Rubens blames strategy for fifth place

From the start of the 67-lap race at the Nurburgring, the Ferrari driver was off the pace of his team mate and eventual race victor Michael Schumacher. The Brazilian lost ground getting off the line and dropped from fourth to seventh place at the first corner.

"We chose to go for a one-stop strategy and it was not the right decision at the end of the day," said the Barrichello, who has seen his third place lead over Ralf Schumacher cut to just one point.

"I was obviously carrying a lot of fuel at the start, which meant that I could not compete with the drivers immediately behind me," he said. "I also made a bad start and the launch control didn't help me. I was just struggling from lap one."

But Barrichello was lucky to take the chequered flag at all as just seven laps from the end of the race, he had a momentary lapse in concentration and span out on to the gravel. Fortunately for him, he managed to regain control and not lose any grid positions.

"It was quite a boring race apart from the spin that I had right at the end of the race and I had to control myself," he said. "It would have been terrible if the race had ended there, but luckily it didn't.

"It was just one of those days which didn't work out right. This has definitely not been my best race but at least I brought home some points, which means I am still third in the drivers' championship."

Barrichello's additional two points puts Ferrari on 94 points in the constructors' championship, 41 points ahead of nearest rival McLaren.

For full results click here.