DC ready to end Mika's Spanish win streak

The joint championship leader believes he can continue his hot streak with another starring performance in the fifth round of the Formula 1 World Championship in Barcelona.

But Coulthard says it would be wrong to write off his team mate's chances of leaping back into contention with victory on a circuit which has seen some of his best performances.

Double world champion Hakkinen has won this race for the last three years, and for the last two years used it as the launching pad for his title assault after a slow start to his campaigns.

In each of those races, Coulthard has finished second - but this time the Scot has his biggest points advantage ever. He shares the lead in the championship with Michael Schumacher and both have a 22-point lead over Hakkinen heading into race five of the 17 round championship.

"Mika is a highly motivated, quick racing driver," said Coulthard. "Anyone who doubts that hasn't been watching for the last eight or nine years. But we have always been pretty close. At the moment I am driving well and he is having bad luck.

"There wasn't such a big gap between us last year. Mika could easily win this race this weekend and if he does he would suddenly be back in the frame. But I am confident in what I can do.

"I am aware of the fact he has always gone well at this circuit," he added, "but the points situation is irrelevant because it is way too early in the season for it to matter."

Coulthard did not rule out a victory by one of the teams in the chasing pack, but he said the odds favoured another three-way battle.

"Based on the first four races, McLaren, Ferrari and Williams could win this weekend," he said. "It doesn't mean Jordan or BAR couldn't win this race, but you would be pretty brave to bet against one of those six drivers doing it on what we have seen so far this season.

"All three teams have a strong driver line up so it shouldn't be a surprise if they did. It shouldn't be a surprise if Ralf (Schumacher, Williams-BMW) won, for example, because he did two weeks ago."