Williams Warns Drivers over Crashing

Feuding Williams drivers Ralf Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya have been told they had better behave in the Malaysian Grand Prix.

Team boss Frank Williams told a news conference on Friday he was happy for the Formula One rivals to race hard and bang wheels, but they must not ram each other off the track. The two clashed at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix in an incident that led Ralf to threaten Montoya with serious consequences if he tried the same overtaking manoeuvre again.

"It was a pretty strong move and next time I will have him off the track," he said on Thursday.

Williams was confident the two would see sense despite the evident ill-feeling between very different characters who have failed to click since they teamed up in 2001.

"Under racing conditions they are free to race, and they are free to compete and they are free to bump wheels if it's the only way of getting by," said the team boss. "What they are not allowed to do is push their team mates off. That is the divide. Words come easily in the heat of the moment, common sense will prevail."

Colombian Montoya is leaving Williams for McLaren at the end of the season while Ralf, younger brother of Ferrari's World Champion Michael, is deep in contract negotiations and could also be departing. Asked just how much control the team could exercise over the drivers, Williams said it was up to the team manager to keep an eye on them.

"It will be difficult," he said. "But I do believe, and I think Juan Pablo proved that and so did Ralf with their conduct in Melbourne, that there was little to criticise about their dedication which is what they are paid for.

"Off the track there'll be trouble but it's the team manager's job to try and handle it and keep it away from the racing."

Williams, sitting next to Ferrari boss Jean Todt, alluded to Ferrari's controversial past use of team orders - when one driver is told to give way to his teammate - and said it was hard to satisfy everyone.

"You can't win sometimes," he said. "If you control your drivers you get a lashing in the press sometimes, if you let them race and bang wheels you get criticism."

Montoya brushed aside the incident in Australia.

"I think he was just a bit too excited," Montoya said. "I think the reporter asked the right question and wound Ralf up. They asked the right question to Ralf and he just went over the roof. But I think we'll be okay."