Don’t count Mika out yet, says McLaren boss

Dennis described David Coulthard's dry-wet Brazilian GP victory, in which he took on and beat reigning world champion Michael Schumacher in a straight fight, as 'an impeccable drive'. But he insisted that McLaren would continue to treat Coulthard and Hakkinen as equals, despite the Scot moving to within striking distance of the Ferrari ace after Interlagos.

Schumacher has 26 world championship points, with Coulthard on 20 and Hakkinen nursing a solitary point, courtesy of sixth place in Malaysia. But Dennis believes one victory for the double champion will put him right back in the frame.

"It's not a big issue, in reality," he said. "He's a very focussed individual. One race win, and he'll be back in it.

"We will go into the next race and as at every race we will put at the disposal of both drivers the same equipment," he added. "They will be racing that way for the rest of the season, or until the points differential is such that logic ought to change the strategy."

Coulthard described his 10th GP victory as one of the best of his career and Dennis agreed that the drive, which included an audacious pass on Schumacher using Tarso Marques' Minardi as a foil, was 'brilliant'.

"I mean, the overtaking move was great," said Dennis. "I think he got a little bit squirrelly under one braking manoeuvre, but other than that, it was just an impeccable drive. I think the most difficult thing he had to do was pace himself in the last 20 laps. It's always difficult to know how hard to push, and it's very easy to make mistakes. There would be no problem to go quicker - the important thing is to go fast enough to win, and that's what he did."

Hakkinen failed to leave the line as his McLaren-Mercedes MP4-16 bogged and died, but Dennis says the team will need to analyse the car back at its Woking base before determining if a technical problem or driver error was to blame.

"It's not clear cut in either direction," he said, "and it won't be until we analyse the data, and give you an absolutely accurate description at the next race.

"The clutch started to drag a little bit," he added. "The bite point changed on the car from the morning, and a combination of everything saw him stall. What I think is a little bit disappointing is that I think he stalled at a time when they could have aborted the start."

Click here for full Ron Dennis Q&A.