Coulthard ready to take on Ferrari

Speaking on the eve of the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, the 31-year-old Scot says he is confident that the McLaren MP4-17, along with its all-new Mercedes V10 engine, can challenge for victory in Melbourne - where Ferrari will compete with a year-old car.

"We have taken a significant step forward in terms of the car this year and feel that we are geared up for the new season," said Coulthard. "There is always excitement surrounding the first race of the season and the whole West McLaren Mercedes team is determined to compete hard for the drivers' and constructors' world championships."

McLaren's managing director Martin Whitmarsh is also upbeat about the team's pre-season testing form, which has seen Coulthard smash the lap record at Valencia in Spain.

"We are approaching the Australian Grand Prix and the start of the 2002 season in an optimistic frame of mind," he said. "Everyone involved has been working hard over the past few months to ensure we are fully prepared for a competitive championship challenge."

Last year's Mercedes-Benz engine was maligned for its lack of power compared to its nearest rivals, but Merc's motorsport vice president, Norbert Haug, believes this year's unit is on the money.

"Like the car, our new engine ran very well and very reliably from the beginning," he said. "In Barcelona alone, our drivers did about 1000 laps - a mileage close to the amount of running of the 17 grands prix scheduled in 2002. The whole team is now looking forward to the first grand prix in Melbourne."