Coulthard Says All he Needs is Luck and Consistency

Briton David Coulthard rebuffed his Formula One critics on Thursday and said he just needed more luck and consistency to win a first world title.

"I don't see winning the championship as the hurdle that others might see it," said the McLaren driver in an interview in the British weekly magazine Autosport.

"It's not a wall. Consistency of performance and some luck is what stands between myself and winning the title."

Coulthard finished third in this season's championship behind his team mate, two times champion Mika Hakkinen, and German Michael Schumacher, this year's winner for Ferrari.

"Do I need to apologise that two guys on top of their form have been finishing in front of me?" said Coulthard.

"Can I not have the dream that I can improve to the point where I can beat them? Do I have to accept that I'm just never going to because I just haven't? I don't think I have."

Coulthard said beating Hakkinen remained a major motivation to him.

"I see the challenge of trying to beat Mika in the same car as a big motivation, and I sometimes feel that if he wasn't here I would feel very hollow," said the Scot.

Coulthard finished fourth in the championship in 1999 after being third in 1997 and 1998.

"I don't want unwanted criticism," said Coulthard. "I don't see why I should be judged so harshly just because I've had a good car and I haven't won.

"I'm still doing a bloody good job for the team and that's the bottom line. And I have the potential to do better."