Sunday June 25th, 2000

Triple world champion Jackie Stewart says that fellow Scot David Coulthard is Michael Schumacher's biggest threat for this year's world championship.

Stewart believes Coulthard has improved in recent races, and is now capable of being World Champion. "David can win the title," he said. "I have noticed a difference in him in recent races.

"When he came into Formula 1 he was with Williams and then he moved to McLaren, so he has always been with the best teams. Maybe that took a bit of the commitment and focus away, but now there is a realisation of what is at stake and what he can achieve this year.

"What David has got to do is keep scoring points consistently as well as winning a few races," he continued. "He is in a strong position if he keeps himself focused."

While Coulthard is on the up, Stewart thinks that teammate Mika Hakkinen is finally showing the strain of trying to win three successive world championships, a feat that only the legendary Juan Manuel Fangio has achieved. Hakkinen has won only one race so far this season, and currently has a 24 point deficit to championship leader Michael Schumacher.

"There are a lot of pressures and commitments that come with being world champion," said Stewart, who won the championship in 1969, 1971 and 1973 for Tyrrell. "I remember when I was champion I was sometimes visiting six or seven countries in a week and it just all gets very tiring.

"Winning three world championships in a row just doesn't happen very often," he added, "so it's not impossible for Mika, but I'd say it's unlikely."