RACE RESULT 1 M Schumacher (Ferrari) 2 R Barrichello (Ferrari) 3 J Button (BAR) 4 J Trulli (Renault) 5 T Sato (BAR) 6 F Alonso (Renault) 7 R Schumacher (Williams) 8 M Webber (Jaguar) Race report Full race result Race as it happened Bahrain GP in pictures

The German has been warned about his future conduct after the two hit each other as Sato was alongside trying to pass Schumacher on lap seven.

Sato said: "He just shut the door when he should have made one car's space in there so there was room for me.

"When I passed David Coulthard there later, I made space, but Ralf didn't."

Schumacher said: "The collision with Sato was an unfortunate race incident, from my point of view. However, he was a bit optimistic in thinking to get back the position he had simply just lost."

Schumacher was later criticised by his team's technical director Patrick Head, who described the German's race as "a bloody mess".

Jonathan Legard's view

Sato recovered to finish fifth to equal his best finish in F1, one place ahead of Schumacher.

The incident between the two men is under investigation by the race stewards, leaving both men open to punishment.

Sato was ahead of team-mate Jenson Button at the time of the crash, but he ran wide at a corner 11 laps later and Button slipped past.

Sato had to pit for a new front wing, but rejoined after losing only one place to Renault's Jarno Trulli.

Englishman Button went on to finish third for his second consecutive podium finish.

Button said: "It's fantastic. This one was a little more difficult than Malaysia.