Dennis: Lack of Title Worries Helping Coulthard

McLaren-Mercedes boss Ron Dennis claimed after Sunday's Canadian Grand Prix that Briton David Coulthard is driving better than ever this year because the weight of a world title battle has been lifted from his shoulders.

Dennis beamed from ear to ear as he supped champagne in the Montreal sunshine after watching his driver race to second place at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, and move to within one point of second place in the standings.

But he admitted that with race winner Michael Schumacher so far ahead of the chasing pack in his Ferrari, Coulthard is under less pressure and that has enabled the Briton to reach another level in his personal performance.

"When you are not contending the World Championship it does reduce the sort of pressure and does allow you to drive better," he said. "Driving with the pressure of having a chance to win the World Championship increases the task.

"I'm not saying he can't win the World Championship but it is mathematically difficult and therefore he starts every race with the desire to finish well but also enjoy it. That takes away stress and pressure and that is the environment in which you make mistakes so that is why he is driving so well."

Coulthard is currently enjoying a return to form, with a win and a second place in the last two races. He is now fourth in the Championship with 26 points, one point behind the Williams-BMW pair of Ralf Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya.

The team currently lies third in the Constructors' Championship, but Dennis is under no illusions and admitted the fact his team are still slower than their second-placed rivals has forced them into defensive tactics.

"We come to every race expecting to win it irrespective of how difficult that target is," he said. "But overall it is not expecting a result it is about optimising. It is the way you play any Grand Prix irrelevant of your competitiveness. What you are trying to do is enhance your chances of winning by adopting a certain strategy. That's what you do.

"I think both drivers will occupy podium positions this year, but whether we are able to win any more races is something that is difficult to grasp in one's mind at the moment."