Coulthard and Frentzen clash in qualifying

While title rival Mika Hakkinen easily took pole position, Coulthard suffered a series of frustrations as he went close to falling out of the top 10. It was not until the final 10 minutes that he planted his car fourth on the grid - only for Michael Schumacher to nudge him down to fifth just minutes later.

In a tit-for-tat blocking spat the Jordan driver 'accidentally' blocked the McLaren, Coulthard 'accidentally' got in his way at the Bus Stop on the German's fastest lap, causing the B&H car to career across the chicane and then got his own back a few hundred yards later.

"It all got a bit messy," said Coulthard. "Frentzen said I had blocked him. But there was no-way he was going to be able to brake in time for the chicane. He just seemed to want to go for it, but ended up going across the grass.

"Then when I got to the very next bend, La Source hairpin, on the start of my fast lap and he screwed me. I lost three-tenths-of-a-second there and then and the lap was instantly spoiled. I suppose what goes around comes around. As far I am concerned it's a part of racing."

Coulthard, desperately needs to repeat last year's victory here at Spa to revitalise his championship ambitions having fallen six points behind pacesetter Hakkinen with five races, including this one, remaining.

"It is going to be very difficult in the race," he admitted. I just have to hope for a good race. I think I can make up ground, but it is not going to be easy."