Montoya plays down his 'taming of the Schu'

Formula 1 super rookie Juan Pablo Montoya has played down his spectacular pass on Ferrari's Michael Schumacher in the Brazilian Grand Prix, saying the reigning World Champion "just braked too early"

Williams-BMW ace Montoya sensationally swept ahead of the German at the first corner on lap three at the end of a Safety Car period.

"I got off the line really fast, had quite a good tow on him," Montoya told Autosport.com. "When we got to the end of the straight I was still maybe a car or two behind him. He just braked too early and I went for the inside."

The Ferrari and Williams rounded the first left-hand element of the Senna S side by side with hardly a gap between them. As they turned in to the right-hander, Montoya squeezed Schumacher to the edge of the grass, forcing him to back off and cede the position.

"After I braked I couldn't give him too much room because then in the next one I was going to be screwed," added Montoya, who went on to control the lead the race until lap 39, when he was taken out by the lapped Arrows of Jos Verstappen.

"It was looking good and I was feeling happy [until the collision which took him out]," he added. "If that had carried on there was a chance I could have won."

The Colombian would have become the fastest man in 40 years to take a victory if he had won in only his third race for BMW-Williams.