Fisichella Frustrated after Monaco Crash

Italian Giancarlo Fisichella was frustrated despite escaping unhurt from a dramatic third lap collision in the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday.

Fisichella's Sauber was pitched upside down against the crash barriers at the exit to the Tabac corner after a blown engine on Takuma Sato's BAR left the cars behind racing blind into a thick cloud of smoke.

Fisichella hit the rear of Briton David Coulthard's McLaren in the mayhem with flag-waving marshals dodging the flying debris. The Italian, who was helped out of the wreckage and walked to safety, said he could have finished in fourth position.

"I'm very disappointed today," he said. "I made a good start and was just driving gently, saving the tyres, when Sato's engine exploded. I'd seen it smoking after the second start, but nobody expected it to break like that. I had no vision at all.

"Barrichello and Montoya were in front, then suddenly there was a McLaren. I'm not sure why it was there, but the next thing I heard was the bang and I was upside down. The car took all the impact and I stayed in the cockpit until it all went quiet outside, just in case the accident wasn't finished.

"Then I got myself out. I'm okay, but very frustrated, because for sure we could have had P4 today."

Brazilian teammate Felipe Massa escaped the incident and went on to finish in a strong fifth place which allowed Sauber to overtake McLaren in the standings.

"I'm really glad to have been able to help the team move up, especially after Giancarlo's accident. It's good to know that he is okay," said Massa.