DC 'keeps his own counsel' on F1 future

Tuesday 20th May 2008

David Coulthard says he will keep quiet about his future in Formula One until he has a significant announcement to make.

Coulthard's Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber revealed recently that he has opened negotiations about an extension to his deal.

If word around the paddock is to be believed, then Toro Rosso's Sebastian Vettel will be promoted to Red Bull next season, leaving Coulthard and Webber to battle it out for the remaining seat.

The Brit, though, says he will do his negotiations behind closed doors.

"My team-mate Mark Webber told the media over the Istanbul weekend that he has opened talks with Red Bull to extend his contract," Coulthard wrote on his ITV column.

"If I try to rationalise why Mark would say that, I can only presume it was either to stimulate talks with the team or to stimulate interest in the rest of the paddock, reminding people that he's on the market.

"When you think about it logically, you do your private negotiations in private and then when you've reached an agreement you make an announcement. You don't normally say, 'Er, I'm about to enter negotiations...'

"So I would conclude that it was a positioning tactic rather than anything else. As far as my own situation goes, I will keep my own counsel until I have a firm deal to announce."

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