Schumacher vs Alonso - Tensions at La Rascasse

Schumacher Reignites Hostilities with Alonso

The bitter enmity that exists between Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso flared up again at the end of the Monaco Grand Prix after an incident on the last corner of the last lap. The two drivers have a fierce rivalry that dates back to the 2003 season and both are claiming the high ground after this latest on-track clash.

On the last corner of the last lap, Schumacher overtook Alonso for sixth place once the Safety Car pulled off the circuit. A new rule for 2010 allows drivers to start overtaking at the first Safety Car line when the race is restarted. This line is at the pitlane entrance and formerly indicated where the leader could overtake the Safety Car at the restart. It now indicates where the entire field can start racing and Schumacher took full advantage of this by placing a nice move on Alonso heading into the final turn.

However, another rule in the F1 Sporting Regulations confirms that a different procedure exists at the end of a race. Article 40.13 states "If the race ends whilst the safety car is deployed it will enter the pit lane at the end of the last lap and the cars will take the chequered flag as normal without overtaking."

Most teams believed this was the procedure in place at Monaco and instructed their drivers accordingly. The stewards agreed and gave Schumacher a 20 second penalty for his manoeuvre, relegating him to 12th in the final standings.

Mercedes has argued that Article 40.13 did not apply in this instance because the race did not finish behind the Safety Car. Ross Brawn said "we believed that the track had gone green and the race was not finishing under a safety car when Article 40.13 clearly would have applied. The reason for the safety car had been removed, the FIA had announced ‘Safety Car in this lap’ early on lap 78, and the track had been declared clear by race control. This was further endorsed when the marshals showed green flags and lights after safety car line one. On previous occasions when it has been necessary to complete a race under a safety car, full course yellows are maintained, as in Melbourne 2009."

Ross Brawn makes a solid defence. Not surprisingly, Fernando Alonso and Stefano Domenicali do not share the same view.

Alonso said "when I saw Michael (I thought) that's a lot better as they will penalise him, so we will end up winning anyway" whilst Stefano Domenicali said Schumacher's move was "really dangerous".

Two things about the penalty given to Michael Schumacher are amusing. The first is that his old arch enemy, Damon Hill, was on the stewards panel. The second is that the incident occurred at the same corner where Schumacher controversially parked his car in qualifying during his last visit to Monaco in 2006.

Mercedes originally planned to appeal the stewards decision but have now dropped the case. This is partly a shame because it would have been interesting if the FIA Court of Appeal was forced to make a decision on the matter. Did the race finish behind the Safety Car, or did the Safety Car come into the pits with one corner to go?

It could have gone either way.

The only sure thing is that the animosity between Alonso and Schumacher will grow as a result.

Who do you think is in the right? Leave your comments below!

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Posted by Martin Porter. - Follow him on twitter @mpondaweb.

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