Coulthard Stands By Schumacher Criticism

David Coulthard has not retracted his negative comments about Michael Schumacher's driving despite apologising to the new Formula One World Champion at the weekend.

"It's not a retraction of some of the comments I had on his driving standards, all it is is an acceptance that if you have a problem you should talk to somebody face to face," the McLaren driver was quoted on Tuesday as saying.

Coulthard met the Ferrari driver after the season-ending race on Sunday and, asked by reporters if he was clearing the decks for next year, said he had offered "a hand which he accepted".

"Lull him into a sense of false security," he added.

Coulthard said on Sunday he had apologised to Schumacher for saying things publicly about him rather than confronting him directly.

The two drivers have clashed on and off the track in various ways since the 1998 Belgian Grand Prix when Schumacher collided with Coulthard's McLaren in heavy rain.

The Scot was quoted on the website of British weekly Autosport magazine as saying he could do better next season than the third place he achieved in the championship this year.

He had finished fourth overall in 1999 after being third in 1997 and 1998.

"I think my career is still on the up," said Coulthard. "I don't believe I have levelled out, I think I've improved in many areas this year, I've improved a lot in qualifying.

"I think I've shown that I can race wheel-to-wheel with the other hard men of motor sport."