• Hungarian Grand Prix

Rubens fumes at 'dangerous' Schumacher move

ESPNF1 Staff
August 1, 2010 « Hamilton confident on title chances | »
Barrichello said Schumacher's move was the most dangerous he had been involved in © Sutton Images
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Rubens Barrichello admitted that he was involved in the most dangerous incident in his seventeen years in Formula One after former Ferrari team-mate Michael Schumacher nearly pushed him into the pit wall during the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Defending his position for tenth in the latter stages of the race, Schumacher pushed Barrichello's Williams wide down the inside in a move that the stewards punished with a ten place grid demotion for the next grand prix.

"On a track that is so difficult to overtake, you should choose a line and that is it," Barrichello told BBC Sport afterwards. "It was close, close, close, close and luckily the wall finished there and I was able to go a bit more to the right.

"There is not a rule for that but between ourselves we should take a line, stick to it and that's it. He is taking something from the past to the future or the present and I don't think it is needed. There has been a lot of controversy already over the last week so there was no need for that."

When asked whether the move was the most dangerous he had been involved in, Barrichello's answer was emphatic.

"It was. I'm delighted in a way because I can get to 38 in my physical condition and I got there and Patrick was screaming he was so happy. We only got one point for that. It is the most dangerous thing that I have been through and I am sorry for that."

Schumacher defended his actions, stating that he left Barrichello enough space to go the other side but that he opted against it.

"There is not much to say other than he obviously had fresher tyres," said Schumacher. "My job was to get the last corner spot on and I had a line of about five centimetres I had to hit and in that lap I ran a little wide and started sliding so my exit speed was compromised. I was moving over to the inside to make it very obvious and clear to him to go on the other side, there is more space for you. He didn't choose to, so it got a bit tight. We know certain drivers have certain views and there is Rubens."

Responding to Schumacher's comments, Barrichello said he would let the race stewards and the general public be the judge.

"It has always been my fault for six years," added Barrichello. "It's unbelievable but I will let the stewards say whatever they have to say. His view is always that I am a big crier so I would like the public to vote and have a look at what they think. Tell me on Twitter!"

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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