Next year Coulthard, who has won 13 grands prix, will be out to impress potential new employers as he seeks just his third Formula One home having started out at Williams in 1994.

The Twynholm-born driver is confident the new McLaren, which he has spent the last week testing in Spain, will give him the best opportunity to prove a point.

He said: “Each year the new season presents a great challenge. A lot comes down to the performance of the car and we are keen to know how quickly we can develop the MP4-19.

“We all have to be patient and see what Melbourne [venue for the first race, the Australian Grand Prix] will bring us, which seems a long time away, but it will soon be here. If MP4-19 runs as well as we think it should, it will be very competitive.”

New rules for 2004 mean greater restrictions placed on semi-automatic gearboxes, a move Coulthard admits will take time to get used to.

This year’s McLaren was able to accelerate through the gears with no need for manual shifts, a practice banned for next season.

Coulthard added: “I have always done manual down shifts anyway, so that is not going to change for me at all.

“Naturally though I have relied on the auto upshifts during the last couple of seasons because it is the most efficient way to get your gearshifts spot on.

“So that will create the odd time where a driver will make a mistake, hit a limiter and it may give another guy the opportunity to overtake, but that is racing.”