Formula 1: Coulthard cleared of blame

David Coulthard’s team were forced into a climbdown tonight after initially blaming him for the computer glitch that ended his perfect podium record in Spain.

The 30-year-old Scot had to start from the back of the grid after the traction control system he was using for the first time on his McLaren malfunctioned before the parade lap.

Coulthard responded to the setback to battle his way to fifth place at the end of the race in Barcelona despite also losing the front nose on the car in a first-corner collision.

But the initial problem cost him a possible victory and the joint lead in the championship as race winner Michael Schumacher moved eight points clear with five rounds of the 17-race season over.

Coulthard’s team boss Ron Dennis was less than complimentary as he laid the blame on his driver in the immediate aftermath.

‘‘I am afraid to say that David had a bit of a brain fade on his part,’’ said Dennis.

Coulthard, clearly nonplussed by the accusation, responded: ‘‘I think Ron has suffered a brain fade. He has not spoken to me or to my engineers yet.

‘‘I was putting the system on the way we practised, though I did not put it on full power because I had Michael in front of me.

‘‘It had not happened in practice and we will have to look at what caused the problem. Hopefully it is just a case of the boffins changing a few numbers.

‘‘The car just stalled. The boffins are scratching their heads because it should not have happened.’’

Dennis later absolved Coulthard of any blame, saying the problem was in the computer software.

‘‘Based on an initial analysis we felt that David was responsible for stalling on the dummy grid, but closer scrutiny confirmed that a glitch in the software was at fault,’’ he said.

‘‘His recovery from this and a first-corner incident gave him two well-deserved points.’’

Coulthard had admitted beforehand his fears that a driver could have a problem with the reintroduction of traction control after it was banned in 1993.

The computer-dominated driver aid is meant to ensure everyone makes a clean, perfect getaway and also acts to counter wheelspin during cornering.