Bad luck or just bad driving?

[neutral]

Closely watching Coulthard over the last couple of years I have noticed two things: 1) bad luck at crucial moments and 2) bad driver errors at crucial moments. I know he has no control over the first one, but the second is starting to haunt him again this year. Last year he had a chance to be a contender but he blew a tremendous opportunity in the 3rd last race , where he crashed from the lead. This year, despite nearly being faultless, he stalls his engine on the grid just as he begins a push for the championship. Although I greatly admire his dramatic improvement this year I question whether him and Mclaren can challenge from this point. Unlike Mika in the past, I dont think Michael is going to throw away easy points, and if some sought of challenge is going to happen then these errors, although small, need to be dismissed from here on.

anyway, does DC still have a chance.

[Minardi fan]

The incident at Canada was bad luck - the same bad luck which stikes Herbert and struck Katayama when things were looking good. Unfortunately thats the way it goes .

However, McLaren need to sort themselves or else it's going to make for a rather dull championship with TGF simply walking it. Last year was great because by the end of the season 4 drivers were scrapping for the title. Please lets not just have 1 driver all the way in 2000.

If McLaren are going to sort themselves out decently, it's Mika who needs to pull his act together NOW. If he can't be arsed to make use of the best car out there then stick a deserving driver (Panis, Alesi, HHF) in it. I'm sure they'd do a better job.

[Regs]

Hello Neutral, don't think we've met! Anyway, without knowing the points standings off hand, if DC is to have any chance his window of opportunity is closing rapidly. He'll need to win the next race and Schumacher to finish out of the top three. Or better yet, not finish at all. Either way, he's now in a position of having to rely on Schmacher having bad days. Same for Mika. Though I think right now Mika may be sinking fast in terms of his personal morale. These are interesting times for Mclaren, who, I feel are a team so used to dominating victories that the idea of hard times is an abstraction. "Aren't we supposed to win? Don't these things happen to other people?" Who knows though. Next race Mclaren could just drive away with it. I feel they are a bit suprised this year by the challenge Ferrari have been though.

[R]

What happened to Coulthard in Canada was driver error - not bad luck. He admitted it himself. It's a shame though, for the championship.

[AL Racing]

I agree, that had nothing to do with bad luck, he made an mistake and stalled, pure and simple.