Trulli:' I am gutted'
ByReuters
Published 04/07/2004 at 16:56 GMT
Jarno Trulli angered and dismayed his Renault bosses on Sunday after losing third place in the French GP only seconds from the chequered flag. The Italian had fought bravely to hold off both Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello throughout the race but an error in the final corner opened the door to the Brazilian.
Eurosport
Image credit: Eurosport
"I simply can't believe something like that. It looked like he left the door completely open," engineering director Pat Symonds told Britain's ITV television after Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello passed Trulli at the penultimate corner. "It's unbelievable. I shall be talking to him to find out what happened."
Trulli, the only driver other than Ferrari's world champion Michael Schumacher to win a race this season, was distraught after seeing the podium slip away.
"I am gutted for myself and the team to have lost third place at the end of the race," he said in a team statement. "The race was going to plan until the last stint, when the car had less traction and was oversteering a lot.
"I defended against Rubens as much as possible but on the last lap he was quicker on the exit of turn 13 and passed me under braking for the next corner - I tried to close the door but couldn't.
"At the moment all I feel is disappointment but I will have to get over it and come back stronger at the next race."
Renault have yet to name their 2005 driver lineup but Trulli, winner in Monaco in May, looks likely to be retained alongside Spaniard Fernando Alonso.
Magny-Cours is Renault's home circuit and Trulli's mistake, after making a storming start, deprived the French manufacturer of having two drivers on the podium.
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