Ralf was Asked by Team to Move Over for Montoya

Williams technical director Patrick Head revealed this evening that Ralf Schumacher was asked by the team to move over for teammate Juan Pablo Montoya, however Head said possible radio problems meant Schumacher essentially ignored these orders.

Schumacher, who was running in second after his first troublesome pitstop, could not keep up to pace with brother Michael, who was leading the race. Montoya, on a different pitstop strategy, was closing in fast on his teammate and was forced to drive slowly behind him for a few laps, before the German went in for his second stop.

"Our concern was that Ralf was going very slowly at that time and in effect both he and Montoya were dropping back, into Barrichello and Coulthard's clutches," Head told reporters at Magny Cours. "If it had continued like that we could have found ourselves finishing fourth and fifth."

"We radioed Ralf and asked him to move over for Juan, or alternatively come into the pits for new tyres," Head further revealed. "I understand he certainly went past the pits a couple of times after we asked him to do that, but there was a radio problem."

Montoya retired from the race shortly after, whereas Ralf Schumacher finished second. In the post-race press conference, Ralf said the decision to come in early for his second stop was his own, as he could not hear the team's radio communication.

"After I saw my performance and Juan closing up, I decided to go in earlier," Ralf explained. "But we had communication problems; I couldn't hear the team, something with my earpieces went wrong, so I just called the team to tell them I was coming in. So whatever the team wanted I don't know."