David Coulthard Q&A

"To say we've had a difficult weekend - we can't imagine what a difficult week this has been for a lot of people, obviously with what's happened in America. Then those of us who've raced against Alex, that affects both the CART championship and people in Europe. It's been a pretty shocking week. That sort of thing always puts into perspective what we're doing, and what is the importance of what we're doing. On the face of it it's not very important, but equally I do firmly believe that sport is something that allows people to forget their worries for a while. It's the same for football fans or whatever sport you happen to be a fan of, you go there and you cheer and you clap and you want your particular people to win. I think it's escapism in a way, which is why I think it's right that we're here racing, and why I think it's right that if we can be guaranteed our safety we should be going to America."



"I think that as a sport we will be united one way or another, whether we're going or not. I think everyone naturally is a little bit nervous to know exactly what's going to happen. Of course you don't want to be going transatlantic without giving consideration to what might be happening. We'll wait and see what the powers-that-be decide."



"It's business as usual in the car, but outside the car of course you can't help but be touched by what's going on round about you. But you have to be focussed on the job in the car, otherwise I think you're a danger to yourself and to others."



"I think that we are here to race and we should go racing. Equally I think that to highlight the difficulties of these first two chicanes, given what happened here last year, given what happened in the F3000 race, and given the general mood, is absolutely sensible. I understand the views of those who say let's just go racing, let's do our job, because we are racers. But equally I can see the point of view and support the point of view of let's just be a little bit more cautious. It doesn't mean that you don't race. But you've got to get through the first turn to be a competitor. That's why it's disappointing when some people go barrelling down the inside and barge into you."



"Exactly. That could have been pretty nasty for the drivers, and for the marshal [who died] it was."



"I was happy to go with the majority, not because I didn't have a strong point of view one way or the other. I think ultimately what happened was just race off the grid and then be careful at the first corner. There's nothing wrong with that. We all know there's a limit at which you can brake, and if you go beyond that point... Sometimes you take a calculated gamble that might come off if someone gives you room. Other times you know that if they close the door, then that's it, game over."



"We probably weren't going to do better than that, but we won't know because we weren't out there. We would have got quicker as the race went on, more so than those around us. Obviously everyone gets quicker as the fuel burns off, and I think our car has a particular window where it works quite well with low downforce - and it wasn't at the beginning of the race! That's it."



"The thing is I don't look upon it so much as security, I look upon it as the fact that I offer a real chance of gaining victories for the team, and they offer me the opportunity to do that, and I think the feeling's mutual. We've known each other long enough now. It's not a question of, 'Please give me security so that I can concentrate on the job.' I just have to concentrate on the job. As it happens I've known for some time what my future holds in the short term and the long term."



"I'm not looking forward to it, but that's not to say that I don't welcome Kimi to the team. I was perfectly happy with the working relationship that Mika and I had, and to say I was looking forward to it would be to suggest that I was looking forward to seeing the back of Mika! Not at all. But equally, understanding his decision, I believe that Mika can help accelerate the getting to know process of Kimi and I. He'll be a different personality working in a different way. He will naturally have to adapt into the McLaren system rather than the McLaren system adapting to him. Then he just has to get in the car and do his job."



"I don't think it's that difficult at all. I think you just drive the car, I really do. I won my 21st Grand Prix, and he can win the fourth GP of next year to equal what I did. What's the big deal if you are good enough to get the job done? Clearly he's good enough."



"To be absolutely clear I have no concerns over three into two. It's not an issue for me."



"Can I be any clearer? You have that exclusive to put the world right!"