Montoya Blames Strategy for Missing Podium

Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya blamed his two-stop strategy for missing the his third Formula One podium at today's British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

Having qualified in a disappointing eighth place, Montoya made a fantastic start which allowed him to move up to third spot before overtaking Ferrari's Michael Schumacher to take second position. The Williams driver led the race for a while before coming into the pits for the first time, but then got stuck behind his own teammate Ralf Schumacher and Brazilian Rubens Barrichello.

Rookie Montoya, who has finished two races in second place this year, finished fourth and claimed a one-stop strategy would have allowed to finish in the podium again.

"It was a pretty good race even though I think we could have finished third. We had played a different strategy and it didn't really pay off," Montoya said. "The start was pretty good and I didn't know how far forward I could go. After this morning I was aiming for a point so getting three out of the race is not that bad."

German Ralf Schumacher endured a troubled race, first suffering a problem during his only pitstop and then retiring with a mechanical failure while he was running in sixth place.

"I had an excellent start, but in the first corner I had to lift off when David spun and, therefore, lost a position to Rubens [Barrichello]," Schumacher said.

"I believe I was on the right one-stop strategy, but unfortunately during the pit stop the fuel nozzle stuck and this cost me several seconds, but these things happen. Then suddenly I heard a noise and the engine just stopped."