David: (on news he had signed with Red Bull Racing again for 2008) I still love racing. I do a good job, I deliver value. I wake up on a Sunday and still look forward to going racing. I love it here at Red Bull. I still have the pace but I'm now armed with more experience. I'm not scared of hard work and we're building the foundations of future success here. I am not sensitive about being 36-years-old and people ask about how long I will go on. I only think about age when some idiot asks about it, which is fair enough because I am closer to the end of my career than the beginning.
David: (on the upcoming 2007 Race Of Champions) I love the chance to spend time with drivers from different formulae and find out about the challenges they have in their cars. The rally guys are the only ones to drive the cars we race and with such a tight track it is amazing to see how certain drivers adapt. There is real respect in the dressing room as we all change in the same room like the football players do - and that doesn't happen anywhere else as drivers have separate motor homes. I'm not saying I want to see the guys with their kit off, we just get a good atmosphere between ourselves before going out to race! I think with Lewis leading the title, the interest and viewing figures for motorsport in the UK are up. Being in Paris for the last few years, a lot of British fans have travelled to the Stade de France to see the event and with so many of the foundations of motorsport in the UK, it is great to have it here at Wembley this year.
David: (on speculation he is to retire) I'm irritated to have to answer questions based on the fact I was born in 1971. The statistics show I am quicker in the races than Mark and the car telemetry shows it too. End of story.
David: (after nearly hitting a brake engineer in pit lane during practice) Occasionally when guys are forward in the pits they may wave you through. Although it is probably not within the rules it is one of those things that certain teams generally do. There is a new guy from their brake company, and apparently it was only his third race. Originally the Toyota guy pushed him away, so he went to go, but as he did so the Toyota guy then pulled him back. I think that helped prevent us colliding. But the guy didn't understand the main rule of F1 - which is trust no one in the pit lane but yourself!
Sebastian Vettel: (on the shunt between David and Alex Wurz at the 2007 Australian F1 GP) If the car [of David’s] had hit Alex's head, he wouldn't have had a hope. It was incredibly dangerous.
David: (on the 2007 season) I don't think it's going to be the most unpredictable season, because the championship battle will be probably between those three, McLaren, Renault and Ferrari. Renault I see maybe a little bit weaker because Fernando had a big impact on the way they performed. What I think is the biggest thing for this year is that you don't have the very known slow group at the back. Super Aguri have the Honda from last year, that was already a quick car, capable of winning one Grand Prix, so you have to presume they are going to be a bit stronger. Toro Rosso will be very close to what we have, so I think for me it will be very clearly Spyker at the back of the grid and in my mind I don't see how they'll be ever be anything than the last car. And then it's a question of what happens in that mix.
Damon Hill: (suggesting David might not have worked hard enough in F1) Sometimes you need to put a rocket up his backside. I say to him sometimes, 'Come on, you've got to do it. You've got to pull something out'
David: (scoffing at retirement rumours in January 2007) I'm only 35. It's hardly retirement age. I enjoy what I do and I clearly deliver, otherwise they wouldn't keep inviting me back. I don't think about not racing, just as I didn't think about it when I was 30 or 24. Just as you don't think about the day you die. You don't live your life worrying about that day. It is inevitable, just as it's inevitable I will stop racing - hopefully before I get myself injured or something. But I really live this, not as a business plan or a strategy to get out in three years and cash in my investment. I live it for the pure enjoyment of going racing. I've a great opportunity, and I'm enjoying it.
David: I destroyed a Williams on the day that Frank (Williams) came to Jerez to tell me I'd got the drive for this (his first) grand prix. I had never damaged a Williams in the two years that I had driven there. Nothing. I still don't know today whether I dropped it or something broke.
David: (taking a dig at a few of his colleagues) I don't pay for my cockpit or have a father who drove in Formula One - I am still here because my team believes that I bring them value by performing at the highest level.
David: (on Red Bull prior to the start of the '07 season) We have to achieve more, otherwise people will have to be replaced. If we don't take a significant step forward I would be extremely surprised.
