Coulthard was disrespectful, says Speed.

Scott Speed says that he told David Coulthard to '**** off' in Australia because he felt his fellow Red Bull driver was being disrespectful.

The pair clashed in front of the stewards in Melbourne after Speed had passed DC when yellow flags came out for Tonio Liuzzi's high-speed accident on the straight after the first chicane. He lost his eighth position, and was fined $5000 for abusive behaviour.

Speed says that during the discussion Coulthard had talked down to him, something which might not come as a surprise bearing in mind that the Scot has been in F1 since 1994 and is a leading light in the GPDA, and Speed was in his third Grand Prix.

"I think I was treated a bit disrespectfully by my team mate, that's why I was actually pissed," said Speed. "The point being taken away, that wasn't even decided at that time. It was decided that it was something that was far, OK, and for sure it went in David's favour this time, for sure in the future I'll get a break my way. I felt very disrespected, we got in an argument, and I got fined for it!"

He says he has no regrets about what he said: "It was satisfying at the time, but unsatisfying when I found out I was going to get penalised for it! The situation was I was surprised at how strict everyone is over there, and I stepped over a line, and won't do it again I guess.

"I'm the new rookie coming up, and it's very easy to talk down on someone. But anyway, it's water under the bridge, I'm over it, and I look forward to this race."

Speed denies that he was upset that the sister Red Bull team appeared to be keen to take his point away, and says that he hasn't been given any kind of lecture by his mentors.

"I expect them [Red Bull Racing] to treat me like anyone else on the track. For sure there comes a line where you decide how much the teams actually work together, and I think it's very clear that we're quite separate entities at this moment, and that we're all going to push 100 per cent.

"No one's upset at me for what I've done, I know I share everyone's full support at this moment."

The penalty hit hard because the team had already celebrated the eighth place finish.

"It was very disappointing, not only for me, but for the whole team. Everyone was devastated. It was an emotional roller coaster. But it's good, because it gives us all confidence, and we know outright that we did the job, whether they take it away from us or not.

"The team did a really good job, it was a strong race from both of us, me and Tonio were in great spots, and to come from 18th to where I was with a bit of luck in Turn One it was an awesome deal."

Speed says that Imola should suit the Toro Rosso car and the extra torque of the V10 engine.

"I think this weekend there's also a good chance for points, although for sure in the rest of the year it's going to me more difficult. We did a test in Barcelona that was unfortunately not so successful.

"This is a tighter track. Somewhere like Malaysia was very difficult, somewhere like Barcelona is going to be really difficult. But here and Nurburgring I think we stand a reasonable chance. With a little bit of luck we can score some points for sure.

"My confidence level is much higher. To go through the first three races without any huge mistakes or big crashes or anything, the confidence is building."