Remember the incident when Michael Schumacher crashed into David Coulthard in atrocious conditions at Spa Francorchamps in 1998?
The Ferrari was coming up to lap the McLaren when instead of puling out and overtaking the Scot, the German appeared to run into the back of him. With only three wheels remaining on his car Schumacher drove back to the pits and then marched to Coulthard's garage where he publicly accused him of trying to "murder him", but in slightly more colourful language.
At the time some said Michael was in the wrong while others blamed the Scot, and others said it was simply a racing incident unavoidable in the conditions.
Two weeks later pitpass editor Chris Balfe spoke to John Surtees - a winner on the original Spa Francorchamps circuit - the 1964 World Champion was in no doubt: "When you are about to be lapped you should pull over without reducing speed, you should not be on the racing line. Furthermore it was clear that he (Coulthard) had eased off".
Now the Scot has finally admitted that he was indeed in the wrong and has warned that a repetition will cost lives.
"Michael's reaction was that I'd brake-tested him," he told reporters at Magny Cours this weekend. "The reality is, I lifted off to let him past me but I did it in heavy spray on the racing line. You should never do that. But in '98 I didn't have the experience and knowledge. I shouldn't have lifted on the racing line in the wet.
"That was a racing incident in the same way as Nurburgring," he added, referring to the incident last week when he span out after Renault star Fernando Alonso allegedly brake tested him, something that the Spaniard denies.
"I'm not going to be hard on Alonso, but on recollection when Michael ran into the back of me, his reaction was that I'd brake-tested him and tried to kill him," continued the Scot. "The stewards looked at the data and I hadn't braked so it was brushed under the carpet.
"All the other guys are doing the same thing but the risk is that it could have been a very big accident for Michael and Nurburgring could have been a very dangerous accident for me."
The McLaren star is now urging race director Charlie Whiting to put his foot down.
"The fact is, it has happened twice before recently, with Jacques Villeneuve going over the back of Ralf when, sadly, a marshal was killed, and then Ralf hitting Rubens, when nobody was hurt. I was close to doing something similar. If this continues, there will be a fatality in the future."
"It's not right at the moment," said Coulthard. Charlie struggles to have a clear definition of how quickly guys getting lapped should move over. It's the guy being lapped who should lose time, not the bloke who has earned the right to be in the front-running car.
"Young drivers haven't got the experience," he continued, "so they make mistakes. All the other guys are doing the same thing. In a few years, someone will come in and it will happen to Fernando. Then he'll feel differently."
This of course is all very well but Coulthard was racing Alonso for track position, he was not lapping him.
Many F1 fans feel that the blue flag system makes it too easy for drivers to pass slower cars and back-markers, and that instead drivers should have to work at it.
It's also worth noting that Spa 1998 was the Scot's 71st GP, which hardly makes him in-experienced, not when you consider that today (France) is Juan Pablo Montoya and Kimi Raikkonen's 44th GP and Jenson Button's 60th. While Alonso will be taking part in his 27th GP.
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