David: (after the 2006 Race of Champions – Nations Cup) There's no grip and the spray is making it very difficult to see. It's impossible not to slide into the barriers. I feel sorry for the fans; it's far more spectacular in the dry." After semi-final: "I touched the barrier once but that was enough to lose me time. But I'm not too bothered because Travis has been doing a lot of running. But he's the sort of guy who could enter a roller disco competition and win it. I'm cool and happy for him." Colin McRae: after quarter-final "I'm happy to have made it to the next round. I was in the lead against Priaulx after the first lap but then I was too careful and lost time. It was so slippery, and so easy to make a mistake, especially with Aston." After losing to Pastrana in semi-final: "It was a re-make of our X-Games final and he beat me again! I am obviously disappointed to be out but we put up a good fight.
David: (criticising drivers including Barrichello and Rosberg for 'just taking' from their sport) Michael has taken a lot but he's given a lot too. I've taken less, and given less, but I've certainly given. There are others who just take. An example is Rubens. I've raced against him for years and years, and he's a nice guy, and talented, but he just turns up, does his race and buggers off. The GPDA is the only route via which they can influence their sport and yet they don't seem to want to know. I just can't imagine why anyone wouldn't want to be active in the only forum via which he can increase the likelihood of his going home safe and sound at the end of a day spent caning one of the 22 fastest cars in the world around a race track. So when someone like Nico says he isn't ready, well, that's bollocks.
David: (after drivers criticised Monza's safety standards, Max Mosley threatened to strip drivers of their F1 Superlicenses) Instead of real answers we got a letter from Max saying we were speaking out of turn. The letter said that the terms of our Superlicenses include a clause that says we aren't allowed to speak out of turn or against the governing body, etc. It's still us, and only us - the drivers - who really know what it's like to follow another car through a wall of spray at somewhere like Spa. I'm all for everyone involved in the sport expressing their views; why, then, must we drivers not express ours?
David: (after qualifying 19th at the 2006 Brazilian GP) The balance of the car was the same as it had been this morning – and wasn’t very good. On this type of track you need entrance stability in order to carry speed into the turns and I just haven’t been able to find it. I’ve scored points from the back of the grid before and it’s not over until the chequered flag, but clearly this makes it a lot more difficult to get a good result.
David: (giving advice to Lewis Hamilton before he breaks into F1) In terms of driving talent I think he's ready but it's not just about whether you can drive the car or not. It's about how you handle the rollercoaster life that is the life of a Formula One driver. Inevitably as a young man he's probably still living at home, he hasn't probably grown into living his own life off track. If you imagine 10 years from now - presumably he'd still want to be in Formula One at that time - he will probably be married or living on his own or whatever else life's journey has dealt him, and inevitably he will be a different man in 10 years than he is today. It's really a question of how he manages that transition which determines whether he has the same success on the race track. I think that with McLaren behind him he will definitely have the support necessary to get into Formula One. I would advise him not to rush in, because if it doesn't quite work out for whatever reason then it could be a very short career and it's very difficult to know where to go from there. I think he's clearly got the talent, he's got the backing, so take the time to really grow and mature as a man and then come in when you can take the battle to older wiser drivers.
David: (after retiring from the 2006 Japanese GP) I had to retire my car when it lost fourth gear. We were racing the Spyker team for much of the race and it was clear we were quicker in some areas, but slower in others. After Tonio spun, I got stuck behind Scot Speed’s car who was running a little slower than me, that held me up a bit, but other than that I was just trying to run my race.
David: (after the first day’s practice at the 2006 Japanese GP) In changing conditions, you have got to decide which set of tyres you’re going to scrub off. If you run a set of intermediates, you lose them, so I chose to save them and run on the slicks at the end of the second session. It wasn’t the cleanest of laps, I didn’t optimise the lap time on the fuel level and engine load, but the car felt quite slow overall anyway, so we need to see if there are any issues with the car.
David: (after qualifying 12th at the 2006 Chinese GP) The conditions weren't too bad to be honest. It was quite wet at the beginning of the second session, so I went out on a full set of wets to check what the time loss might be. We then got in a spot of bother but, as with all these situations, it wasn't due to just one thing. The first problem was that the countdown in the car stopped working. I didn't have a pit-board, so couldn't work out where I was relative to the end of the session. There was also a radio problem so, when I was asking for the information, I wasn't able to get it. By the time I did come in, there wasn't enough time to change the tyres and go back out. With the benefit of hindsight, all I needed to do was stay out, run round and I would have been quick enough to go through. Obviously, I was wanting to get the maximum lap time possible and that caught us out.
