Trulli exhausted but delighted with podium

Trulli instead underwent medical checks following the race, having battled against the handling of his car due to blistered rear tyres in the latter stages.

"It is a wonderful feeling to score my first podium for Renault," said Trulli. "I took advantage of the accident at the first corner and, during the first two stints, the car was very good. Montoya was faster than me, but I was controlling the people behind.

"Fifteen laps from the end, I started suffering from blistering on the rear tyres. When the cars behind caught me, I lost two places, but Michael's problem [a puncture] was a stroke of luck which brought me a podium finish. We had a very good weekend, we were competitive right from the first session, and this is a good reward."

His team-mate Fernando Alonso finished fourth, despite a brief excursion through the gravel which lost him third on the road to Schumacher early on.

"My mistake didn't help matters, but finishing fourth is not too bad after starting from eighth," he said.