Schumacher Apologises to Trulli for First Lap Clash

World Champion Michael Schumacher apologised to Renault's Jarno Trulli following a first lap incident at today's Malaysian Grand Prix, the Italian revealed.

"At the end of the race Michael came to apologise to me," Trulli told Italy's RAI. "I accept his apology as this is racing after all, shame that it always happens to me."

Ferrari driver Schumacher, starting right behind Trulli, tried to dive down the inside at the second corner of the Sepang circuit. The German collided with the rear left wheel of Trulli's Renault, sending him into a spin that relegated him to the back of the field.

Schumacher, who went off the track, was forced to come into the pits to change his front wing and was also penalised for the incident.

The German - his fourth place in Australia two weeks ago was the first time he had finished off the podium since Monza in September 2001 - carved back through the field but was a lap down on race winner Kimi Raikkonen before the halfway mark. He finished sixth after four visits to the pits, one for the penalty and another to replace his front wing.

"It was a tough race with an unfortunate start," said the German, who had never before finished off the podium in Malaysia.

Trulli recovered well and went on to finish in fifth position despite a problem with his launch control and a spin at the end of the race.

"The problems I had were at the start of the race, when I pressed the launch control button and the car first moved then stopped immediately," he explained. "Then at the first turn I had a problem accelerating out again, and at the second turn I felt the car being hit from behind, swapping ends in the process, and from then on I started the fight to regain positions, but I was always finding myself behind some other cars and I didn't have much power.

"The team kept saying 'push, push', but when you have 10 km/h less than the others on the straight you struggle. I tried to give my best, I tried to attack Button, I spun, and then I made up the lost ground and overtook him."