David: (on Michael Schumacher announcing his retirement) Regarding Michael’s retirement – it was a fitting way for him to announce it with a victory. Irrespective of whether people are believers in Michael’s race ethics or not, you have to recognise he’s been a great champion and it’s the end of an era.
David: (on Red Bull’s development for the 2007 season) The development is going in to next year’s car absolutely, because we feel there is limited scope to significantly change our championship place if we were to continue to develop this car. The only argument to say to keep putting some money into the old car is that maybe you find things that can be carried over to the following year. But yeah it’s fair to say we pretty much have this package until the end of the season.
David: (after finishing 12th in the 2006 Italian GP) Very little to say other than disappointing. Regarding Michael’s retirement – it was a fitting way for him to announce it with a victory. Irrespective of whether people are believers in Michael’s race ethics or not, you have to recognise he’s been a great champion and it’s the end of an era.
David: (after the first day’s practice at the 2006 Italian GP) A normal Friday I think. Nothing particularly extraordinary happened so there’s nothing really to report. It’s a circuit with very high-speed straights and we don’t have very good straight line speed so, on the face of it, it’s not that well suited to our car.
David: (after qualifying 16th at the 2006 Turkish GP) Under normal conditions, I think I would have made it through to the next session today. My first run was a little bit messy, but on my second, a Super Aguri went off the circuit in Turn eight in front of me, so I had to lift off. As a result I dropped half a second and couldn’t win it back through the rest of the lap. I tried to push again on the next lap, but by then my tyres had lost performance, it’s just one of things unfortunately.
David: (on drug taking within F1) It's something that people bring up every now and again, but I don't see the point as I don't think there is a problem with drugs.
Interviewer: (Thursday press conference prior to 2006 Turkish GP) In the last race in Hungary, 13th to fifth, even though everyone seemed to bump into your car. Was it a case of hanging on in there and winning some points? David: There was a little bit more to it than that! Yes, in those changeable conditions lots of things can happen and inevitably people can tell stories of how they could have won the race. But you take the results at the chequered flag and that was obviously Jenson’s day and for us as a team it was good points as well.
David: (on 2006 team-mate Christian Klien) Obviously I feel for Christian because he has been unfortunate this year. I think he has good speed and he’s still very young. People have to remember than when you start at 19 or 20 and you’re put in the spotlight with that pressure, you are still a young man, probably still living at home with your parents. We all can remember the transition we go through when we start to stand on our own two feet. My opinion is that he’s been rushed through too quickly and therefore he hasn’t had the chance to show his talent. Therefore his period with Red Bull Racing has come to an end too quickly and that makes it difficult for him to find a drive elsewhere in Formula 1. And that is Formula 1’s loss because he drives well and his feedback is good.
David: (refuting rumours he will retire after the 2006 season) Michael Schumacher is older than me and he is still winning. I go every year to a clinic ... where they check everything out. I know that I am fit and well and not about to die. I am not retiring. Why can't people understand this?
David: (on his re-signing with the Red Bull team for 2007) I’m delighted to continue with Red Bull Racing for a third season. I can feel that the team is really beginning to gel as a group. I’m looking forward to raising the performance of the team and the car and to see Red Bull Racing become a regular points scorer, in with a good shout for achieving podiums and wins.
David: (after qualifying 12th at the 2006 Hungarian GP) The qualifying session didn’t go quite as we hoped. On each run, I was going quicker and the final lap was looking good, but unfortunately I came up behind Tiago Monteiro and lost some time. I dropped about eight tenths of a second, so I didn’t even finish it.
David: (after finishing 11th in the 2006 German GP) I started tenth and finished 11th. That was my race and I’ve nothing more to say.
David: (after the first day’s practice for the 2006 German GP) A normal Friday really. We ran in the morning session, in case it was wet for the entire second practice. That meant the tyres weren’t fresh for the second practice, which lost us a little bit of performance, but there’s not much more to add at the moment. We’ll have to see where we are tomorrow, when everyone’s running in qualifying mode.
David: (after qualifying 9th for the 2006 French GP) On low fuel, the car was very well-balanced, there just wasn’t enough speed in the turns to be competitive with the other guys in the final qualifying session. We didn’t run new tyres in the last part, as we weren’t expecting to qualify any higher up. The race will be tough balance-wise I think; tyres are a big issue here, track temperature is high and there are a lot of long corners, so the rear tyres are going to drop off quite a bit. We’re starting from a pretty good position, so if we keep out of trouble we may score some points.
