Michael Schumacher and Jacques Villeneuve yesterday argued at a press conference before Sunday's crucial European Grand Prix in Spain. The pair, who battle for the Formula One drivers' championship this weekend, clashed over the German's win in Japan earlier this month.

Schumacher's Ferrari team-mate Eddie Irvine allowed Schumacher to pass him on the 25th lap in Japan but kept Villeneuve behind him and the lingering bad blood over the race came to the fore yesterday when Schumacher hinted that his rival lost the race on his own and not because of Irvine.

"People actually feel that (Irvine) blocked Jacques, which I'm not so sure he actually did," Schumacher said.

Villeneuve knocked down the microphone in his haste to give his version.

"Well, he (Irvine) blocked me for one lap, which was enough for Michael to get away," the Canadian retorted.

Villeneuve lost the two points he won at the Japanese Grand Prix last week after the FIA, the sport's governing body, decided he had ignored a yellow flag during a practice session for the race. Villeneuve's Williams team had appealed against the penalty but dropped their protest after FIA president Max Mosely suggested he could be banned from Sunday's race in Jerez.

Villeneuve had been leading Schumacher by one point in the drivers' standings but after the FIA's decision, he now trails the German by one point.

And the two drivers were issued a further warning by Mosely ahead of Sunday's race.

Moseley said severe penalties could be imposed on anyone interfering with the race in Jerez.

"It is going to be made very clear to everybody this time that we want a proper and fair contest," he said. "At the drivers' briefing we will say that we do not want anyone to interfere.

"It is not just a question of Schumacher and Villeneuve - any of the drivers could get involved." However, at their press conference in Spain both drivers pledged to make the European Grand Prix a clean fight.

"We want to get away together at the front of the grid and to be left out on our own to race," Schumacher said.

Echoing his sentiments the Canadian said: "I would have nothing to gain by being involved in any accidents. I need to score points and an accident would be no use to me. If I was considering anything like that then it would have been Japan when I had a nine point lead.

"But I don't think of it. If you do something, I think you have to be able to live with it. I could not do something unsporting and live with it."