09/12/2004
NEWS STORY
Last time we checked the Pitpass statistics, David Coulthard had driven in 175 Grands Prix, covering almost eleven seasons.
In that time the Scot has accumulated 475 points, an average of 2.714 point a race, 13 wins, 12 pole positions and 18 fastest laps.
Christian Klien has taken part in 18 Grands Prix, scoring 3 points, an average of 0.167 points a race, while Vitantonio Liuzzi has yet to make his F1 (race) debut.
With no disrespect to either Christian or Vitantonio, what exactly does the Scot have to prove? Why does he need to 'test' the Red Bull, essentially the Jaguar R5?
It's not as though Coulthard is an unknown quantity, everyone knows the former McLaren driver's strengths and weaknesses. So what does he have to prove, that he can still drive, that he's motivated?
A couple of weeks ago, Red Bull boss Dietrich Mateschitz was adamant, the Scot wasn't an option for his team, forty-eight hours later, it's the complete opposite, with the thirty-three-year-old top of the Austrian outfit's 'wants list'.
Either the Milton Keynes outfit wants the Scot on board or it doesn't, and as sure as god made little apples the team will not base its decision on a couple of days running at Jerez, so why all the mystery?
On Tuesday, the Press Officer for Red Bull Racing told Pitpass that only three drivers, Klien, Liuzzi and Swiss youngster Need Jani were 'scheduled' to test for the team, yet Coulthard's personal motorhome was already en-route to the track, pulling into the paddock just a couple of hours later.
Putting aside the fact that a simple "no comment" or "we will be issuing a statement" would have sufficed, we have to ask again, why the big mystery when all was about to be revealed anyway.
Whether Coulthard gets the drive remains to be seen, certainly, the F1 veteran shouldn't need to 'prove' himself. However, what really strikes us is that Red Bull is as keen for publicity, all publicity, as it can get, and will clearly take full advantage of every opportunity it is afforded.
Perhaps the writing is already on the wall.