Coulthard Pinning Hopes on Meaner-Looking McLaren

McLaren unveiled their 2002 Formula One car on Saturday, with David Coulthard hoping it proves faster than last year's as well as looking meaner and meatier.

"My hopes are pinned on the new car and the knowledge that it has to be quicker," said the Scot, a distant runner-up to Ferrari's Michael Schumacher last season after a promising start.

Coulthard declared at the team's 2001 launch that he was more confident than ever about a new car - only for McLaren's season to be marred by problems with the engine and electronics. He sounded more cautious on Saturday, not having tried out the new MP4-17 for himself, but clearly likes the look of what is on offer.

"I know last year I said it was the best roll out ever of a new car and it didn't amount to much during the season but the new cars look really good," he said. "There are some nice details on the car, it looks kind of menacing in a way.

"It looks meaty, it looks raceable and you can barge your way among other cars and not have bits fall off."

Mercedes motorsport boss Norbert Haug told reporters that the car had a completely new engine, offering a different V angle with more power.

"You can expect a very good, very strong and very high-revving engine," he said. "We have made a good step forward."

McLaren boss Ron Dennis was also confident the new car would be more competitive, adding that the team planned to make more significant changes during the season. He said that while the car's livery looked similar to last year's, the team would be changing their public image with a new look when the season starts in Australia on March 3.

Problems

Coulthard won two races last season while teammate Mika Hakkinen, now taking a year out and replaced by fellow-Finn Kimi Raikkonen, also claimed two victories.

"We identified the problems with the car last year that made it a bit inconsistent from circuit to circuit but we won four Grands Prix with that car and probably could have won more," Coulthard said. "We still probably would not have won the championship but nevertheless could have been more competitive than the results show."

He said there were "pages and pages of areas" on paper where the team believed they had improved the car, and that Austrian test driver Alex Wurz had been very positive after the first run-out at Silverstone on Thursday.

"I would be surprised if it wasn't quicker and frankly it has to be because otherwise we are not going to be competitive," warned Coulthard. "We have not had a regulation change this year and we know Ferrari on balance were slightly quicker than us so we have to make a step forward."

Coulthard singled out the front wing as being one of the more important improvements, at least psychologically.

"You have to have the confidence to take a gamble, get down the inside and possibly during normal racing you might have contact," he said. "But you've got to know that your car is strong enough to take that contact.

"We've seen in the past that the Ferrari was more than able to bash into a few cars and still go on," he added, an aside aimed at Michael Schumacher's often controversial tactics and veering starts. "The front wing is very vulnerable. It's got to be not just able to take the crash test, to take the loads, it's got to be able to take races. And I think this car looks quite chunky.

"If you get into a car that looks good, then you feel good and it sets you off on your journey in a good frame of mind."