Norberto Edgardo Fontana (born 20 January 1975) is an Argentine racing driver who made four Formula One appearances for Sauber in 1997. Although he scored no World Championship points, he went on to win major touring-car titles in Argentina, including two TC2000 championships and the 2006 Turismo Carretera crown.
In 2010, Fontana received a Konex Award recognising him as one of Argentina’s five leading racing drivers of the preceding decade.
Driver Bio
| Nationality | Argentine |
| Birthplace | Arrecifes, Argentina |
| Born | 20 January 1975 |
| First Grand Prix | 1997 French Grand Prix |
| Last Grand Prix | 1997 European Grand Prix |
| Years Active | 1997 |
| Current/Last Team | Sauber |
Early career
Born in Arrecifes, Buenos Aires Province, Fontana is the son of Héctor and Clara Fontana. He began racing at eight in Luján’s Summer Night karting championship.
His first full karting season came in 1989, when he finished second in the Buenos Aires Province Youth Championship. Fontana moved into a higher category the following year and placed fourth.
The switch to cars came in 1992 through Formula Renault Argentina. One year later, he left for Europe and began competing in the continental Formula Renault scene.
German Formula Three
Fontana entered the German Formula Three Championship in 1994 and became its champion the following season.
His 1995 campaign was particularly impressive because of the opposition. Fontana defeated a field containing future Grand Prix winners Ralf Schumacher, Alexander Wurz, Jarno Trulli and Jan Magnussen.
He also won the prestigious Marlboro Masters at Zandvoort, confirming his status as one of the most promising drivers outside Formula One.
Formula Nippon
Fontana moved to Japan in 1996 and joined Nova Engineering in Formula Nippon, driving a Mugen-powered Lola T96/51.
The season mixed speed with frustration. He finished second twice at Fuji, but accidents, mechanical failures and inconsistent results prevented a sustained championship challenge.
For 1997, Fontana joined Team Le Mans and switched to a Reynard 97D-Mugen. After a difficult opening to the year, he recovered strongly with fifth place at Fuji, victory at Mine and third at Motegi.
Formula One
Fontana’s relationship with Sauber began before his Japanese career. Peter Sauber invited him to test at Barcelona late in 1994, and the Argentine became a team test driver for the 1995 and 1996 seasons.
1997 season
His chance to race arrived when regular driver Gianni Morbidelli broke an arm before the 1997 French Grand Prix.
Fontana qualified 20th on his debut but retired after understeering into a gravel trap.
Peter Sauber considered alternative drivers before the British Grand Prix but ultimately retained Fontana. During qualifying, the Argentine failed to notice a red signal ordering him into the mandatory weighing area. The infringement sent him to the back of the grid.
Fontana fought through the race and finished ninth despite losing sensation in his right leg.
He started 18th at the German Grand Prix and spun during the race, yet recovered to finish ninth again.
Morbidelli later returned, only to sustain another injury, giving Fontana a fourth appearance at the season-ending European Grand Prix in Jerez.
Fontana was fined $5,000 for speeding in the pit lane and qualified 18th. During the race, he appeared to delay championship leader Jacques Villeneuve while Michael Schumacher pulled away at the front.
The incident attracted immediate suspicion because Sauber used Ferrari engines, although no collusion was established. ITV commentator Martin Brundle highlighted the connection during the broadcast, and the episode has followed Fontana ever since.
His most spectacular moment came without controversy: he overtook Jos Verstappen while placing two wheels on the grass. Fontana eventually finished 14th.
Unsuccessful comeback attempts
Fontana came close to joining Tyrrell for 1998. Ken Tyrrell negotiated with him, and a draft contract was prepared, but the team’s new owner, British American Tobacco, rejected the choice.
Tyrrell instead signed Ricardo Rosset, whose stronger sponsorship package proved decisive.
A second possible return emerged in 1999, when Fontana tested for Minardi in pursuit of the seat alongside Marc Gené. Once again, sponsorship considerations prevented the deal, ending his realistic prospects of returning to Formula One for 2000.
Racing after Formula One
Fontana returned to Formula Nippon and finished fourth in the championship, winning at Fuji.
He also raced in the Japanese GT Championship alongside Masanori Sekiya. The pair finished sixth at Suzuka and third at both Sendai and Motegi, taking seventh in the final standings.
Argentine touring cars
Fontana subsequently brought his career home and became a leading figure in Argentina’s fiercely competitive touring-car scene.
He raced across the country’s three major categories: TC2000, Turismo Carretera and Top Race V6.
Fontana won his first TC2000 championship with Toyota in 2002. He placed third in the series in 2004 before securing the 2006 Turismo Carretera title.
His relationship with Toyota, developed during his years in Japan, continued until 2009.
A move to Ford brought Fontana his second TC2000 crown in 2010. He later finished third in the championship again in 2014.
In 2022, Fontana added another category to his extensive résumé by joining TCR South America.
Other competition
Fontana also tackled the Dakar Rally in 2011, competing in a buggy.
From karting in Buenos Aires Province to Formula One, Japan, Dakar and championship success at home, his career proved far broader than the four Grands Prix for which he first became internationally known.
Grand Prix Stats
| Race Entries | 4 |
| Race Starts | 4 |
| Did Not Start | 0 |
| Best Race Start | 18th |
| Best Race Finish | 9th |
| Retirements | 1 |
| First-Lap Retirements | 0 |
| Not Classified | 0 |
| Disqualified | 0 |
| Did Not Qualify | 0 |
Qualifying
| Qualifying Sessions | 4 |
| Reached Q3 | 0 |
| Q2 Eliminations | 0 |
| Q1 Eliminations | 0 |
| Did Not Qualify | 0 |
Stats by Season
| Year | Constructor | Entries | Starts | Wins | Podiums | Poles | Fastest Laps | Front Rows | DNF | Best Start | Best Result | Pts Finishes | Points | Championship |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Sauber | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 18 | 9 | 0 | 0 | NC |
Stats by Constructor
| Constructor | Years | Entries | Starts | Wins | Podiums | Poles | Fastest Laps | Front Rows | DNF | Best Start | Best Result | Pts Finishes | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sauber | 1997 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 18 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
Teammates & Qualifying Head-to-Head
| Teammate | Years | Races | Qualifying H2H |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnny Herbert | 1997 | 4 | 0-4 |
