Coulthard puts his case to Williams

Briton David Coulthard has visited Williams bosses in a bid to convince his former employers to take him back next year, Autosport magazine reported on Thursday.

The Scot, winner of 13 Formula One races after making his debut with Williams in 1994, is out of a job after leaving McLaren last month.

His only real hope of landing a drive next year, unless Jaguar are saved and throw him a lifeline, is BMW-powered Williams who have a vacancy after failing to sign Briton Jenson Button from BAR.

Autosport said the 33-year-old spent an hour at the team's Grove factory on Monday making a presentation to team boss Frank Williams, co-owner Patrick Head and technical director Sam Michael.

A Williams spokesman could not confirm the report.

"I quite simply want the opportunity to show what I can do at a team outside the nine years I had at McLaren. I believe I can deliver," Coulthard told the BBC.

He said he still had the speed, the desire and the commitment.

"I can't deny I haven't been up with Kimi (Raikkonen) in the second half of the season," added the Scot, who failed to finish on the podium all year. "But that's not because I ran out of talent.

"You've got to be mentally and physically well-prepared and that's very difficult to do in a position where you know you're not wanted."

Coulthard's main rivals are Brazilian Antonio Pizzonia, the favourite after filling in for injured Ralf Schumacher four times this year, Germany's Nick Heidfeld and possibly two-times champion Mika Hakkinen.

Australian Mark Webber has already been signed from Jaguar. Williams, fourth in the 2004 season, have said they are in no hurry to name the second driver.

Hakkinen, champion in 1998 and 1999 with McLaren, has been linked to Williams for much of the year and Autosport said sources close to the Finn said he had been considering an offer for several months.