JUNE 22, 2001

Coulthard expects team orders

DAVID COULTHARD has said that he expects team orders to come into play with his McLaren team-mate Mika Hakkinen, but only when the time is right.

Coulthard is currently 32 points ahead of Hakkinen in the championship and as yet McLaren team orders have not been used.

But Coulthard has been forced to obey team orders for Hakkinen many times in the past and now he expects the favors to be returned when, and if, the need arises.

"I think it would be unreasonable to expect Mika to do something to

disadvantage himself just out of the kindness of his heart," said Coulthard.

"But if and when such a situation was to occur I think it would a team instruction and it is not something that I will get involved in because they are well aware of the situation without me having to point it out.

"They'll do what they think's the right thing to do based on it's their train set and therefore they can play with it. There's no need for me to get involved in this because they know the maths, they know what to do, and I've been in the situation before where I've helped Mika and it's not a big competition. It's just when the time is right it naturally happens."

Hakkinen himself still harbors championship ambitions and is not likely to expect team orders to come into action until he is realistically out of the title race.