A furious war of words broke out in the aftermath of yesterday's championship deciding Japanese Grand Prix, as Michael Schumacher condemned McLaren's David Coulthard who responded by threatening the Ferrari driver with legal action. The German accused Coulthard of deliberately blocking him as he attempted to reel in Mika Hakkinen and claim the win that would guarantee third-placed Eddie Irvine the championship title.

"Mika definitely is a great champion, but the team should wonder why they ask the drivers to do things they have done," he said referring to Coulthard.

"It's a different thing than Malaysia when I was racing for position and not being lapped where you can play tactics, but if you have been lapped you should give space and David passed many blue flags. Coulthard responded angrily, initially threatening to sue Schumacher if he carried on repeating the statements saying: "If he does not apologise there could be legal repercussions because he is questioning my integrity which in a court of law is slander and libel."

But later Coulthard retracted the threat. "There's no question of any legal action. But Michael cannot question my integrity and basically do harm to my reputation as a racing driver in such a public way, " he said. "I understand he is disappointed. I cost him two-and-a-half seconds which the lap times confirm, not 10 seconds as he says, which just so happens is the same as what he was behind Mika.

"I am not denying that I held him up but it was not a deliberate attempt to ruin his race. "