Coulthard with points

[davewilson]

David Coulthard heads to Barcelona tomorrow with points to prove and gain.
   
Armed with a new gearbox, front wing, barge boards and revised rear body work, Coulthard scents a dramatic improvement in the performance of his Red Bull, which has yet to trouble the scorers this season.

Not since last year's Monaco Grand Prix, when he graced the podium wearing Superman overalls, has Coulthard been near the spotlight. Lewis Hamilton assumed the Superman role on his debut for McLaren this season, reminding Coulthard how life used to be.

A morale-boosting test last week in Barcelona, where Adrian Newey's upgraded design yielded a track record on the reconfigured circuit, has left Coulthard optimistic for Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix. "We benefited from the test," Coulthard said. "We really are playing catch-up to the other teams. I feel we can be more competitive. I set the quickest time last week, but it would be nice to repeat the feat when the flag goes."

Coulthard's duel with team-mate Mark Webber could be one of this season's more intriguing elements. Both are fighting for the futures in the sport. The urgency is greater for Coulthard, who, at 36, is six years Webber's senior. In the opening races, with Red Bull still coming to terms with Renault engines, new to the team this year, both drivers had little to work with.
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Newey's prototype appears to be shaping up threatening a new dynamic in Spain. Technical director Mark Smith said: "Our plans always included an extensive body work update to arrive for this race. The first three races threw up reliability issues. The Barcelona test last week means that hopefully we have addressed those