Highlights

Schumacher defends himself against critics

(AP)
Updated: 2006-05-29 09:19

The top three finishers were cars running Michelin tires _ Fernando Alonso in a Renault, Juan Pablo Montoya in a McLaren and David Coulthard in a Red Bull.

All three talked about the Michelin's company and declined to spray champagne in the traditional post-race celebration.

"I want to say thank you to all the employees for their work," Alonso said.

"We appreciated the top three drivers' comments and gestures immediately after the race," Shorrock said.

Michelin took the company back into Formula One in 2001, after a 17-year absence.

Renault team director Flavio Briatore gave Michelin some of the credit for last season's title.

"That is one of the reasons we won here and are leading the championship."

However, Michelin will pull out of F1 after this season.

In December, after a fiasco at the U.S. Grand Prix when all Michelin teams sat out the race with concerns over tire safety, the company announced it would depart from F1 after the 2006 season, leaving Japanese builder Bridgestone as the sport's only tire supplier.

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IT'S A BIRD, IT'S A PLANE: Red Bull team members took a clue from the eagerly awaited "Superman Returns" movie. They were celebrating David Coulthard's third place on Sunday, the first podium finish for Red Bull.

Coulthard wore a Superman cape as he went to accept the trophy.

"It's been a couple years since I was on the podium so it's especially great to finish on it here in Monaco," Coulthard said.

He won as a McLaren driver in 2000 and 2002 but his last podium was in the 2003 Japanese Grand Prix.

"It's the first podium for Red Bull Racing and it's a great reward for all the team's hard work."

Team director Christian Horner also donned a Superman cape.

"It's a fantastic result for the whole team," Horner said.