The Observer

This was getting ridiculous. Through the small windows of the media centre, a glorious orange sunset had turned to black, and now 10,000 pinpoints of artificial light glittered from the densely packed high-rise buildings of Monte Carlo. The bass boom of dance music from the Red Bull Superman party thumped faintly in the background, as the excited chatter of alcohol-fuelled fans, beautiful people and hangers-on rose from the Stars 'n Bars restaurant below.

It was all tuned out by the journalists milling about under the yellow glare of the media centre lights. While a diligent few were still tapping away at keyboards, a growing crowd gathered around the FIA communications office, each person determined to grab the verdict as soon as it was published. Meanwhile, the British press lounged back in their chairs, bored.

As usual, there was plenty of banter. But the conversation kept returning to the same subject: the reason we were still sitting there. Would Michael Schumacher be thrown out of the Monaco Grand Prix or would he be let off the hook?

The tension in the post-qualifying press conference that had taken place hours ago had been of Scorsese thriller proportions. Schumacher had entered it a happy looking man. But with every question focused on his dubious error at Rascasse and the fumbled stall of his Ferrari, his face set into a grim, impenetrable mask.

And when British journalist Byron Young asked: "Did you cheat today?" Schuey glared back and gave a haughty answer about "bad questions".

The realisation was dawning on him. He must have been thinking "oh no. Here we go again." This was going to be like Adelaide 1994, Jerez 1997, Austria 2002... Schumacher was back in the dock.

Fernando Alonso and Michael Schumacher in the post-qualifying press conference © XPB/LAT

The debate in the media centre went on into the night. Some conspiratorially thought the stewards were taking so long because they were trying to work out how to let him off. Come on, this is Ferrari! Others thought he would be chucked out of the event, then race under appeal. Everyone had an opinion.

A flurry of activity roused us at around 9:30pm. Schumacher was standing on the step of the Ferrari motorhome, Jean Todt stoically alongside him, as a huge scrum of TV crews, photographers and journos jostled for position.

He was clearly stunned at the furore, but not surprised by his old, familiar critics such as Jacques Villeneuve, who had given him both barrels when talking to reporters earlier in the day. "They are not really my friends, and over the years it is always the same ones who say these things," Schuey said.

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

Back to the press room. Time stretched on. Then finally, nearly eight hours after the end of qualifying as 11:00pm approached, the door to the FIA communications office opened. The journalists pressed forwards, snatching for the release being handed out. They pushed and shoved, rabidly grabbing at copies as if it was a matter of life and death. I stood back for a second - "for Chrissake, will everyone calm down!" Of course, no one took any notice.

I sidled round the throng, took my copy and phoned the verdict through to autosport.com: Michael Schumacher would start the Monaco GP from the back of the grid.

Justice had been done in the eyes of most people. Ferrari didn't think so, of course. As I walked past the paddock, dodging the drunken revellers in the bars and restaurants who couldn't have cared less about Schuey's plight, I knew I'd witnessed another defining chapter of a fascinating career.

Schumacher's quotes from earlier in the evening had touched upon his 'previous form' when it comes to controversy. He talked about us all having black dots on our white jackets, but that he felt he didn't have too many to be ashamed of. A clumsy analogy, and maybe something was lost in translation, but you get the point.

The trouble is, Schuey does have too many 'black dots'. There have been too many transgressions for many people to give him the benefit of the doubt.

I wish I could believe him, I really do. It's a privilege to be witnessing this man's career, and I do not agree that this latest controversy should be the catalyst for his retirement - but he is a hard guy to have faith in.

That incident looked to me like Schumacher on his default setting, an automatic response when his position was under threat - just as in Adelaide and Jerez. It's almost like he can't help himself, and that is a great shame.

Michael Schumacher leaves the pitlane at the start of the Monaco Grand Prix © XPB/LAT

On Sunday, the story refused to die down. Schumacher would start from the pitlane in a car that should have been a contender for victory. Indeed, given the Bridgestone-induced pace of Mark Webber's Williams, it is highly likely that Michael would have been able to beat Alonso. In other words, Schuey shot himself in the foot.

After the race, in which we saw the positive side of Schumacher - a charging, wily drive to fifth place, there was talk that he should step down as a director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association, the body that represents the drivers' interests in terms of safety. On this subject, at last somebody stood up for Schumacher.

Podium finisher David Coulthard said that he believed what happened in qualifying shouldn't affect Michael's status with the GPDA, that he had worked hard for the organisation over many years and that no other driver had done more for track safety.

But the GPDA issue might not be dead. Other individual drivers believe he should step down, even if they haven't made their feelings known officially. The body's next meeting is at Silverstone over the British Grand Prix weekend - there could be more embarrassment for Schumacher.

So will there be a lasting effect from the events of the weekend? Well, what it has done is reinforce old feelings about Schumacher's attitude to sportsmanship. He has kept his nose clean in recent years, but now suddenly he is the villain once again.

Perfect timing. The next race? Silverstone. The partisan British fans have never exactly welcomed him, and he has always had an uneasy relationship with them, and of course the UK press.

Michael 'Dick Dastardly' Schumacher is back. It all adds extra spice to a fascinating season.