Dreamz meanz Heinz!

Jacques Villeneuve was scolded twice on the mean, sun-drenched streets of Monaco yesterday.

Young Formula One championship contender Villeneuve had his knuckles rapped by FAI President Max Mosley for daring to say that the fun had gone out of Grand Prix racing.

Then Villeneuve, the Williams-Renault driver, was scorched off his home track by team-mate Heinz Harald-Frentzen, whose dream lap meant a first ever pole.

It was, in fact, a bad day at the office for Villeneuve.

He had upset the bigwigs by implying that the sport had become too safe this year with next season's safety regulations making it even more boring.

But Mosley hit back: "If Villeneuve is saying it is not fun then my answer to that is I'm sorry.

"The drivers have their millions to spend on all the fun they want when they are not driving.

"This romantic notion that they want to live on the edge is all very well until someone gets killed - and this is not acceptable."

Mosley is all in favour of the 20 new regulations to make the cars safer for the 1998 season.

Added Mosley: "We have to start to make the cars safer.

"If Jacques is saying that the new regulations will allow mediocre drivers to keep up with the top men then he is taking away all our Formula One history.

"Is he saying all these drivers were mediocre before he came along? That's not very clever."

Villeneuve refused to get in an argument with Mosley but insisted: "I think Max is wrong."

Villeneuve failed to win pole for the first time this season and then ended up sliding into a safety barrier after his final quick lap.

It was the German pair of Frentzen and Ferrari's Michael Schumacher who laid down their Monte Carlo towels first and second to take front row of the grid for today's Monte Carlo showdown.

Said Frentzen: "I'm quite happy to get pole but I must sleep well and be relaxed for a good start."

Schumacher said: "Frentzen pulled out a good performance but I knew from the beginning of the season that Jacques and Heinz-Harald would both give me trouble."

Best of the British bunch was David Coulthard, who claimed fifth place on the grid in his McLaren with Sauber driver Johnny Herbert just two positions behind.

Reigning world champion Damon Hill starts 13th in his Arrows, two places ahead of a very unhappy Eddie Irvine in his Ferrari.

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