“Apparently there is a speed-limit... about 50 or 100 km. But I don’t intend to drive in India again. So instead I plan to go flat out,” the British driver quipped when asked about the maximum speed one can expect from him.

“Hopefully the noise of the engine will echo across the water,” he told reporters. Coulthard had a taste of India’s sporting passion, cricket albeit in its shortest form, during his visit to Delhi on Friday.

“I saw a cricket match, a (Champions League) Twenty20 match in Delhi last night,” he said. DC, as he’s affectionately known, predicted that despite Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel being mathematically in contention to win this year’s Driver’s Championship, Brawn GP’s Jensen Button was the favourite.

“It would be fantastic if Vettel wins, it is possible. It happened with Kimi (Raikkonen) two years ago. But all Button has to do is to finish among the points in the next two races,” he said.

The 38-year-old said he did not regret his decision to retire from Formula One last year, after 14 active years on the F1 circuit. “The decision (to retire) was an easy thing to make. The focus was onto develop the team and help it go further. It can’t go on forever...got the timing right,” he said.

Quizzed about Formula One legend Michael Schumacher’s speculated return after Ferrari driver Felipe Massa’s injury sustained during the qualification round for the Hungarian Grand Prix, Coulthard said Schumacher had the capability to do so.

“He (Schumacher) is young enough and good enough though it would have been difficult for him to win (with Ferrari’s current form). But he would be quick and exciting to watch,” he declared.