I'm a safe bet, says Coulthard

The Scot has been with the Woking squad since 1996 and has won 13 Grands Prix. At 33, he feels he has plenty to offer as a Formula 1 race driver and he's upbeat about finding a decent drive for next season.

"I'm confident there's a drive for me in F1," Coulthard told The Telegraph. "I'm not stressed about it, I'm not clutching at straws. I'm a world-class driver capable of winning grands prix. I would be a valuable asset to any team."

Top of Coulthard's wish-list must be a return to Williams, where he started his F1 career in 1994. Further possibilities remain at Jaguar and Toyota and Coulthard has spoken informally to all three teams. His only fear appears to be that he is simply too sensible a choice.

"I represent a low risk," he says, "and that is not always the reason why somebody might want to take me as a driver. Some people are more willing to take a risk and hope they have found the next Ayrton Senna."

Success over the second half of this season would sharpen up DC's CV no end and he says that top results are on the cards with the new McLaren MP4-19B, which has shown so much promise at Magny-Cours and Silverstone.

"We now have a car capable of winning again, "he said. "It would not have taken much for Kimi to be a winner at Silverstone. I believe I can win a race this season. Ferrari are going to mess up at some point. They can't keep the run going forever."