David Coulthard has confirmed that he will still be a travelling member of Red Bull Racing next year.

After a 15 year career spanning 13 grand prix victories, the 37-year-old Scot is stepping down as a team racer at the end of 2008.

But he is staying on as a consultant and part-time test driver, and told reporters in Singapore on Thursday: "I am enjoying being here as I will enjoy being in Melbourne next year, but in a different capacity.

"It is the natural journey of life," Coulthard said, insisting that he is happy to be moving on to his next challenge.

He will be replaced in 2009 by Sebastian Vettel, who at Monza two weeks ago upstaged Red Bull's main team by winning for the junior squad Toro Rosso.

Coulthard and teammate Mark Webber, however, said in Singapore that they are not embarrassed that a 21-year-old driving for a less-funded team is carrying the torch for Red Bull.

"The thought that they are a minnow team with not enough money to put tyres on the car is just not the reality," Coulthard said, referring to the partly Gerhard Berger-owned Toro Rosso team.

"They don't have to design their own racing car; we do that for them," he explained. "They've managed to get there before us but I don't think there's any embarrassment on our part.

"We just have to take that on the chin and realise that there are areas that we've got to improve. If McLaren get beaten, they are not embarrassed, they focus on trying to improve their job, and likewise for Ferrari," Coulthard explained.

Source: GMM