Ferrari unhappy with Rubens' penalty

Barrichello will start Sunday's race in eighth after his fastest lap time was scratched for jumping a red light in the pit lane, but he says it was impossible for him to have seen the red light.

"As far as the penalty for this morning is concerned, all I can say is that it was impossible for me to see the red light from where I was," said Barrichello. "I didn't make a final run as I knew it would change nothing in terms of grid position."

Team principal Jean Todt and technical director Ross Brawn concurred with their driver's thoughts.

"While respecting the Stewards' decision," said Todt, "we do not agree with it. We knew it would serve Rubens no purpose to send him out for a fourth run, given that any time improvement would not count towards his grid position."

Brawn added: "The decision about Rubens losing his best time was a bit frustrating and I think it was a harsh decision."

Barrichello said he struggled throughout the hour-long session with a gear selection problem, but he says it probably didn't cost him a higher grid position.

"I think we came up with a well set-up car," he explained. "However I had a gear selection problem, although I don't think it would have changed much. It certainly won't be easy starting from the fourth row, but it will be a long, hard race so I'm confident all the same."