.

Later, Schumacher collided infamously with his French Canadian rival and was disqualified from the championship.

But during the race, F1 commentator Murray Walker suggested that Ferrari should send Fontana a ‘case of champagne’ for so assisting Schumacher’s quest.

Fontana said: ”Schumacher and Todt never thanked me, because they lost.”