Michael Schumacher has added fuel to the embers of the fire which briefly erupted with the conclusion of the Brazilian grand prix. Although all parties involved seem to have accepted the result and Kimi Räikkönen’s victory, the world champion has publicly stated that, in his opinion, Giancarlo Fisichella won the race.

The German’s argument revolves around the implementation of the FIA’s ‘countback’ rule. The race was stopped on the 55th lap of 71 and under the FIA's red flag regulations the result was counted back two laps. The result was therefore based on the positions held at the end of lap 53. Where Schumacher’s query arises is in the fact that the race was allowed to be stopped because it had run over 75% distance.

Schumacher says that if the FIA has implemented this rule then it has done so incorrectly. 75% race distance occurred on lap 54, thus if race results are taken from lap 53 then the race had run less laps than the point at which it is possible to end it and award full points.

"One gets full points if three quarters of the distance is completed," explained Schumacher on German television, "which would be 54 laps. 55 laps were raced but two were deducted and based on this, Räikkönen was declared the winner.

"If the FIA say that more laps were raced then they must declare Fisichella the winner," he continued, "It will be interesting to see how they explain this.”