Team orders talk annoys Coulthard

The frustrated Scot snapped at journalists as he was asked time and again whether he would be asked to defer to team-mate Mika Hakkinen who has a 12 points advantage with three races remaining.

It seems he is now days rather than weeks away from being asked to shelve his world championship dreams for another year.

With Hakkinen and Eddie Irvine level pegging on 60 points McLaren is unlikely to be able to give Coulthard the go-ahead to race his team-mate if he fails to outqualify the Finn on Saturday.

'You are all asking for answers before we have made the plan,' said
Coulthard.

'You'll just have to be patient, no-one can see into the future.'

'I am still trying to beat Mika for pole. He has made it his own a lot this year but it is still my quest. It's my quest and my desire, to beat him.

'We cannot plan race strategy until we know where we are starting from on the grid and how the warm up has gone on Sunday.

'There's no point in asking me. I am just a driver. These decisions are made by Mr Haug or Mr Dennis.

'But I still believe I have a chance of winning the world championship.'

The decision on team orders is likely to hinge on qualifying.

'I am in with a shout and if I win this weekend its looking good. If I don't it's not. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to work it out.

'I'm 12 points behind Mika and Eddie, and Mika has the best chance because he has the best car.'

Hakkinen backed up his teammate, 'I don't know how many times I've said this but the McLaren rules have always been that the drivers are equal and fighting to the maximum for the championship.'