Age hasn't slowed me down, says Coulthard

"Of course, with the benefit of hindsight, I would change some of the decisions I made earlier in the season. But those were less a case of making rash or ill-judged moves and more about understanding the risks that some other drivers would take in order to pass me.

"With a spate of incidents and no points on the board, the spotlight gets shined on you. But I'm satisfied I'm performing at a high level and delighted to finally have a tangible result to show for it."

Coulthard, understood to be in talks over a new contract with Red Bull, is buoyed by the test that will be posed by Magny-Cours. He said: "It's a very challenging track but I like it and I'm confident we can bring in another strong performance."

Another driver aiming to defy the assumption that F1 is a young man's sport is Jacques Villeneuve, the 1997 world champion who wants to make a Grand Prix comeback at the age of 37.

Second place in the Le Mans 24-hour sports car race on Sunday has whetted his appetite.

Villeneuve admitted: "I'm open to the idea, certainly with the new technical situation. If the chance comes, I'd love to get back to work."