Schumacher at Monaco

I have to get this off my chest, and prove to you all that I'm not just a brainless Schumi hater. MS was badly done by at Monaco, when he was penalised 20 seconds after the race for overtaking Alonso on the last corner as the Safety Car went into the pits. The evidence was all there on screen from the on-board footage that he should have been allowed to race: green flags and light were clearly displayed. It wasn't his fault that Alonso had been told that no overtaking would be allowed before the finish line. Alonso may have been told that, as might MS, but the fact is that the race officials showed a green light and flag before the last corner, which means, 'track is clear. Go ahead boys, and race'.

Having shown the green signal, the officials cannot then say, 'Ah, well, yes we did show that signal, but we didn't mean to,' and penalise anyone who adhered to the signal given. Talented though the drivers are, they're not mind readers, and no-one is going to think, 'Ooh, I wonder if that's a mistake. After all, they did say that the race would be ended under the safety car and so there would be no overtaking. Is it a mistake, or did they change their minds?' The drivers have to go by what's in front of their eyes: there simply isn't time for wondering.

As an error by the marshals or race director, the only penalty they should have given was to give Alonso his position back: the 20 seconds penalty given MS was far too draconian. Even the reversal of positions seems unfair to me. The driver should not be penalised for an error made by the race officials.

Now, Damon Hill was the Stewards' Driving Advisor, and given the relationship he had with MS, I just wonder ... surely not!