Coulthard prepares for 130th GP

The race at the A1-Ring will be his 130th GP start since he made his Formula 1 debut for Williams back in 1994. But this weekend will also mark the passing of a whole year since Coulthard claimed his last victory when he beat the Ferraris of Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello in a straight fight at the Zeltweg track.

Although Coulthard is not expecting a win this year, with McLaren-Mercedes having fallen behind Ferrari and Williams in the competitive stakes, he is trying to keep up a positive outlook.

"I was encouraged to take my second podium finish of 2002 at the Spanish GP [two weeks ago], and I am now looking forward to building on the result in Austria," he said. "I enjoy driving at the A1-Ring and have a good record there, having won at the track last year and finished second in the previous four races."

Coulthard lies fourth in the championship standings after five races. But his young team-mate Kimi Raikkonen is three-two up in the pair's qualifying comparison. Raikkonen finished fourth for Sauber in Austria last year.