Monza key to Coulthard title chase

The Scot leapt back into the reckoning with a win at the last race in Spa, but his 14-point deficit to the Finn means he cannot afford to slip any further behind with three races remaining after this one and the spectre of team orders looming ever larger.

'Mika's lap was pretty special and I know I would have a problem matching that the way the car was handling even without the yellows flags and traffic,' admitted the Scot.

In one of his typically frank assessments of his performance in Monza qualifying, Coulthard confessed he and the car could have performed better.

'It was a bit of a non-event for me in qualifying because I am a long way away from the time I could have done. I needed more laps and more clear laps.

'I could have been quicker than I was - and definitely faster than Heinz-Harald Frentzen if we'd got it right.

'But now I start third and we'll see what happens.'

Given his reputation for blistering starts and just as quick opening laps, he appeared to indulge in a little gamesmanship with Frentzen.

'It's not that drastic to start third, but I will probably maintain third early on and it will probably be difficult to do anything until the first pit stops.'