Williams bosses excuse Montoya outburst

Frank Williams and Patrick Head have excused Juan Pablo Montoya for his critical outbursts towards Michael Schumacher which overshadowed yesterday’s San Marino Grand Prix.

The Colombian vented his anger towards Schumacher in the two post-race media conferences, accusing the six-times world champion of being “either blind or stupid” and of receiving preferential treatment from within the sport.

Montoya lost his cool after being bumped onto the grass at Imola’s Tosa hairpin by the 35-year-old German’s Ferrari as he tried to overtake around the outside in his Williams-BMW on the opening lap.

As the two adversaries sat side by side, the 28-year-old Colombian then left Schumacher bristling with indignation by his claims that the sport’s governing body the FIA should look into the incident, believing his long-time rival would be lucky not to be penalised for such a manoeuvre.

The FIA race stewards, however, did nothing, perhaps because Montoya then forced his own team-mate Ralf Schumacher onto the grass as he attempted to hold his position down the straight after Tosa.

That left Michael laughing heartily when Montoya’s actions were pointed out to him, and neither team boss Williams nor technical director Head were too concerned by the ‘controversy’.

“All I saw was Juan trying to jink by Michael at a previous corner and then attempt to go around the outside,” said Williams.

“But I don’t know how much room he had, or whether he was ahead, alongside or still a bit behind.

“But a driver who gives it his best all the time and it doesn’t work out and who thinks he has been given a bum deal, will say so because that’s how he is.”

Head at least backed up Montoya’s claim that Schumacher had caught a glimpse of the blue-and-white Williams, only to then intimate that what followed was nothing more than a racing incident.

“I certainly think Michael knew Juan was there, he knew he was outside him,” insisted Head.

“Michael obviously came out the winner, but I’m not as agitated about things as Juan is, but then he was the guy in the cockpit.”

Williams and Head perhaps tempered their comments knowing even if Montoya had squeezed his way past Schumacher at Tosa, it is highly unlikely he would have stayed there for long due to the frightening pace of the Ferrari which romped to a fourth-successive victory.

Even Montoya delivered another damning verdict of his own car after finishing a distant third, as he said: “We just weren’t quick enough.

“I’m just hoping there is light at the end of the tunnel. We can be quick from time to time in the race, but overall we are miles off.

“It’s due to a little bit of everything. We are down on power and downforce, leaving us the best of the rest behind Ferrari and BAR who have overtaken us. We need to come back.”

Williams and Head both believe that is achievable with more concerted effort from everyone within the Grove marque, with the team chief adding: “Our weekends have been reasonably good with the exception of Bahrain.

“In this race, we are disappointed to have been blown away by BAR, but we can respond to that even though the gap was a bit large.

“But both our cars finished and in the points [Ralf Schumacher was seventh]. We just have to try harder.”

Head concurred as he said: “The expectation for us before the start of the year was to be fully competitive with the lead team, which we expected to be Ferrari.

“We came close in Malaysia, but we haven’t been at any race, compounded by the fact two of the Michelin teams are either equally as quick, or slightly quicker on the day.

“All you can say is Jenson and the BAR have taken a step closer to Ferrari, so maybe there is more expectation than there might be for the competition ahead, but we all have to make a lot of progress.”