Villeneuve Tells Schumacher 'to Act Like a Man'

Canadian Jacques Villeneuve has joined in the Formula One 'team orders' debate by telling Ferrari's World Champion Michael Schumacher to "stand up and be a man".

Ferrari sparked an outcry ten days ago in Austria when Brazilian Rubens Barrichello, who had led from pole position, was ordered to allow Schumacher to win. The German took his fifth victory in six races to boos from the crowd and, amid scenes of confusion, pushed Barrichello to the top step of the podium at the prize ceremony.

"I don't really have a problem with team orders at the racetrack," said 1997 World Champion Villeneuve, sitting alongside Barrichello at a news conference on Wednesday ahead of Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix.

"The only thing that I felt was unacceptable was the podium situation. If you win a race, even if its in a way that you didn't like, be a man and step on the top step and just take your trophy, even if you are embarrassed because everybody is booing at you.

"You accepted taking the win, you didn't slow down, you felt good about it, you raised your hand on the last lap until you heard people booing at you. Step up there, take the trophy and be a man."

Ferrari team officials, and both drivers, have been summoned to appear before the International Automobile Federation (FIA) next month to explain their behaviour.

Fake Embarrassment

Villeneuve, whose late father Gilles was a Ferrari favourite, said he would probably have taken the win just as Schumacher did.

"You would be stupid not to take anything you are given, so if you are given a win you might as well take it," said the British American Racing (BAR) driver. "But then stick with it, don't fake embarrassment and feeling bad about it and stuff like that."

Villeneuve has had several run-ins with Schumacher in the past, notably at the end of the 1997 season when the German effectively tried to run the Canadian off the track in the title-deciding race.

Schumacher was punished for that by being stripped of all his points, while allowed to keep his race wins.

Asked whether he felt the win in Austria had tarnished Schumacher's Championship, Villeneuve replied: "Not the win. Everything that happened afterwards: Yes."

The Canadian said he had never had to obey team orders in the past, or been the beneficiary of them either, and expressed some surprise at the furore involving a team at which Schumacher is the recognised number one.

"People shouldn't have been surprised, everybody knew a situation like that would happen," he said. "It would have been wiser for the team to say before the start of the season that that is what will happen."