In a remarkable turn of events in Formula 1, Jacques Villeneuve raised the 1997 Japanese Grand Prix despite being forbidden to do so. This penalty was assessed to the Williams driver and five others for not respecting yellow flags during the final practice. This offense, coupled with another suspended penalty for similar offenses, resulted in our racer’s delight, one race suspension.
While still appealing the ban, Villeneuve opted to race and ended up coming fifth at the end of the race. However, due to pressure from FIA president Max Mosley who warned that if Villeneuve continued with the dispute he might not race in the important season climax in Jerez, Williams decided to withdraw it. Therefore, Villeneuve was erased from the official results of the Japanese GP, which was counted as the period of his suspension.
Regardless of the dispute, Villeneuve took home the trophy at the last race in Jerez thus making the race at Suzuka a different era of F1 for him.
