McLaren Expecting to Outpace Williams on Sunday

McLaren boss Ron Dennis was left disappointed on Saturday despite David Coulthard claiming his first front row grid position this season in Monaco.

Coulthard will start the race from second after Williams driver Juan Pablo Montoya snatched pole in the closing stages of an incident-filled qualifying session in Monte Carlo.

Dennis claimed that he was disappointed with second-place on the grid and felt Coulthard could have bettered his time - but insisted that the McLaren package is better suited to race conditions.

"I'm a little disappointed. I think we could have bettered our time a little better to knock Montoya off pole," Dennis said. But I think that the most encouraging thing is that we can race at our practice pace and I don't think Williams can. It should be an interesting race."

Coulthard is also confident of beating their Williams rivals in the race.

"I think the nature of the track suits the car a bit better and obviously the Michelin tyres are working very well on this track," Coulthard said. "We were very competitive all the way through qualifying so you have got to say that so far this is the best chance we have of victory."

Coulthard stalled on the parade lap at last year's race and was forced to start from the back of the grid. He admitted he is still frustrated by last year's events but he is determined to gain revenge.

"I was watching the highlights of last year's race and all the frustration came flooding back to me," said Coulthard, who was left thumping the steering wheel as the rest of the field passed by his stricken McLaren last year.

"I should have fast-forwarded the start," he joked. "But it is just one race in your career so thankfully I had the opportunity to win here before. I know how good that feels and it would be great to be able to do that tomorrow."