Be lenient, says Stewart

Jackie Stewart, the three-times world champion, has called on Formula One chiefs not to ban Ferrari following Michael Schumacher's contrived victory at Sunday's Austrian Grand Prix.

The Scotsman has appealed for the governing body to be lenient as any ban would come into force for the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, depriving fans over here of seeing the world's top driver and F1 team.

The FIA, the sport's world governing body, has called Ferrari, Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello to a 26 June hearing to explain events during and after the race in Austria.

Barrichello, who had led for much of the race, obeyed team orders and pulled over within yards of the flag to allow Schumacher to win.

Afterwards, to boos from the crowd, Schumacher broke FIA regulations by pushing Barrichello onto the top step of the podium and giving him the winner's trophy.

The FIA has the power to either dock points or ban Ferrari or any of their drivers.

Stewart said: "The likelihood of the Ferrari team being disciplined in terms of being banned from a race would be very unlikely.

"It's a commercial decision of enormous magnitude. The attendance at the British Grand Prix would be severely affected by the fact Ferrari are not allowed to race.

"That is against the promoter, who has nothing to do with what happened in Austria."

Stewart admitted he was surprised by the events late in the race.

He said: "I was very disappointed and shocked by it because I really did believe Rubens was going to win the race and justly so.

"I just thought it was a complete anti-climax to what was actually an exciting grand prix."

The former Formula One team owner criticised Schumacher for orchestrating a "pantomime" performance on the podium - and claimed the German could have ignored his team's instructions.

He said of the podium fiasco: "This really was a mistake and I think it was a bit of pantomime in which everyone felt embarrassed about.

"Rubens was pushed into a position he did not want to be in. The manner in which it was all conducted was very embarrassing.

"It didn't look good for motor racing.

"Rubens drove an impressive race and it was a PR blunder more than anything else.

"Michael could easily have disregarded the instruction.

"He has more power at Ferrari than any single man I have ever known in all of my career in motorsport as a watcher of Ferrari.

"It could have been altered by Michael's personal initiative. He could have said it on the radio."

F1 2002 - essential guide