OCTOBER 16, 2000

Coulthard looks to the future

AS the Formula One season draws to a close in Sepang this weekend, one man already setting his sights on winning the 2001 world championship is McLaren's David Coulthard.

Coulthard, who has often had to play deputy to team-mate and double world champion Mika Hakkinen, is desperate to win a championship himself.

"I have done all my learning in Formula One a very public kind of way," said Coulthard. "I have always had championship winning cars at McLaren and Williams and people have expected a lot.

"People may have the impression that I have been around in the sport a lot longer than I have, but there is nothing I can do about that. I think only short term really and only about the future.

"That's the way I live and I will always try to get the best out of myself. Of course, I want to win the world championship. But if I can't then I want to avoid making any mistakes and see where I end up."