Barrichello Calms Down over Incident

The Brazilian is still fuming at the manner of Schumacher's last-lap lunge at the harbour front chicane to snatch seventh place, but is well aware that internal friction between drivers is the last thing Ferrari need right now.

"This is a small problem and we have bigger things to deal with," he said. "We have to move forward and I don't want to destabilise the team now.

"I talked to Michael and with Jean Todt but let's not make a big thing out of it. It doesn't help, but it's not the end of the world either. But if the positions had been reversed we wouldn't have finished the race."

Barrichello's public outburst at Schumacher has surprised many within the paddock, because Ferrari have often maintained a unified public image throughout similar difficult episodes -- including the famous team orders incidents in Austria and Indianapolis in 2002.

The Brazilian is confident, however, that his decision to vent his anger in public will not harm his strong relationship with the team or Schumacher himself.

"As I always say, in life you get what you deserve," he said. "In this team I've been through very tough times and very beautiful moments. I've fought a lot to get to where I am inside Ferrari, so now I have the right to say I think he didn't do the right thing.

"If this would have happened two or three years ago I would keep my mouth shut, but not now. I don't think anything will change, because of the way I behaved over these five years. I put up with a few things but I throw away the things that are not positive and I keep in my mind the good things.

"It is my birthday and I would have been happier with seventh rather than eighth but it doesn't change much. But, as I said before, if the positions were reversed we wouldn't have finished the race."