Sunday May 7th, 2000

Spaniard Pedro De La Rosa and Frenchman Jean Alesi traded accusations on Sunday after colliding in the Spanish Grand Prix.

"Alesi was blocking me like crazy so I went to overtake him and I had three-quarters of the car inside him but he just closed the door," said Arrows driver De la Rosa after the second lap shunt.

"I don't know whether he saw me or not as he only looks to the front, never in his mirrors."

De La Rosa had been ordered to start at the back of the grid, rather than the ninth place he obtained in qualifying, after his team were found to have used illegal fuel in Saturday's session.

"I was last on the grid and had to take some risks," admitted the Spaniard.

Alesi, the oldest driver on the grid with 10 years of experience in Formula One, had started in 18th place and offered his own view of events.

"De La Rosa tried to overtake me in a place where nobody has ever succeeded in passing before," he said.

"I didn't understand what was happening, I felt a big shock on the side of my car and I found myself in the gravel."