Red Bull decision 'next week'

Although Coulthard told autosport.com on Thursday that he was not expecting a final decision about the team's driver plans until the new year, Mateschitz has told Austrian newspaper Kleinen Zeitung that an announcement could come within the next few days.

"There are two philosophies," said Mateschitz, who is believed to have already reached a preliminary agreement with Coulthard for next year. "Both have reasons to support them, both have reasons against.

"One philosophy is that we make a rookie team and we put in two youngsters. In terms of marketing that would be the best. We could have Christian Klien and Vitantonio Liuzzi - whoever.

"But then there is the other philosophy, which all teams pursue: a rookie with an experienced driver."

When asked which option he tended to favour, Mateschitz said: "For the moment it is easy to think about an experienced driver. It is probably also more intelligent because he can immediately develop the car for the 2006 season."

Although the arguments for Coulthard leading RBR appear overwhelming, with his experience, popularity and work ethic making him an obvious number one choice for the team, Mateschitz's dilemma is that he is keen to help both Klien and Liuzzi - and the team obviously only has two race seats.

However he is well aware that making one of them sit on the sidelines for either a part season or the entire year would not be the end of their careers because they are so young.

Asked directly whether he could see the scenario of Coulthard becoming a permanent driver with Klien and Liuzzi perhaps rotating, Mateschitz conceded it was a possibility.

"It would be conceivable," he said. "A decision will be made next week."