Italy's third place in doubt

Enrico Toccacelo dived into the pits around the same time as the safety car was deployed, and Team Netherlands lodged a protest with the stewards after the race.

The protest was thrown out, but the Dutch team have appealed the decision. Jeroen Bleekemolen had been battling with the Italian car for third place, but he went off while trying to take the position and dropped to fifth behind India

"There was a strange situation with Italy and the safety car," said Bleekemolen. "That was not fair, they should not have been driving there. We should have been third."

Team Netherlands boss Jan Lammers added that he hopes something is done if the appeal goes to the Motor Sports Association, which is the governing body of motorsport in Britain.

"There are a few matters of doubt which might still be rectified," he said. "I hope that they will undertake steps towards Italy, that was just not right in our opinion."

If Italy are thrown out of the results, it will give Team India their first A1GP podium, as Narain Karthikeyan finished fourth in the race.

"We had the pace for third," said the former Grand Prix driver. "There was some controversy as to whether Italy pitted under the safety car, but in this instance we have to be happy with fourth."

Team India boss Yohann Setna added: "We believe Italy pitted under the safety car, but there's not much we can do about it."

The Italian team believe that they are innocent, although Toccacelo admitted that it was a close call.

"I came in and a few seconds later the safety car came out," he told A1GP.com. "But I came in when there wasn't a safety  car."