Coulthard Expects Hakkinen to Move Over

David Coulthard believes McLaren will back his Formula One title bid by forcing Mika Hakkinen to obey team orders. "If the scenario comes up that if Mika's leading, I'm second and Michael's third then I would expect Mika to move over," Coulthard said bluntly after Saturday's qualifying at the British Grand Prix.

"I need to be in front of Michael. If not, it really is a big, high wall to climb. He will have certainly put the roof on if he wins again here," said Coulthard.

The Scot said he had obeyed instructions "a few times during the course of a season" in the past to allow Hakkinen to win titles in 1998 and 1999. "I believe the team know what the right thing to do is in terms of maximising their chances of winning, it doesn't take a brain surgeon to work it out," said Coulthard. "But a lot can happen, if we have problems with the car it might not be an issue.

"I think it is just logical that if you are going for a championship and one guy has a chance and the other doesn't then it's a logical act for the team to do. That's the policy they've had in the past and I would expect that to be the one of the future."

Hakkinen did not give a direct answer when asked in a post-qualifying news conference whether he would move over for his teammate. "I have never won the British Grand Prix so I'd like to win it," he said.

But Coulthard told reporters later he was not disappointed by Hakkinen's evident lack of enthusiasm and he expected Hakkinen to do the right thing. "It's not a charity we're running here it's a business," he said. "And there's no point talking about a situation that may not arise. It's only in certain circumstances that it will be an issue."

"I'm putting my trust in the key people and I'm sure they will do the right thing if the situation arises," he said. "I believe in Mika's integrity so if he's given an instruction then I believe he will do it. I don't expect him to move over out of the kindness of his heart because I wouldn't. Every time I've helped it's been with an instruction."