Row two start doesn't rule me out, says DC

Coulthard got the better of the world champion in qualifying at the last race, but Schumacher returned to the trend of previous races when he dominated qualifying in Barcelona. The duo currently has 26 points apiece at the head of the world championship points table

While the German appears to be back on top form as well as on pole after two lacklustre races, Coulthard slipped to third behind team mate Mika Hakkinen, who is on the front row for the second race in succession and has won this Grand Prix for the last three years.

But Coulthard has finished on the podium in every race this year and believes he can get the better of both champion racers.

"I am confident I can win the race from third on the grid and that's my aim - as always," he said. "I think Ferrari have still got a slight advantage over us but we are closing the gap."

The McLaren-Mercedes racer said he put in a "banker" at the start of the session and never got the chance to improve significantly after that.

"I have to say I didn't get the maximum from the car today," he said. "Michael's time was achievable if I had hooked up and got all the sectors exactly right. But I had handling problems with the car and I also found a Sauber in my way on my last lap. I think he thought I blocked him on the previous lap so he was returning the favour."

"Obviously I'm disappointed to be third. My first run was okay, but in the others there were little mistakes along the way and problems with the balance. Ultimately this is where I have ended up so I have to make do for the race."

Coulthard said the return of computerised launch control meant the very
real risk that some cars will be left sitting on the grid if their systems malfunction or the driver gets it wrong.

"None of us know how traction control will work at the start," he explained. "There could be a lot of cars sitting on the grid going nowhere because the systems didn't work properly."