Coulthard's carelessness leaves Schumacher in the clear

The World Championship may well be a lost cause for David Coulthard, even if he and Michael Schumacher refuse to acknowledge as much, but the Scotsman will glean a measure of consolation if he steals the German's thunder at Silverstone on Sunday week.

Schumacher's 50th Formula One victory and Coulthard's fourth-place finish in the French Grand Prix here have opened a 31-point gap at the top of the drivers' standings with only seven races remaining. The Ferrari driver is not only on course for a fourth title but is also within one race win of Alain Prost's all-time record.

It is, as Prost says, merely a matter of time before Schumacher beats his tally, but Coulthard has his own agenda. He is intent on denying Schumacher a share of the record at the British Grand Prix by completing a hat-trick of wins at his home event.

Coulthard said: "It's a pretty impressive record and statistic that Michael is going for, and he deserves it. But it will not affect how the rest of us will go racing at Silverstone. It's a sideshow to the main event.

"It's obviously going to be difficult to make up the 31-point deficit. That will take three races where I win and Michael fails to finish. But it is not over and I'll keep doing my best." That means eliminating the kind of carelessness that put Coulthard out of the podium places here on Sunday. He incurred a 10-second stop-and-go penalty for speeding in the pit lane and so never had a chance to challenge Schumacher.

Mistakes have undermined McLaren-Mercedes' season, as the failure of Mika Hakkinen's car to leave the grid here illustrated. However, the technicians and engineers are not the only members of the team who appear error-prone. Hakkinen stalled earlier in the season and Coulthard acknowledged he was to blame for accelerating too soon on Sunday.

Several drivers have overstepped that 50mph mark in their anxiety to get back to business, but Coulthard has transgressed a remarkable four times this season. He did so in Brazil and was fined £1,000. He did so again in Canada, where he had to retire, and was fined £3,500.

This circuit proved particularly troublesome because he was actually fined for speeding during practice, which cost him another £1,200. He paid a far heavier price in the race itself.

"I can't afford to keep making mistakes," he said with massive understatement. Sunday's cost me the opportunity of going for a win. There are seven races remaining and I'm certainly not conceding the Championship. I'm just going to take them one at a time because anything can happen."

McLaren, of course, are not the only team suffering the consequences of self-inflicted problems, and it is this fallibility that separates them from Ferrari. The reliability and consistency of the scarlet car, the efficiency of the Maranello team and the incomparable skills of Schumacher amount to a formidable obstacle for the rest to confront.

Ron Dennis, the McLaren team principal, watched in near disbelief as Hakkinen's car refused to start and then Coulthard was caught in the speed trap yet again. "At times like this it's important to remember that through thick and thin we are a team and we all make mistakes," Dennis said. "The championships are not over and now we are focused on our home Grand Prix at Silverstone."

Schumacher's domination of the Championship is such that interest may switch to the identity of the runner-up. The German's younger brother, Ralf, threatens to take that second place from Coulthard and complete a significant family achievement.

However, Ralf, second here in his Williams-BMW after claiming his maiden pole position in Formula One, has his sights on bigger, more distant goals.

The 26-year-old younger Schumacher said: "Michael can have the Championship this year but I will have it next year. It will be difficult for me to take second place from David but to be honest, whether it is second or third is not important. It's the Championship that matters, and that's my target for next year."