Christian Klien

Running out of time

Born: 7/2/83 Nationality: Austrian Team: Red Bull Racing First GP: Australia 2004 Best result: 5th 2005 position: 15th Previous teams: n/a

Christian Klien's career is beginning to look as if it is on borrowed time.

Red Bull team bosses are beginning to suggest that Klien should already be starting to beat David Coulthard if he was going to be the next big thing.

It is a fair point, and one that suggests Klien will be moved aside in favour of a new partner for the Scot in 2007, when Red Bull expect big things.

The Austrian has been solid this season but has not done anything to suggest he is a world champion in the making.

The Austrian had a difficult debut F1 season with Jaguar in 2004, when he was a long way off team leader Mark Webber.

Klien was more impressive at the start of last season, being impressively close to team-mate David Coulthard.

But as the season progressed, Coulthard generally had the beating of him, and that level of performance is not enough to justify a place at a team as ambitious as this.