One rule for Schumy, one for the rest, says Montoya

Juan Pablo Montoya has accused Michael Schumacher of receiving preferential treatment following the latest dust-up between the duelling duo.

Montoya was left seething after a first-lap incident at yesterday’s San Marino Grand Prix from which he emerged bumped, but not bruised, and rather bitter.

The 28-year-old Colombian felt aggrieved at Schumacher’s tactics which resulted in him being shunted on to the Imola grass from where he then faced another battle with Williams-BMW team-mate Ralf Schumacher.

In the immediate aftermath of a race six-times world champion Schumacher won with ease in the Ferrari from Jenson Button in his BAR, an incensed Montoya fired his broadside at the 35-year-old German who was sat alongside him.

Montoya’s instant riposte was to claim Schumacher should be punished for his manoeuvre, yet the FIA race stewards not only took no action, but did not even review the incident.

Although unaware of the FIA’s lack of action, Montoya made it clear in further comments he feels there is one rule for Schumacher and another for the rest of Formula One.

Recalling a similar moment in last year’s United States Grand Prix when he received a penalty, he said: “If you look at Indy, I went on to the grass to try and avoid an accident with Rubens (Barrichello), yet we still touched and I got a drive through.

“That killed my championship. If it had not been for that then I could have been world champion last year.

“It does not matter if you drive a Ferrari or are called Michael Schumacher, the rules have to be for everybody.”

Montoya also accused Schumacher of being “either blind or stupid” for apparently not seeing him when he pulled alongside in the early bristling exchanges.

Yet Schumacher remained unperturbed by Montoya’s outburst, and instead revelled in the fact he has a maximum 40-point haul from the opening four races after his 74th career victory, his sixth at Imola and his third in a row at the circuit.

“This was a dream result, to come home after three races and give the tifosi [Ferrari fans] what they wanted,” said Schumacher.

“It is a dream come true, especially as I am an ambassador for San Marino. It doesn’t get any better, with the exception of the mistake yesterday in qualifying, but we can’t always be perfect.”

Schumacher’s first victory at Imola was one to ultimately forget as it came on the day Ayrton Senna was killed, so on the 10th anniversary of the Brazilian’s death, this latest triumph should have been somewhat poignant.

But Schumacher played down the significance as he stated: “We come here every year and we think every year what happened to Roland [Ratzenberger] and Ayrton, so just because it is 10 years, for me it does not make it any more special or different.”

Although Button was unable to convert the first pole position of his Formula One career into a race win, finishing runner-up was still his best result following his third-places in the previous two grands prix in Malaysia and Bahrain.

Behind a third-placed Montoya came the Renault of Fernando Alonso, exonerated by FIA race stewards for a lap 50 incident which saw him push Ralf Schumacher out of the way – the German finishing seventh – Jarno Trulli and Barrichello in sixth.

Kimi Raikkonen was eighth in his McLaren, picking up his first point of the season and that after starting at the back of the grid following engine problems in qualifying, with David Coulthard 12th due to a nose cone change at the end of lap one after shunting Alonso from behind.