| | Reuters
LONDON -- Jordan driver Heinz-Harald
Frentzen denied Tuesday he was to blame for the accident at
the Italian Grand Prix which led to the death of a fire marshal.
Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello on Monday called for the
German to be banned, claiming he was "totally responsible" for
the pile-up on the first lap of Sunday's race at Monza which
forced both drivers to retire.
|
Coulthard car returned
|
|
MONZA, Italy -- The last of the five cars involved in a
fatal crash at the Italian Grand Prix was returned to its Formula
One team by investigators on Tuesday.
Paolo Ghislimberti, a 33-year-old volunteer track official, was
hit by flying debris in last weekend's race.
The impounded McClaren-Mercedes car driven by David Coulthard
was returned, a day after the other four cars were released.
Monza prosecutor Salvatore Bellomo ordered an inspection of the
cars and crash site as well as an autopsy. He also questioned
drivers from the five teams involved in the crash: Jordan, Ferrari,
McLaren-Mercedes and Arrows.
Italian sports newspapers published photographs Tuesday showing
the moments after the initial collision of the Jordan and Ferrari
cars. An airborne tire appears to have hit Ghislimberti as he
watched from the guardrail.
-- Associated Press
|
But Frentzen said the accident was a "racing incident, the
sort that happens several times a year."
"I think everyone who knows me and my racing career knows
that I am not the sort of driver to take unnecessary risks at
the start of a race and I don't have the reputation of being
involved in accidents," Frentzen said in a statement.
"I heard after the race that Barrichello was blaming me for
the accident.
"In his situation I can understand his feelings, especially
driving a Ferrari at Monza, but as he well knows the reasons for
any accident are not as simple as he would like everyone to
believe."
Max Mosley, president of the sport's ruling body FIA, also
offered Frentzen support.
"Inevitably when you have a multiple pile-up, even on the
roads, you will find one or more of the drivers will be very
clear in their minds about who was to blame," Mosley said.
Frentzen said Barrichello had braked earlier than he had
expected and he hit the Italian's back wheel, preventing the
Ferrari from braking properly.
Frentzen said he then moved right and hit teammate Jarno
Trulli, who was braking ahead of him, ripping off his own front
wheel and Trulli's back wheel. Volunteer marshal Paolo
Ghislimberti was killed by flying debris a few seconds later.
"The first lap is always the most risky part of any race and
it is inevitable that circumstances sometimes come together
which result in an accident," said Frentzen.
"When you have cars tightly bunched at over 300 kph all
braking hard for a slow chicane accidents are sometimes
inevitable."
| |
ALSO SEE
Race official killed in tragic Italian Grand Prix
Barrichello blames Frentzen for fatal pileup
|
