McLaren have issued David Coulthard with a stern ultimatum: stop thinking and starting driving or face the rest of the season as Kimi Raikkonen's tailgunner.
The warning comes from the team in the wake of disappointing qualifying performances by the Scot that have compromised his race day performances. The team believes the problems are related to Coulthard's habit for over-analysing his race performances. Managing Director Martin Whitmarsh said: "David is a very analytical driver and sometimes that is a useful quality but it may not be useful when you have got to put it on the line over one lap." Whitmarsh indicated that Coulthard has been told to rely on his instincts more in order to improve his qualifying pace: "You have got to blank out the analysis of one corner and make sure you are fluid and instinctive in the way you do your qualifying."
Coulthard has struggled to get to grips with the new 'one-shot' qualifying format, repeatedly qualifying outside the top ten, compromising his ability to fight for race victories. In the wake of the European Grand Prix where both McLarens failed to finish, the team is edging closer to a decision that would see Coulthard support his young team-mate.
Any decision to ask Coulthard to support Raikkonen would be a bitter blow for the Scot who was runner-up in 2001. Upstaged by the newest Flying Finn, the 32-yeard old is now 33 points behind championship leader Michael Schumacher with only 7 races remaining and looks set to support his team-mate. Coulthard was widely tipped to battle for this season's championship title after clinching the first race of the season in Melbourne, but since then his poor qualifying form has been his undoing.
Whitmarsh denied speculation that Coulthard was now racing for his future with the team, but hinted that the team needs a quick and positive response from their team leader: "If you are not banging it out at the right time, there is a concern and David has been around long enough to get hold of these issues himself...he has got to sort it out for himself."
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