Ralf plays down accident

BMW WilliamsF1 driver Ralf Schumacher was to be involved in an incident that would see Renault's Fernando Alonso crash into the barriers while running in the tunnel. The Spaniard was trying to lap Ralf while running in the tunnel but in the process was to run wide and crash into the barriers.

For Alonso the blame for his accident lay with Ralf. Alonso was to explain his version of events by saying: "Ralf moved to the right and slowed down. I tried to overtake him but when we were side by side he went on the throttle again and pushed me into the barrier."

He added: "I hope they investigate the accident and they take his licence for three or four races. To race with people like this is always difficult. It happened with (Japan's Takuma) Sato in Bahrain, it happened to me in Imola and here as well. We risk our lives at circuits like this and it's difficult to race with people like that."

Alonso would also accuse Ralf of ignored blue flags for the first seven corners warning him that there was a faster car trying to get past.

But for Ralf his recollection of the incident was: "He just ran into some dirt. I'm sorry about it but it wasn't at all intentional. It's not true that I disobeyed the blue flag...I can understand his frustration but he went too far outside, ran into the dirt and then hit the wall.

Ralf added: "I can understand his being angry. He's rather inexperienced in Formula One and made a mistake. It's clear that he would try to place the blame on someone else. Just wait a week and he'll be calmed down."