Montoya fury after ‘stupid’ Schumacher wins
No quarter was given by Schumacher on the opening lap of the San Marino Grand Prix.
The six-times world champion won at a canter to maintain his 100% start to the season, with four race wins from the opening four races.
But no punches were pulled by Montoya who finished third as he vented his anger towards Schumacher, not once, but twice, in the post-race press conferences where the 35-year-old German sat alongside the 28-year-old Colombian.
The incident which angered Montoya occurred just seconds after the start. Jenson Button had made a flier from the first pole position of his career, with Schumacher unusually slow to get away.
Montoya claims he tried to pass Schumacher in the opening exchanges, and at one point was nose to nose with the Ferrari in his Williams-BMW.
On the approach to the Tosa hairpin, Montoya then attempted to go around the outside, but was bumped by Schumacher and forced onto the Imola grass, leaving the Colombian furious and with no chance of making any further overtaking manoeuvre.
Schumacher then trailed Button for the next nine laps before the Briton pitted, at which point the Ferrari star produced two blistering laps prior to his own stop, emerging six seconds clear of the BAR.
From that moment the race was won, with the press conferences proving more entertaining than the closing 51 laps after Montoya delivered his verbal volleys, to be met with a straight bat from Schumacher.
"Michael had a poor start and was slow out of the first chicane, so I went to pass him, he closed the door, so I had to back off. I did the same at the next corner, but he closed the door again. I went for the inside and I was alongside him, but the next thing I see he is coming straight for me and he hits me hard enough to push me onto the grass," recalled Montoya.
"It's very disappointing to see racing like that and I'll be very surprised if he gets away with it, but it's up to the FIA.
"He certainly didn't see me. Maybe he thought I wasn't there or he forgot to look."
The FIA not only took no action, but did not even take another look at the incident.
No wonder Montoya feels there is one rule for Schumacher and one for everybody else after recalled a similar moment in last year's United States Grand Prix, which led to a penalty for him.
"If you look at Indy, for example, I went onto the grass to try to avoid an accident with Rubens (Barrichello) yet we still touched and I got a drive through," added Montoya.
"That killed my championship. If it hadn't been for that then I could have been world champion last year."
Attention turned towards the television screens in the press room as the incident was replayed, with the two drivers, plus second-placed Button and the gathered media, pack watching.
"I'm amazed because I actually got in front of him when we were braking...oh no, he didn't see me there! Not a chance
"You've got to be either blind or stupid not to see me. I don't know, it's racing. I understand he has to defend his position, but how far do you go to do that?" asked Montoya.
But then the tables were turned as Montoya was asked whether he saw Ralf Schumacher when the German was forced onto the grass as he attempted to pass his team-mate.
It led to a loud, ironical laugh from Schumacher, with Montoya on the back foot as he squirmed: "I did close the door as well."
Schumacher, as he did on the race track, defended himself against the William driver's outburst, stating: "I saw his attack on the outside under braking.
"But then going around the corner, first of all I didn't see him, but then you usually lose ground so I didn't expect him to be there."
When asked whether Montoya's comments had soured his 74th career victory, his sixth at Imola and his third in a row at the circuit, he replied: "Not for me."
