Coulthard: Red Bull to win open title race

Former F1 racer and current BBC pundit David Coulthard says he feels that Red Bull will emerge on top of the pile at the end of the season – although the Scot concedes that the fight for the 2010 title is still wide open.

Just 20 points split the top five drivers - Mark Webber, Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso - in the championship standings heading to Spa this weekend, while Red Bull is just eight points clear of McLaren in the constructors' championship – with Ferrari fighting hard to try and bring itself back into contention.

It raises the prospect of a fascinating end to the season but Coulthard said he felt it was Red Bull who would come out on top.

“With the top five drivers all separated by just 20 points, less than the prize on offer for a race win, it's fair to say the championship could go any number of ways come Abu Dhabi on Nov 14,” he told the Daily Telegraph, “and for the British public the dénouement will be especially interesting.

“McLaren's Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button are still right in the hunt; there is the prospect of a first ever title for the Milton Keynes-based Red Bull team. And the return to form of Ferrari just prior to the summer break has added a whole new dimension to the run-in, especially given the fact that the Italian team is the only one openly favouring one of their drivers over the other.

“So who is my money on? As I am fond of saying, racing drivers have balls but unfortunately they aren't crystal. Purely in performance terms, however, I feel both championships are Red Bull's to lose.”

While he added that a number of circuits still to come this season would play to the strengths of Red Bull's RB6, Coulthard was quick to point out that anything could still happen.

“Hamilton, Button and Alonso have all won world championships and that experience will count for a lot,” he said. “McLaren or Ferrari might introduce some new gimmick that throws everything up in the air.

“Luck will play its part too. You never know what is going to happen in this sport. That's why we love it.”