By Jonathan Legard BBC motor racing correspondent

Monaco's genteel, opulent world is well used to the ear-piercing howl of Formula One cars disturbing the peace in early summer, but this time there is the prospect of popular culture coming to town.

The last time Michael Schumacher was in a Formula One car, he was booed and jeered like a pantomime villain.

And already Ferrari are preparing the way for Rubens Barrichello to hear the cry of "he's behind you" for the second race in succession.

Schumacher remained defiant over the use of team orders, even though Barrichello said he planned to wake up every morning believing he was going to win.

"It's a Ferrari philosophy and I'm part of it," said Schumacher.

Frankly, Ferrari are damned if they do and damned if they don't.

Barrichello was second in Monaco last year

If Barrichello were allowed to win, it would undermine the decision they took in the Austrian mountains a fortnight ago and come across as face-saving.

If Schumacher wins - and equals Ayrton Senna's record of six Monaco victories - who is surprised?

Dare one say it, who cares?

The value of victory has been tarnished, when the technical brilliance of his driving and the F2002 should be cherished.

The thrill of competition, which is the bedrock of even a sport as business-oriented as Formula One, took a nosedive at the A1 Ring.

Two drivers for whom racing matters before winning made their positions perfectly clear.

Jacques Villeneuve's barbed comments about Schumacher's role reversal on the podium predictably drew no response from his rival.

Privately, Schumacher may be regretting his acquiescence, given the barrage of criticism he has attracted.

But Villeneuve's words will have struck a chord at FIA headquarters.

The World MotorSports Council will be watching Monaco with even greater interest as they gather themselves for next month's hearing in Paris.

Montoya: No team orders at Williams

Juan Pablo Montoya, a team mate of Schumacher's younger brother, Ralf, was blunt about team orders at Williams.

"They tried them last season and it didn't work," he said with much satisfaction.

Barrichello continues to insist that his time will come and that Ferrari will give him the chance of more wins.

But such a commendable attitude does not ring true with the facts of life at Ferrari while Michael Schumacher is on board.

The number one on his car is there for a reason.

How the crowds react when they see him coming this weekend will be a fascinating public poll.

Will they be like football fans who berate their team for losing and threaten to rip up their season tickets - only to return for the next match as if nothing had happened?

Or will Monaco's grandstands pick up the soundtrack from Austria and confront Formula One's most famous name with the old adage that it is not what you do, it is the way that you do it.