David: (after finishing 7th in the 2006 US GP) Firstly, a special thanks to Montoya for his contribution to my points finish! I was up along side Christian at the start going into Turn one and could see Tonio coming up on the outside. I didn’t like the look of it, so I backed off, kept in the middle of the road and let them all go past. I understand that Montoya then created a shunt, so we picked up a lot of places there. There’s an incident in Turn one almost every year, so I was mindful of being in a position off the grid and keeping it. From there, it was just a battle with Liuzzi and Rosberg. The team’s strategist guy Will (Courtenay) did a great job today and again my engineer Mark (Hutcheson) gave me some good advice on the radio, so we were able to get out in front of Nico. I’m happy for the whole team. To get these points, especially at this time of year, will help us against Williams.
David: (after practice at the 2006 US GP) I’m not sure how much of the programme Robert was able to get through before he stopped. Without the tyre comparison info, we’ve basically got a fifty-fifty chance of getting it right, but at the moment it’s looking quite clear which one we should opt for. We might have lost a little bit of info regarding the car’s set-up, which is one of the things you use the third car for. Other than that, there’s not a great deal to say about the session. We had some oversteer and in trying to balance it out we took out more and more front flap to try and cam it down, but I think we went a little over the top.
David: (after qualifying 16th at the 2006 Canadian GP) I had a lot of oversteer during qualifying, which I’ve had all weekend and it basically means I can’t carry speed into the corners. That’s where you lose the time here, so it doesn’t surprise me that I was at the back end of the second qualifying group. We can’t really change anything on the car now before the race, apart from front wing adjustments and, as I think we’ve got bigger issues than that, we’ll just have to do the best we can. I think it’s going to be a tough race.
David: (urging Red Bull to sign him up for the ‘07 season now) There are four months to go before the end of the season and on the day after the last race my contract ends. If the team wants continuity, it must act now. I want to work with Adrian Newey and the other new personnel. I am in top physical shape and I know that I am better than many of my colleagues. Plus, the Raikkonens, Schumachers and Alonsos are not available to Red Bull.
David has apologised to Juan Pablo Montoya for his derogatory comments about the Colombian at Silverstone after qualifying at the 2006 GP. A livid Coulthard launched an uncharacteristic public outburst following qualifying after what he perceived as an attempt by Montoya to sabotage his flying lap. The Scot branded Montoya’s driving “disgusting” and “unacceptable” and likened his rival to a caged chimpanzee. Update: Race stewards investigated Coulthard’s claim that Montoya had deliberately held him up through Silverstone’s end-of-lap complex, but found no grounds for a penalty. After reflecting on the matter overnight Coulthard apparently sought out Montoya on Sunday morning to apologise for overstepping the mark.
David: (after finishing 12th in the 2006 British GP) The car had a lot of understeer during the race. I thought I might have done some damage to its underside when I was pushed wide over the kerb at the exit of Stowe on lap one during a battle with Jacques Villeneuve. There was more understeer than there had been during qualifying or the practices and I was surprised by the car’s balance. We increased the front aero by two percent during the race to reduce the understeer, which is a hell of a lot, and it was a little better by the end. Mechanically we performed well, but aero efficiency wise, which is what you need round a circuit like this, we’re not where we need to be and we know we’ve got work to do. The team’s knuckling down and getting on with it and I’m looking forward to next week’s test.
David: (after the first day's practice at the 2006 British GP) We seem to have more oversteer, compared to when we tested here. Obviously, we've got more to come when we start unleashing engine modes and so forth, but obviously, we're a lot further away than we were relatively on day one in Monaco.
Interviewer: Tomorrow there is a meeting of the GPDA. Are you going to talk about Monaco and what happened with Michael, and are there going to be any consequences? David: Yeah, I believe it will be on the agenda. But, it’s an issue between drivers that’s how I feel it should be handled. Inevitably there’ll be someone who has to say their two pence worth, but they probably won’t say it in front of each other in the meeting. What I hope we can achieve is that all those who were quick to give their opinions to the masses, but won’t look Michael in the eye, I think that’s a lack of a man, and I think we’ll find out tomorrow just who’s prepared to say what around the table.
