Coulthard Determined to Win Title with McLaren

Briton David Coulthard insisted on Friday that he can win the World Championship for McLaren-Mercedes after confirming that he will drive for the team again next season.

Coulthard, who won the Monaco Grand Prix this year and currently lies within four points of second place in the battle for this year's runners-up spot, revealed he has secured a continued "multi-year" deal with the team.

And when asked by reporters inside the McLaren Communications Centre whether this is the deal that is going to make him World Champion, Coulthard responded with an emphatic: "Yes!"

"There is absolutely no doubt in my mind whatsoever," he said. "I feel good for the future. I have made it quite clear in the past that this is where I should be to give me the best chance of winning.

"I think that some people sign contracts and don't honestly believe that it is going to make them World Champion - but I believe I have the potential here and I have the capability of doing that in the right set of circumstances."

Coulthard's closest assault on the world title came last year, when his 65 points secured his position as runner up to World Champion Michael Schumacher, of Ferrari.

But after giving the German a run for his money in the early part of the season, Coulthard's performance tailed off and he was 58 points behind by the end of the season - providing Schumacher with the largest Championship winning margin in history.

But with his McLaren team apparently on the up after a disappointing start to the season, Coulthard, it appears, truly believes the Woking-based team can rise back up to the grid and challenge dominant Schumacher to the title again.

Even without such an improvement, however, Coulthard admitted there was little option but to remain with McLaren as he is not yet interested in taking retirement and there was nowhere better to go.

"Naturally teams will inquire what your situation is and you have to find out the other options," he said. "There was interest from less competitive teams because the more competitive teams were all signed up."

Meanwhile, the Briton was impressed with the new Hockenheim circuit after driving his McLaren-Mercedes to fourth fastest time in Friday's opening practice, but claimed the track re-surfacing had not had the desired effect.

"I was a big fan of the old track but I think they have done a reasonable job," said Coulthard of the dramatic modifications that have seen the Hockenheimring altered from a long high-speed track to a compact modern arena.

"The only thing is, I don't understand why they make the straights as smooth as a baby's bottom and the braking areas like a badger's arse," he added. "It's just incredible!"