David Coulthard, a retired British Formula One racing driver, remains a familiar face around the paddock and on television even after his retirement in 2008. He began his racing career in karting at 11, progressing through local championships before moving into Formula Ford in 1989, where he won the inaugural McLaren/Autosport Young Driver of the Year award.
| Nationality | British |
|---|---|
| Born | David Marshall Coulthard 27 March 1971 Twynholm, Scotland |
Coulthard’s big break came in 1993 when he was asked to be a test driver for the world champion F1 team Williams-Renault. After the tragic death of Ayrton Senna in 1994, Coulthard was paired with future world champion Damon Hill to complete the team’s F1 season. Despite occasional replacement by Nigel Mansell and rumours of a move to McLaren for the 1995 season, Coulthard was handed the seat full-time in 1995, finishing third in the championship that season.
In 1996, Coulthard moved to McLaren, where he spent eight successful years. From 1997 to 2002, he consistently placed in the top five of the championship. In 1998, he played a significant role in helping McLaren win the Constructors’ Championship, while his teammate Mika Häkkinen won the drivers’ title. Coulthard’s best individual season came in 2001, when he finished second in the championship, behind Michael Schumacher.
After leaving McLaren at the end of 2004, Coulthard joined the reformed Jaguar team, now known as Red Bull Racing, in 2005. He became the highest-scoring British driver, at the time, surpassing Nigel Mansell‘s record with 535 race points. Coulthard’s time with Red Bull included notable moments such as finishing fourth twice in his first season, achieving a third-place finish in Monaco in 2006, which saw him don a Superman cape on the podium, and finishing on the podium again in Canada in 2008.
He retired at the end of the 2008 season but remained involved in the sport, and in 2019, he was elected president of the British Racing Drivers’ Club, owner of Silverstone Circuit.
David Coulthard Formula One World Championship career
| F1 Career | 1994–2008 |
|---|---|
| Teams | Williams, McLaren, Red Bull |
| Entries | 247 (246 starts) |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 13 |
| Podiums | 62 |
| Career points | 535 |
| Pole positions | 12 |
| Fastest laps | 18 |
| First entry | 1994 Spanish Grand Prix |
| First win | 1995 Portuguese Grand Prix |
| Last win | 2003 Australian Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix |
Sources: Davidcoulthard.co.uk and Wikipedia.com