Interviewer: David, you’ll be supporting England of course… David: Yeah. Honestly, I haven’t really got a big interest in football but as the British flag, British passport holder… the St George’s cross lies below the St Andrews flag, I guess England. Interviewer: But you won’t necessarily be watching the match… David: It’s not my passion. I can understand the excitement of everyone here wanting to know what’s going on, but I take it as it comes. I guess everyone else is going to be watching it, so it’s going to be difficult to escape it.
Interviewer: Some of the English press coverage suggested that that was going to help you keep your seat for next year. Do you feel you’re fighting for your seat for next year? David: I think it’s a bit silly to suggest that one result is what people decide on why they are going to put someone in a car. I’ve got a history of consistency, scoring points, obviously won a few Grand Prix and the team know very well what I do on track, with engineers and back at the factory, so I don’t believe there’s any fight or struggle. It’s quite clear that I want to drive the car next year with all of the people that have been brought together. This is the year that hopefully they gel and I see no reason why that car, next season, can’t be competing for serious points, podiums and victories and I know that I can deliver those.
David: (on talks with Ferrari for the '07 season) Looking at Ferrari from the outside they've one driver scoring some serious points and the other not. Any team needs to have two drivers to capitalise and I've not scored over 500 points by accident. But then everyone talks to everybody at this stage of the season.
David: (on Alonso being the new Schumacher) Okay, Michael has a lot of talent, but he also had a fantastically reliable car. Now Fernando has got that.
An excerpt from the press conference following the 2006 Monaco GP, where David finished third: James Roberts – Motorsport News: David does this result improve your chances of staying with Red Bull next year? David: I think results, naturally, don’t do any harm, but the reality is that the conversations regarding next year are ongoing and have been and it is quite clear what my intention is and in a matter of course there will be an announcement.
An excerpt from the press conference following the 2006 Monaco GP, where David finished third: Damien Smith - Autosport: A question for David: apparently on television before the race, Christian Horner said that if Red Bull scored a podium today he would jump in the harbour naked. Are you going to make sure he goes through with that? David: Well, he did tell me, when I was doing the slowing-down lap, that it was actually to jump in the pool at the energy centre naked so my advice was to give his ‘wally’ a good rub before he does it because if you are going to get photographed naked you want to look as favourable as possible.
An excerpt from the press conference following the 2006 Monaco GP, where David finished third: Q: David, from where you were sometimes in this race, were you expecting to be on the podium? David: No, of course a podium is a dream result for us, from where we are at this time. Monaco is the sort of track where you can get results like that so I’m obviously very happy to be there at the end.
An excerpt from the press conference following the 2006 Monaco GP, where David finished third: Q: David, a great drive on a one stop strategy, a very heavy fuel load in the second phase of the race. David: Yeah, absolutely, so that made it quite difficult to push at the end because the tyres were worn out, but obviously delighted, for myself, to be back here. It’s been a long time. Delighted for the team and echoing Fernando’s words, as a mark of respect to Mr Michelin, we didn’t spray the champagne. Moving on from that, today was a very important day for Red Bull Racing, for all the hard work of those involved and hopefully this can give us a boost for the coming races.
David: (after qualifying 9th at the 2006 Monaco GP) I’m actually really pissed off. I’ve had no traffic all weekend and then, on my last flying lap, I got held up. Ninth is our position and I don’t think it’s the reward the team deserves for all their efforts this weekend. The car can go quicker and it would have been nice to have had a clear lap today. This circuit provides a real opportunity for us to get up the grid. No great surprise that Michael had to stop.
David plays down suggestions that an Adrian Newey-penned bodywork package could boost Red Bull from the British GP: David: The parts still need to be proven but I think it's very unlikely that we're going to find something that is going to elevate us to the pacesetters.
David: Remember, I'm only 35. I don't recall people saying Nigel Mansell was too old when he won the title at 39. There are so many young divers and so many young driver development programmes around these days that I might appear to be older than I am.
David: When I was a test driver you would turn up at 8.45, still asleep, get in the car, do lots of laps and by 5.30 you were back in the hotel. There were none of these hours of debriefing and studying telemetry that we do today. I guess that’s why people say it’s not as much fun as it was ‘in the old days’, but I wouldn’t swap it for anything else. It’s what I love to do and looking at the numbers, I guess it’s what I’m good at!
