Schumacher: no more apologies

Several GPDA members have vowed to confront Schumacher in the Friday afternoon meeting to demand a full explanation about what really happened in qualifying - when Schumacher was judged to have deliberately stopped his car on the track.

Speaking at Silverstone on Thursday, Schumacher said he would be 'happy' to speak to fellow drivers about what happened - but that he was adamant he did not need to apologise for Monaco or explain himself any more than he has done already.

"Honestly, I have made that (apologized) already," he said. "I said to you guys on Sunday (in Monaco) that whoever believed I did that on purpose, to hinder somebody's laptimes, I am sorry for that, that was not the purpose. That was not what happened there.

"More than apologising I cannot do. Mistakes we all do at some stage and that is the way it is. Nevertheless you have to stay in a frame, and if someone wants me to go down on my knees and beg for something then I think that would be rather ridiculous."

Schumacher hinted that other people may be trying to use the continued controversy over Monaco to their own advantage - and that he thinks it is better for the sport if the matter was now put behind everyone.

"You know there are quite a few people, they like to use the opportunity to create and do things," he said.  "So I am not getting much into that, honestly.

"What happened has happened, whether you agree or don't agree you have a certain experience of this. I feel obviously sorry that it had to happen, but certain things they simply do happen.

"When I say I feel sorry, I feel sorry for all the casino that was made out of it. The thing you have to ask yourself is that really, did what happen there deserve the reaction? I understand there are a lot of people who talk about it, who write about it, we have a lot of media exposure, but we don't change anything by talking about it.

"My point of view is to look forward because it will not make any difference to what happened by talking about it. So I want to concentrate on what is more important."

Schumacher believes that it was just a question of time before the controversy over Monaco was forgotten by the paddock and the media.

"It will be interesting if you are going to ask in three or four races time, or next year, the same question," he smiled at reporters.

And when asked whether the reaction the incident got had played on his state of mind, Schumacher said: "No. I would be rather short minded if that would happen."