FIA head honcho Bernie Ecclestone has warned ...

Published on 22 October 1997 by Verstappen Info Page

FIA head honcho Bernie Ecclestone has warned both Michael Schumacher and Jacques Villeneuve to have a fair race next weekend at the decisive European Grand Prix in Jerez de la Frontera in Spain. Bernie said: "Any hint of foul play will be severely dealt with. The guilty party can expect to be a spectator in the first few rounds in 1998. We will also hit them where it really hurts -- in their wallets -- if they step out of line."

He added to this: "Accidents do occur in the heat of the moment, especially when there is so much at stake. But we don't want them to do anything silly, but past championships have been decided by one driver taking another off and it must not happen again. The perfect scenario now is to have them both on the front row of the grid and to see them battling all the way to the chequered flag ... fairly."