Motorsport News: Russ Bond's Weekly Report

The Big Three!

There are some big weekends in motorsports, but none is bigger than the past weekend, and luckily for me there is

The pinnacle event on the global motorsport calendar, this weekend's Monaco Grand Prix, was taken by Renault (team boss Flavio Briatore, left) and lead driver Fernando Alonso. (Photo: Renault F1)

plenty to talk about. First up, there is Formula 1 at Monaco, then there is the 'Grandaddy' of motorsports, the Indy 500, and of course the Coca-Cola 600 Nextel Cup race - kind of makes your cable bill feel worthwhile, huh?

Monaco to Alonso!

As big as the race was at Monaco, the guy that didn't win was the story all weekend long. Ferrari's Michael Schumacher is in the fight of his life for his 8th World Championship, and the seventh event of the season didn't get off to a good start. Well, actually, from where Michael was sitting after qualifying - on the pole - it actually looked quite good for him, especially considering that the track is known for near impossible passing conditions.

There was a slight problem however. Here's how it unfolded for those of you

After the stewards made their decision, MS was sent to the back and Alonso led from beginning to end. (Photo: Renault F1)

that didn't catch it. Schumacher and his chief rival made it through to the third of the three qualifying sessions - no surprise there, but here's where it got a little 'sticky'. Time had run out on the session and Michael was on provisional pole, but Alonso was on his last flyer of a lap. Michael looked as if he decided to thwart the attempt by parking his Ferrari against the wall at the last turn. An accident or intentional?

In the post qualifying press conference, Michael tried to shrug off what was obvious to everyone else but him by saying, "I locked up the front and went wide. I wasn't sure what was going on after this because of the positioning of the cars and so on, so I was not aware and in the

Despite a controversial qualifying that forced the race stewards to penalize him by pushing him back to last place on the grid, Schumacher put on an impressive performance to place 5th overall. (Photo: Ferrari)

end, I checked with the guys what the situation was, where did we end up, because I didn't expect to be sitting here right now in this position and they said P1, so I was glad considering what had happened."

His move did as it appeared he intended, slowing Alonso just enough so that Michael kept the pole. Unfortunately for Michael, in Formula 1 there are two sets of rules - technical and sporting. What he did appeared by all watching and the stewards alike to be a deliberate breach of what is called the 'sporting code', and he paid dearly. All of his times were thrown out, and he had to start at the back.

Michael had no post-qualifying comments in the official Ferrari press release,

Needless to say, Ferrari's team boss Jean Todt was hardly in favour of the stewards decision. (Photo: Ferrari)

but after the decision of the stewards, Jean Todt, Ferrari Team Principal said, "Ferrari notes with great displeasure the decision of the race stewards, which is to delete the times set by Michael Schumacher in qualifying for the Monaco Grand Prix. We totally disagree with it. Such a decision creates a very serious precedent, ruling out the possibility of driver error. Michael was on his final timed lap and he was trying to put his first place beyond doubt, as could be seen from the fact that his first split time was the best and could have seen him do another very good lap. With no real evidence, the stewards have assumed he is guilty."