David: As for my best performance, that would be Magny Cours 2001. I had to overtake Rubens and Michael and I was stronger than my team-mate all weekend. Mika was a great benchmark for me because he was so fast. I had a real battle to pass Michael which resulted in me giving him ‘that hand signal’ and I’ve still got the photograph of the incident on top of the TV in my motorhome!”
David: The start of my career was pretty difficult as it came about after Roland and Ayrton had died at the San Marino GP in Imola. Williams ran only one car in the following race, Monaco, as a mark of respect for Ayrton and then made me a Grand Prix driver at the Spanish GP in 1994, so my opportunity definitely came with mixed emotions.
David: Of my twelve Pole Positions, I am particularly proud of the one in Monaco in 2001.
David: Going racing on Sunday is still exciting. I don’t feel any different today from my first grand prix. I love the buzz. I will know when to stop but why should I stop now? People call me the old man, but the older I get the happier I am. I want to get as many heartbeats and as much fun out of my life as I can because for sure, one day it will stop.
David: (after finishing 14th in the 2006 Spanish GP) That was a bit of a long, lonely race. I had a problem with the brakes when driving to the grid and locked up about three or four times. That wasn’t very confidence inspiring and I wasn’t able to attack the corners for the entire race. For me, not a very good 200th Grand Prix.
David: (after practice at the 2006 Spanish GP)) We had a few things we wanted to check on the car today, so we didn’t really follow our normal Friday test programme. We do a lot of laps in testing here though, so we should be okay.
David: (after qualifying 14th at the 2006 European GP) My last lap was good until I lost some time on the last corner, so there’s still some work to be done. I feel for Christian. It’s always disappointing to get caught up in traffic, but it’s unusual for such a timing error to occur. The red flag happened on my out lap, so we were able to rectify everything before I started my timed lap, but it’s very disappointing for Christian, especially as he was going so well this weekend.
David: (after retiring from the 2006 San Marino GP) I had a broken drive shaft. Possibly as a result of something that happened after the pit stop, because when I pulled away I had a problem with the engine taking a lot of revs. It’s a shame, because although we had seen this in winter testing, it had never happened in a race so far.
David: (after practice at the 2006 San Marino GP) I don’t think we’re suddenly going to take a big step forward here, but we’re starting to get a better understanding of the car. Inevitably that will help with future development. I honestly don’t know where we are in the field at the moment – tomorrow will tell.
David: (on the new V8 engines introduced in 2006) You've gone from a car that ... has a bit more power than grip, to one that's got more grip than power. 'I liked the V10 formula. But what does it matter really what I think? It's what we have.
David: (on constantly changing the F1 rules and regulations) I don't have very strong views one way or another, but over the last four or five years, there have been so many changes and I am just nervous of continually changing regulations.
David: (after finishing 9th at the 2006 Australian GP) Scott Speed overtook me under a yellow flag. The Stewards asked me to explain the incident, which occurred under the yellow flag for Tonio's accident. The data shows that Scott overtook while the yellow flags were being waved. On the first lap, I passed Jarno Trulli on Turn two. Going into Turn three I looked into the mirror and saw him coming so I moved over, but he ran wide so I passed him again. In Turn six he did the same thing. However, this time I didn't see him coming, he side-swiped me and hit the side of my car putting me in the gravel and himself out of the race. There was no way he was going to make the corner.
David: (after practice at the 2006 Australian GP) We had a productive day, as we were able to take advantage of the fact that we’d only done ten laps in Malaysia. As a result, my engine is 50 laps in credit, which means we could do more than normal today and get up to speed in case the weather’s wet tomorrow. I wasn’t evaluating tyres today, as we’re saving our allocation for tomorrow. Other than that – not much else to report, until we get into the tyre evaluation tomorrow.
David: (after qualifying 11th at the 2006 Malaysian GP) The car was a good improvement over what we had in the morning session and each of my runs were pretty consistent. We had a problem with the left rear tyre before the last run so I sat for a long time without the tyre blankets on. The car didn’t feel as good on that set and was moving around a little more. Unfortunately I was behind Christian and in front of one of the Williams so I couldn’t get any clear space to heat the tyres up. I made a little mistake and dropped the two tenths that I gained in the first sector and that was it, game over. Of course you want to go as fast as you can, but all things considered I’m not disappointed. I’ll be pretty much at the back of the grid anyway tomorrow due to the penalty.
