By Phil Huff
May 27 2006

Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello have both been promoted further towards the front of the grid, following punishments for Giancarlo Fisichella and seven time world champion Michael Schumacher. At the end of a very disappointing qualifying session for Honda Racing F1, that saw Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button in seventh and 14th respectively, Schumacher seemingly lost control of his car at the Rascasse corner, having already set the fastest lap time of the final session. With Fernando Alonso on his fastest lap, Schumacher ran wide and partially blocked the circuit, retaining his pole position.

Paddock opinion says that Schumacher parked his car intentionally, with criticism coming from all quarters. Renault engine boss Denis Chevrier commented "we are certain it [qualifying] could have been even better, were it not for a very dubious incident involving Schumacher's Ferrari", while nemesis Jacques Villeneuve not only stuck the knife in, but twisted it too, saying "I hope it was deliberate, because if that was a mistake he should not even have an F1 superlicence. If you can make a mistake like that, you shouldn't drive a race car. This is embarrassing. Embarrassing for a world champion. It would even be embarrassing for Ide."

"Was it really a mistake? I'm not so sure." said Juan Pablo Montoya, while team mate Kimi Raikkonen added "I don't believe that he really had any problems."

Schumacher was unrepentant, saying "Your enemies they believe one thing and the people that support you believe another thing and that is what our sport is about."

However, the FIA stewards sided with the paddock. "Having compared all relevant data," said their statement, "the stewards can find no justifiable reason for the driver to have braked with such undue, excessive and unusual pressure at this part of the circuit, and are therefore left with no alternatives but to conclude that the driver deliberately stopped his car on the circuit in the last few minutes of qualifying, at a time at which he had thus far set the fastest laptime."

The stewards found Schumacher in breach of article 116 of the Sporting Regulations, that says: "If, in the opinion of the stewards, a driver deliberately stops on the circuit or impedes another driver in any way during the qualifying practice session his times will be cancelled."

They then elected to delete all of Schumacher's timed laps, sending him to the back of the grid. Under article 112, Ferrari have no right to appeal this decision.

Renault driver Giancarlo Fisichella was also penalised post-qualifying, having his fastest three times deleted for blocking David Coulthard. The stewards said Fisichella's actions may not have been deliberate, but still chose to penalise him.

The two penalties promote Rubens Barrichello from seventh to fifth, while Jenson Button climbs one place to 13th.

Pos		Driver	Team	T	Round 1	Round 2	Final
1		Alonso	Renault	M	1:14.232	1:13.622	1:13.962
2		Webber	Williams	B	1:14.305	1:13.728	1:14.082
3		Raikkonen	McLaren	M	1:13.887	1:13.532	1:14.140
4		Montoya	McLaren	M	1:14.483	1:14.295	1:14.664
5		Barrichello	Honda	M	1:14.766	1:14.312	1:15.084
6		Trulli	Toyota	B	1:14.883	1:14.211	1:15.857
7		Coulthard	Red Bull	M	1:15.090	1:13.687	1:16.426
8		Rosberg	Williams	B	1:14.888	1:13.909	1:16.636
9		Fisichella	Renault	M	1:14.614	1:13.647
10		R Schumacher	Toyota	B	1:14.412	1:14.398
11		Klien	Red Bull	M	1:14.489	1:14.747
12		Liuzzi	Toro Rosso	M	1:15.314	1:14.969
13		Button	Honda	M	1:15.085	1:14.982
14		Villeneuve	BMW-Sauber	M	1:15.316	1:15.052
15		Heidfeld	BMW-Sauber	M	1:15.324	1:15.137
16		Albers	Midland	B	1:15.598
17		Monteiro	Midland	B	1:15.993
18		Speed	Toro Rosso	M	1:16.236
19		Sato	Super Aguri	B	1:17.276
20		Montagny	Super Aguri	B	1:17.502
21		Massa	Ferrari	B	-:--.---
22		M Schumacher	Ferrari	B	DSQ