Schumacher pole triggers Monaco uproar

The seven times champion faced pointed questions about his sportsmanship after claiming his 67th career pole ahead of Renault's world champion Fernando Alonso.

The German ran wide and stopped on the exit to the penultimate corner in the closing seconds of the final session, with Alonso and others still to complete their final flying laps behind him.

Alonso said the yellow flags following the Schumacher incident forced him to slow, losing him at least three tenths of a second and possibly robbing him of pole.

"I have my opinion and I won't tell it here," said the 24-year-old Spaniard when asked by reporters whether he considered it a sporting incident.

The governing body could not confirm reports that Renault were protesting in an attempt to have Schumacher stripped of his fastest lap. Pole is particularly important on Monaco's street circuit.

Furious Renault team boss Flavio Briatore said it looked like Schumacher had acted deliberately to make sure others could not beat his time.

"He's just parking the car," Briatore told ITV television. "This is the way Ferrari manage."

Schumacher, looking puzzled in a news conference, denied anything underhand.

"I locked up and just ran out of road," said the 37-year-old, who can equal Brazilian Ayrton Senna's six Monaco wins this weekend. "I tried to get reverse but was hesitant to move and finally I stalled."

He suggested that any critics who doubted him should try to drive the car themselves through the tight and twisty streets.

"Whatever you do in certain moments, your enemies believe one thing and the people who support you believe another," he added. "Some people may not believe it, but unfortunately that's the world we live in.

"I don't care what other teams do. I know Flavio well enough," added Schumacher, who drove for the Italian when he was at Benetton.

Australian Mark Webber was third fastest for Williams with McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen, last year's winner, fourth.

Renault's Giancarlo Fisichella starts on the third row with McLaren's Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya, the 2003 winner.

Ferrari's Felipe Massa will start at the back of the grid after crashing in the first part of qualifying.

The Brazilian speared left into the tyre barrier on the blind crest of Casino Square, briefly stopping the session while the car was removed from the track.