Asked during a routine pre-race news conference at the Sepang circuit about how it felt to drive a Formula One car in high humidity and temperatures of more than 33 degrees Celsius, the Scot gave a typically succinct reply: David: It's like having to do some physical exercise in a sauna, effectively, and unless it was having sex, I cannot imagine why anyone would want to do anything in a sauna.
David: (after qualifying 13th at the 2006 Bahrain GP) It was obviously pretty tricky in the first 15 minutes when all the cars were queuing up after the session was re-started. In the second one, the car had too much oversteer and so, to be honest, I wasn’t surprised that I didn’t get through to the final ten. I wasn’t comfortable with the car’s balance and so couldn’t attack the corners as I would have liked. Christian did well to get through though.
David: I am not motivated by recognition, I just do things I like doing - racing, shagging, eating and drinking.
David: (on racing an F1 car) It's like that great magical moment when you meet someone you haven't seen for a while but were emotionally close to.... Or that first kiss... that tingling feeling you can't quite explain, but it feels good and you wish you could tell somebody about it.
David: Nothing excites me more than a Formula One Grand Prix. I love to race, it is what motor sport is all about, and the feeling of racing down to the first corner, with all the cars jostling for position, is just fantastic
In June 2007, David completed a number of demo laps around Wembley stadium to celebrate the launch of the Race of Champions. DC will race for Scotland alongside former WRC champion Colin McRae, and used the occasion of the 2007 launch to drive his Red Bull-Renault around the perimeter of the hallowed Wembley turf - which will be covered by a circuit similar to a WRC Superspecial stage for the actual event.
David was relieved that the quick reactions of a Toyota mechanic saved another from being run over by him in practice at the 2007 Bahrain GP. During the second practice session, DC was returning to his garage along the pit lane while one of the Toyotas was being backed into its garage. He was waved on by a Toyota mechanic and went to squeeze through the gap. However, at the same time a brake engineer stepped into DC's path and had it not been for his quick actions and those of one of the Toyota mechanics, he would have hit the engineer.
During the 2007 Australian GP, David tried to overtake Alex Wurz in Turn 3. Alex didn't give him room and David’s Red Bull was launched over the top of the Alex's Williams with Alex's head almost bearing the brunt of David's flying Red Bull Renault. David later apologised and admitted the incident was entirely his fault.
On February 7th, 2007, a Monaco court fined David Coulthard 500 euros (330 pounds) for injuring a woman passenger when he crashed his Mercedes during a high-speed tour of the principality's grand prix circuit in 1999. David was travelling at 100-150 kph through the tunnel on the night of the accident in April 1999, several weeks before that year's Monaco GP. The passenger was slightly hurt but withdrew her complaint in 2002, the year in which he took his second Monaco victory for Mercedes-powered McLaren, after being compensated by the driver. The court still fined David after finding him guilty of accidental injury.
David was beaten by Yvan Muller in an Aston Martin in the 2006 Race Of Champions.
David has attacked F1 rivals Rubens Barrichello and Nico Rosberg for refusing to be nominated as directors for the 2007 Grand Prix Drivers' Association election.
David has apologised to Juan Pablo Montoya for his derogatory comments about the Colombian at the British GP in 2006. A livid Coulthard launched an uncharacteristic public outburst following qualifying after what he perceived as an attempt by Montoya to sabotage his flying lap. He branded Montoya’s driving “disgusting” and “unacceptable” and likened his rival to a caged chimpanzee. “I wouldn’t waste my time by going to see Juan Pablo,” British newspapers quoted him as saying. “It would be like going to a zoo and trying to communicate with a chimpanzee. “We speak a different language and have a different racing etiquette, so there is no point talking to him.” Race stewards investigated Coulthard’s claim that Montoya had deliberately held him up through Silverstone’s end-of-lap complex, but found no grounds for a penalty. After reflecting on the matter overnight Coulthard apparently sought out Montoya on Sunday morning to apologise for overstepping the mark. “He came and apologised this morning. It was nice,” JPM said following Sunday’s race. “I said ‘you haven’t even talked to me in six years I’ve been here [in Formula 1], so it’s hard to say why you don’t trust me if I’ve never done anything to you’. “I was coming into the pits as he was starting his lap and he was never close enough for me to pick up the pace. “I went through the gravel, stayed right and went into the pits. “He said he had to back off to make sure I didn’t screw his lap, but I wasn’t planning to.”
