Barrichello

SEPANG, Malaysia -- Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello finished second in Sunday's Malaysian Formula One Grand Prix after racing without the mandatory HANS safety device.

Race stewards agreed to let Barrichello break the sporting regulations and race without the controversial system after he asked for a one-off dispensation on medical advice.

Barrichello said he was suffering from a painful small hernia and could not get comfortable in the car with the device, despite making every effort.

"I've been trying very hard since Friday and Saturday and because it was painful, they allowed me to run without it," he said.

"Next week, hopefully, we're going to have those two seat belts which is probably going to give me the fitting that I need in the seat.

"It will probably solve my problem."

The next race is Barrichello's home Brazilian Grand Prix.

Barrichello, who gave Ferrari their first podium of the season at Sepang, has been complaining about the head and neck protection system for some time and blamed it partly for the crash that ended his Australian Grand Prix two weeks ago.

He had said earlier in the week that he wanted to make the system work and would be using a new form of the device after an air cushion under the HANS partly deflated in Melbourne.

The new version clearly failed and Barrichello said he would copy McLaren's David Coulthard who was using a different system with two belts securing the carbon fibre collar.