By the veteran Scot’s own admission at Monaco, 2008 has been a “shocking” season so far for David Coulthard.

“To be six races in, without any points and with so much accident damage, is really disappointing,” he said after crashing out of the grand prix at Monte Carlo.

Rumours that suggest the 37-year-old’s race seat at Red Bull may in danger within weeks, however, are perhaps wide of the mark, sister team Toro Rosso’s co-owner Gerhard Berger insists.

Should Coulthard be replaced, it is no secret that Red Bull’s favoured candidate would be Sebastian Vettel, who drives for Toro Rosso but is under direct contract with the energy drink outfit.

“For Sebastian, the step (to Red Bull) would be much too early,” Berger is quoted as insisting to Auto Motor und Sport.

Coulthard’s manager, fellow Briton and former F1 driver Martin Brundle, thinks his charge only needs a couple of good results to get the monkey off his back.

“Unfortunately, all the bad luck at the moment is concentrated on him,” Brundle said.

It is well known that Coulthard’s on-form teammate Mark Webber, who has scored every one of Red Bull’s 15 points so far this season, has already commenced talks to stay in 2009.

But Brundle suggested that it is too early to be thinking about next year.

“To be doing something now would be like answering a question that has not been put,” he said.

Bookmark to: