Coulthard Wins, Moves Closer to Schumacher

David Coulthard saw Juan Montoya blocking Michael Schumacher, and figured he might benefit from their clash at the front of the field in the Austrian Grand Prix.

“It was not a question of if, but when and where they would tangle,” Coulthard said Sunday.

He was right. On the 16th of 71 laps, Montoya and Schumacher swerved off the course. Coulthard drove by with four other cars and went on to win the race.

It was the second win this season for the McLaren driver. He moved within four points of Schumacher, the defending series champion.

Schumacher wound up second, thanks to orders given to Ferrari teammate Rubens Barrichello to let him pass near the end of the race.

Barrichello, third in the points race but far behind the leaders, was clearly upset.

“I have little to say. I have to talk to the team, get some explanations,” Barrichello said.

Schumacher wasn’t apologizing for the decision.

“I am very happy he did that,” Schumacher said.

“The sport is about a lot of things, a lot of money, a lot of pressure and what counts at the end is the championship, to be honest,” he said. “As long as we don’t work against the rules, I think we are quite fair.”