Coulthard: I'm Not Too Nice

McLaren driver David Coulthard has once more tried to dispel his 'nice guy' image, saying that he is single-minded and determined enough to become world champion.

The Scot, who finished in third position in the 2000 championship behind Michael Schumacher and Mika Hakkinen, confessed he was tired of being seen as too nice to fight for a title, an image, he confessed, began to take shape at the 1998 Australian Grand Prix, where he allowed teammate Hakkinen to pass him to take the win.

"That episode changed the whole perception of me," he said in an interview with The Independent. "Suddenly I was too nice, not hungry enough. It really annoys me that to get respect as a sportsman you have to be some sort of rude, arrogant guy.

"I am criticised for not having Nigel [Mansell]-like passion and aggression. But I'm not an actor. I can only be who I am. And if I look miserable sometimes then it's because I am miserable."

Despite his public image, Coulthard insists he is determined enough to forget about everything else, even his family and friends, in order to fight for his first Formula One title.

"To win Grand Prix and then to win the championship is my life," he added. "My fiancee, my family and my friends all know it comes first. I can't imagine any family event that would stop me going racing.

"So I can't imagine what it would be like if I never won the championship. That's my goal, so in a way I would have failed. There would be a hollow feeling."

Asked if he thought 2001 would finally be his year, Coulthard admitted that all he needs is to improve his consistency, as he believes he has the speed and the racecraft to fight with the best.

"I certainly have the qualifying speed. In fact, if you look at the stats for the qualifying times last season, you'll find I was the quickest. Mika is one of the most consistent qualifiers, but I have finished in front of him when he has given everything. So that's in place.

"Now I need the consistency. Can I win a wheel-to-wheel race? Yes. Am I too nice? No."

Coulthard also talked about racing against Michael Schumacher, with whom he endured a season-long verbal fight due to his on-track incidents.

"I'm not a soft touch when it comes to racing with Michael, which is why we fall out. In some cases I think I have better racecraft than him, for instance in the cleanliness of my overtaking.

"A lot of his manoeuvres require the other driver to move, otherwise there will be contact. Well, I believe this is a non-contact sport on a clearly defined racing track. I would rather win in a good, fair fight than by default. I don't think that's being too nice."

The Scot will start working once more next week, as the teams travel to Spain to begin their preparations for the 2001 season.