David Coulthard believes that the clash between Michael Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya at Turn 4 on the opening lap of the Brazilian GP was as the result of a mistake by the German.

The Colombian lost his front wing and had to trawl slowly round the track to the pits to have a new nose fitted, subsequently falling to the back of the field. He had started the race from pole position.

"My understanding is you are allowed to make a defensive move but you are not allowed to make a move that hinders the opportunity for the car behind you to overtake," he said. "The wording actually benefits the guy trying to overtake.

"I have watched the incident at Turn 4 repeatedly and to me Michael clearly makes a deliberate swerving manoeuvre to his left after his initial manoeuvre to block Montoya. That is not what the regulations say you are allowed to do.

"I can imagine there are two bands of old boys - those who say shut up and get on with the racing, that's fine. Then the other band say it's not within the spirit of the new rules.

"I think it was marginal and it was more marginal to me than what happened in Malaysia when Montoya got a drive through penalty.

"Its a question firstly of whether it was a fair manoeuvre and secondly, does Montoya have a case to be angry at Michael?

"I think the answer to both of them is yes - but depending on what your view is. To me he has got reason to be disappointed. But then I am just taking the rules, and I have always tried to race within the rules."

Montoya has claimed on many occasions that he was not at fault for the accident, after Schumacher went on take a masterful win at the Sao Paulo track and the Colombian finished fifth.