Schumacher in a new row

Michael Schumacher found himself back at the centre of a new controversy in Formula One on Sunday when more than three hours after the finish of the Monaco Grand Prix he was penalised for an overtaking move, handed a 20-seconds penalty and denied any points, writes Tim Collings.

Schumacher, in a Mercedes, had grabbed sixth place in a mainly processional race when he passed old rival Fernando Alonso of Ferrari at the final corner of the last lap, arguably still under the Safety Car.

As the car had just pulled into the pit lane, Schumacher and his Mercedes team believed they were free to race and overtake, but Alonso and Ferrari argued that this was wrong - they had to respect their positions to the finish line.

For the 41-year-old seven-times world champion, it was a familiar reminder of how Formula One can be controversial, technical and unsporting all in one incident - a scenario he has experienced several times before.

The penalty was issued by the race stewards who, at the Monaco race, happened by chance to include another of Schumacher's old antagonists Briton Damon Hill, as the drivers' representative.

Schumacher passed Alonso just as the Safety Car pulled off the circuit on the final lap. The stewards decided the race was still finishing under the Safety Car and that the move was in breach of Article 40.13 of the 2010 sporting Regulations.

Under rule 40.13, which states that 'if the race ends whilst the safety car is deployed it will enter the pit-lane at the end of the last lap and the cars will take the chequered flag as normal without overtaking'.

As a result of the decision, Schumacher drops to 12th in the final results and out of the points while Alonso and all those who finished from seventh to 12th inclusive move up one place.

This means that Toro Rosso's former Bahrain resident Sebastien Buemi scored a point for 10th. The outcome was no surprise to Alonso, who has this season started a new post Schumacher era at Ferrari after leaving Renault to take over as team leader and inspiration.

He said before the stewards' verdict was announced that he was convinced Schumacher was in the wrong.

Alonso said: "The race was very good and in the end I still have a good feeling. The team told me we couldn't overtake - so when I saw Michael - I knew they would penalise him."

Alonso, 28, is now five points behind the triumphant Australian Mark Webber of Red Bull in the drivers' standings.

Alonso's Ferrari team-mate Brazilian Felipe Massa started fourth and finished fourth.

Schumacher said before the stewards met that he did not expect to be penalised. "I think there is either this message, or there is the message 'track clear' and 'safety car in' and that was the message that was given to all of us - and when this message is out, it means track clear and back to racing," claimed the German. "The cars were removed. There was no further need (for the safety car) so I took my opportunity."

He added that he was confident Hill would be a good judge. "It will be interesting. He is a good guy so I'm sure he will understand the situation and it's normal that the other team has a different opinion, but we have to see. Maybe we missed something that we are not aware of..."

Mercedes later confirmed that they would be appealing the decision to an FIA Tribunal, the International Court of Appeal, meaning the result of Sunday's race stands for now pending the outcome.