Coulthard calls for improvement

[davewilson]

DAVID Coulthard says his Red Bull Formula One team must raise its game this season or pay the price of failure.

"We have to achieve more, otherwise people will have to be replaced," the Scot told reporters at a news conference to launch a partnership with Swiss technology conglomerate Oerlikon.

"This season has to be better than the last and it will be better than the last," added the 35-year-old, who has been joined by Australian Mark Webber in possibly his final season in the sport.

Coulthard, who joined Red Bull from McLaren at the end of 2004 and took the team's first podium in 2006, has a contract to the end of the year.

The driver said he was optimistic about the team's prospects, with top designer Adrian Newey's first car for the team since joining from McLaren a year ago. Red Bull finished seventh overall last season.

"Having Adrian at the helm focuses the minds of talented engineers and our partnership with Renault is good.

"Geographically it works better for us," he said.

Red Bull have traded their Ferrari engines for Renault ones and have signed the experienced Webber from Williams as Coulthard's teammate in place of young Austrian Christian Klien.

"My 13 wins have all been in Adrian's cars. This is a chance to renew the partnership.

These are exciting times. Now we have to see the lap times and how competitive the car is," Coulthard said.

The new Renault-powered RB3, due to be unveiled in Barcelona on Friday, is an all-new car to last year's disappointing

machine

I hope he includes himself in his comments!

The Stig