Fuel rig thwarts Barrichello win

The Brazilian got the jump on eventual winner Juan Pablo Montoya just after the start and led for 11 laps until mechanics had a problem with the rig, which cost Barrichello vital seconds in the pit stop.

"Rubens drove a really great race," said Todt. "And he could have won, unfortunately a problem with the re-setting of the refuelling rig for his first pit stop cost him around seven seconds. That was probably enough to deprive him of the victory."

Barrichello finished second, just over five seconds behind Colombian Montoya.

"The car was just fantastic, perhaps the best it has been," he said. "I don't know what happened in the pit stop but it cost me a lot of time - enough to lose the race certainly. But we promised to put on a good show and we did."

With the championship decided he did not have to play second fiddle to team mate Michael Schumacher.

"I had a weekend when I performed really well, one of my best weekends," Barrichello added. "I could go for it in qualifying, I could go for it in the race and the team have helped quite a good amount."