Coulthard's need for new car grows

David Coulthard vowed to take what could be a massive blow to his title hopes on the chin after seeing Michael Schumacher power to victory in the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona.

The 32-year-old’s pre-race call for his McLaren-Mercedes team to get their 2003 car running as quickly as possible took on even more urgency after yesterday’s race as Schumacher triumphed in his new Ferrari.

Coulthard suffered a double whammy following a collision with Jarno Trulli then an afternoon ending encounter with fellow Brit Jenson Button as he slumped to fifth in the drivers’ standings.

Schumacher’s victory in the F2003-GA enabled him to inherit Coulthard’s second place in the championship just four points behind Kimi Raikkonen, who slammed his McLaren into the back of Antonio Pizzonia’s Jaguar as he started from the back of the grid.

Coulthard could have to wait another three races, until next month’s Canadian Grand Prix, before he gets his hands on his new car but by that time his now nine-point deficit to Schumacher could have been considerably enlarged.

“The result is not good but that is motor racing and we will take it on the chin and bounce back at the next race,” said Coulthard, hoping to strike back in Austria on Sunday week.

Schumacher took full advantage of Raikkonen’s self-inflicted wounds to win by almost six seconds from 21-year-old Spaniard Fernando Alonso, who delighted his followers in the 96,000 crowd at the Circuit de Catalunya with an assured second place for Renault.

Afterwards the German, triumphant for the second race in succession, third in a row in Spain and fifth in all, could not hide his delight in the new car which has been nicknamed ‘The Shark’.

“With the old car we would not have been able to make it, but this new car is so very special,” said Schumacher, now getting his teeth into his bid for a record sixth drivers’ crown after a fraught start to the season.

“It is so beautiful and fine and I love it very much. This is a perfect day in both directions, for the championship and for a new era with the car.

“When I was aware that Kimi could not get any points I had to simply do the job and get the maximum number of points.

“But it was not an easy win, it was not a surprise looking at the lap times Renault were doing. I knew it would be a very tough fight and it was.”

Brazil’s Rubens Barrichello finished third in the other Ferrari while Colombia’s Juan Pablo Montoya led home his Williams-BMW team-mate Ralf Schumacher for fourth, though both were well out of contention in the 65-lap race.

Elsewhere, it was firsts all round. Rookie Cristiano da Matta scored his first grand prix points – and opened Toyota’s account for the season with sixth - while Mark Webber got Jaguar on the board with seventh.

Rookie Ralph Firman’s eighth place for Jordan-Ford broke his points duck.

Button eventually finished ninth while Justin Wilson finally saw the chequered flag five races into his career with 11th place for Minardi.