FORMULA 1: Michael Schumacher refused to admit that he had made a mistake in the incident involving himself and Williams' Juan Pablo Montoya that cost the world champion a race finish and a possible podium place yesterday.

The German, running behind the safety car on lap 46 after an accident to Renault's Fernando Alonso, emerged from the tunnel with his front left suspension and nose cone in ruins and limped back to the pits to retire after clashing with Montoya in the tunnel. The matter was investigated by race stewards at the end of the race.

Despite the officials ruling that no action would be taken against either driver, it was later suggested in the paddock that the German had made a mistake under braking behind the safety car. Schumacher denied that, saying that he had been taken off the circuit by a back marker.

"When the accident happened I was leading so the situation is that the race leader was knocked out by a back marker, which is silly," said Schumacher.

"I'm sure there was no deliberate intention on his (Montoya's) part and I accept the stewards' decision. I was accelerating and braking just as we do when we go to the grid and in the standard way when running behind the safety car.

"The tunnel was not even the first place I had done it as I had used the same procedure earlier in the lap," he added. "A bit of smoke off the wheels is quite normal in these situations. As you say in English, shit happens and it did."

Montoya had little to add saying: "Michael braked very hard as he was warming up his brakes and I moved to the right side of the track to avoid him but the gap narrowed and we touched."