Schumacher hits back at detractors

Schumacher, who met with the stewards shortly after the session, remained in his motorhome all afternoon, avoiding the normal post-qualifying media interviews. He emerged in the evening, however, to meet some of the media members that are still waiting at the track for the stewards' decision.

"I've explained to the stewards what I've already said in the [FIA] press conference," the German said. "We've shown them the data they wanted to see. The FIA had its own data, and they fitted each other.

"Now everybody is waiting for their decision."

Schumacher said his car was difficult to drive and developed problems before coming to a halt at Rascasse.

"It starts to get more difficult to drive, already earlier it was getting difficult to hold the car," he said. "In corner 6, I had to work harder at the wheel, and also at corner 10 and at the chicane.

"The car was more unbalanced, but I still knew I could have made up the time. I think I was only 1.5 to 2 tenths [of a second] slower than my fastest lap. I knew the last sector is really decisive, so that's why I was pushing. But it didn't work out.

"If somebody wants to make a complaint, it's because I was too fast. By then making a mistake, I get the complaints I've seen. That is hard to understand."

Schumacher dismissed harsh criticism made by drivers like Jacques Villeneuve, who described Schumacher's driving as "embarrassing".

"They are not really my friends, and over the years it is always the same ones who say these things," Schumacher responded.

"Only the man who is sitting in the car knows. I don't think they have the information to make a valid judgement.

"But I've been long enough in this business to know how to deal with complaints; after a while, it calms down."

Asked if he at all felt guilty, Schumacher replied: "If I do, it's for being too fast, that's all I'm guilty of, nothing else. "