Michael Schumacher admitted yesterday he was to blame for the collision with newly-crowned world champion Jacques Villeneuve during their decisive clash at Jerez in Spain.

But Schumacher refused to concede he deliberately tried to force his rival off the track as Villeneuve went to overtake him. The German has been widely condemned for the manoeuvre and must appear before motor sport bosses in Paris next month to explain his actions. Schumacher ended up in the gravel after his Ferrari hit Villeneuve's Williams-Renault, but the Canadian managed to continue and finish third in the European Grand Prix to win the drivers' title.

"I made a mistake," said Schumacher at a hastily-convened news conference at Ferrari's Maranello headquarters in Italy yesterday. "I did not think it would be possible for him to do an overtaking manoeuvre at that point.

"I was really, really surprised. I obviously made the wrong judgement and a wrong manoeuvre, which put me out of the race. I made the wrong reaction and won't do it again. Initially, I thought it was Jacques' fault that I was out of the race.

"I was very upset and it took me a couple of hours of watching replays before I really understood what was going on. If I took someone out of the race it would be obvious and the FIA have powers to take points away.

"If you have those intentions, they don't help you. It does not make you a champion - it just makes you look stupid. It was a wrong judgement. In the circumstances I over-reacted because I was determined to keep my position."

"I am human and, unfortunately, make mistakes. I do not make many but will learn from it."

Villeneuve, who trailed Schumacher by one point going into the season's finale, accused the two-time champion of deliberately trying to ram him off the track.

Stewards declared it a racing incident, but following a report by the race director, Schumacher was summoned to appear before an extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sport Council next month.

The 28-year-old faces a severe fine or being banned from the opening races of next season which starts with the Australian Grand Prix on March 8th.

But what will be of lasting damage will be the blow to his reputation the cynical move on lap 48 in Jerez has caused.

Schumacher, regarded as one of the all-time greats, has been criticised by even normally supportive newspapaers both in Germany and Italy, as well as by former drivers like Stirling Moss.

But Schumacher insisted yesterday that the incident with Villeneuve was not similar to the controversial collision with Damon Hill in the 1994 season's climax which clinched his first world title.

On that occasion, his Benetton collided with Hill's Williams in Adelaide, forcing both out of the race and giving the German the title by just one point.

"There are no similarities," said Schumacher. "Damon was nowhere near as inside as Jacques. Therefore you can still defend your position, and I am sure Damon is aware of this."

Hill, who lost his world title to former team-mate Villeneuve in Spain, said after Sunday's race that Schumacher had shown his true colours and got his just desserts.