Williams drops appeal

Thursday, Oct. 16, 1997 | 9:56 a.m.

The withdrawal of the appeal was announced by FIA, the sport's governing body. The action came one day after FIA president Max Mosley suggested Villeneuve could be banned for the year's final race unless Williams withdrew its appeal.

Villeneuve raced in the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka last Sunday under appeal of a one-race ban he received for ignoring a yellow flag during the practice session for the race. He picked up two points for finishing fifth, giving him a one-point lead over Schumacher, who won the race.

With the appeal dropped, FIA deducted the two points from Villeneuve and annulled his Suzuka results. Benetton's Jean Alesi moved up from sixth to fifth, with the rest of the field moving up one place.

The title will be at stake at the European Grand Prix in Jerez, Spain, on Oct. 26.

FIA had been scheduled to hear Villeneuve's appeal in Paris next Tuesday.

Mosley, speaking in Munich Wednesday during a sports convention, said Villeneuve could avoid disqualification from Jerez if Williams withdrew the appeal.

"If Williams drops the appeal, I could imagine the penalty being only the loss of two points," he said.