Alonso: Puncture cost me podium

Alonso was running third, after making a brilliant start from ninth on the grid, when his tyre blew on the 200mph+ approach to Turn 1. The explosive deflation of the right-rear pitched him into the Brickyard's infamous concrete wall, and he spun through some polystyrene marker boards and out of the race.

"I got a fantastic start; I braked very late into the first corner because I knew it would be one of the only chances to overtake," said Alonso. "As for the accident, it is difficult to explain because everything happened so fast, but I think it was a puncture. I lost the chance of a podium today."

Team-mate Jarno Trulli started from the back of the grid after his gearbox problems in qualifying, but some storming early laps - which included passing two cars in the immediate aftermath of Ralf Schumacher's Turn 13 shunt - put him in contention for a podium finish. Only a determined lunge from BAR's Takuma Sato demoted him to fourth late on.

"I did my best today from last on the grid," said Trulli. "I made the most of the start to gain lots of positions, then we brought my first stop forward during the second safety car period, a move that paid off later in the race.

"I pushed all the way, but Sato was catching me during the last stint - I was really on the limit, and the lap before he overtook me, I went off. Then, there were flags in the banking because of oil on the track so I lifted, and he passed me into the first corner. Of course, I am slightly disappointed to not finish on the podium, but when you look at where I started, this is a very good result."