Williams: Montoya did the best he could

The Colombian chased Schumacher especially hard in the second stint, closing to within a second of the race leader at one point, and looked well set to challenge until the end. With over 70 percent of the Monza lap run at full throttle, it is especially tough on engines and brakes and some wondered at Montoya not pushing Schumacher to run flat-out right to the end.

Williams, however, said: "Juan didn't put a foot wrong. He challenged when he could, he got his head down when he had to and then he took the decision to get the car to the line in the final stint.

"Unless Michael had made a mistake or run out of brakes or had his engine go sour - because we understand it doesn't like being raced at 10/10ths - then he wouldn't have got him because Michael was quicker down the straight."

Montoya seemed to lose heart after he lost time behind Heinz-Harald Frentzen whom, many were quick to point out, uses a Ferrari engine.

"I lost a about a year behind the Sauber," said a frustrated Montoya, "and then there was the second Jordan driver, I'm sorry but I've forgotten his name. He didn't get out of the way on the straight and then he braked early to let me by into a corner and I nearly drove into the back of him. I had been catching Michael by tenths and suddenly I was losing seconds, so it was all over. I would not have been able to pass him anyway."