The concept of 'ultimate challenges' between differing categories of race car - or racing machinery in general - is nothing new, but that hasn't stopped David Coulthard from taking up the offer to race both a superbike and a race 'plane around Silverstone. Put together by mutual sponsor Red Bull, DC will take on BSB star Jonathan Rea's 1000cc Honda and pilot Steve Jones' Extra 300S race aircraft on Monday, in a promotion for the forthcoming Red Bull Air Race round at Longleat, with the Scot determined to prove the F1 is still the king of Silverstone. Pilot, driver and rider will race over one full lap of the British Grand Prix circuit, with all three confident that they have the right equipment to come out on top.
According to strengthening speculation in F1 circles, David Coulthard has now signed - or will shortly sign - a new contract to remain at the Red Bull team in 2007.
David is on the cusp of a new one-year contract to race in Red Bull colours beyond 2006. Sources in Britain are talking about a new $2.8 million contract for 35-year-old Coulthard, with the Mirror newspaper expecting an announcement 'within two weeks'.
David Coulthard attended the post-race GP party at Silverstone the night of the race. It is now the traditional finale to the British GP weekend, and was hosted by former ITV Sport analyst Tony Jardine. The attendees were entertained by Status Quo and appearances from a host of Formula One stars past and present.
David has followed the example of his newlywed friend Jacques Villeneuve by getting engaged to Belgian girlfriend Karen Minier. The 35-year-old Scot popped the question to Karen, a former F1 pit lane reporter, on Friday 2 June, six months after ending a long-term relationship with Brazilian fianc? Simone Abdelnour. Coulthard broke the news in an interview with the Sunday Times, and said he felt sure he had met his true love.
In phase 2 of qualifying for the 2006 British GP, David Coulthard was furious with what he claims was a blatant piece of blocking by Juan Pablo Montoya and gesticulated angrily at him as he came back into the pits. Stewards are investigating the situation. Update: Race stewards decided to take no action against Juan Pablo Montoya after investigating David Coulthard’s allegations that the Colombian deliberately held him up in qualifying for the British Grand Prix.
David’s Red Bull team advertised the new Superman movie at the 2006 Monaco GP. The hay stars of the movies as gusts of the teams and drivers wore special driving suits with the Superman logo on the chest.
David has just been rumoured as a potential driver for Toyota for the 2007 F1 season.
After teammate Christian Klien was sacked after the 7th round of the 2006 season, he launched a scathing attack on David. He said that David was at the end of his career and should have gone instead of Klien.
Scott Speed has been fined $5000 by the FIA stewards after swearing at David Coulthard during a hearing that also saw him lose his eighth place for passing under yellows. Speed told Coulthard to 'Fuck Off'.
David had to start the 2006 Malaysian Grand Prix from near the back of the grid after his Ferrari V8 blew on the slowing down lap in Bahrain. Failing to get a single engine through two complete race weekends results in a ten-position qualifying penalty at the next event.
In March 2006 David trapped a nerve in his back during testing in Spain. He was forced to sit out the remainder of the test, with the rest of the Red Bull team fulfilling their duties.
David insists his motivation remains as high as ever and that he isn’t contemplating hanging up his helmet for a management role any time soon.
The 2006 Spanish GP marks David Coulthard's 200th Grand Prix start.
In 1989 David was the British FF1600 Champion.
In 1993, he was the Le Mans 24 Hr GT Class winner.
DC's helmet design was painted by Stranraer karter Brian Smith as a thank you to his father for sponsorship in karting.
David is the highest-scoring British driver ever with 500 points (as of the 2006 Australian Grand Prix), beating Nigel Mansell's previous record of 482 points.
In 1993, Coulthard became test driver for the world champions Williams Renault.
David began racing in Formula Ford in 1989. His performance was so impressive that he won the first ever McLaren/Autosport Young Driver of the Year award.
His F1 podiums and wins in 2004/5: - Nil
His F1 podiums and wins in 2002: - Interlagos 3rd, - Catalunya 3rd, - Monte Carlo 1st, - Montreal 2nd, - Magny Cours 3rd, - Indianapolis 3rd
His F1 podiums and wins in 2000: - Imola 3rd - Silverstone 1st - Catalunya 2nd - N?rburgring 3rd - Monte Carlo 1st - Magny Cours 1st - A1 Ring 2nd - Hockenheim 3rd - Hungaroring 3rd - Suzuka 3rd - Sepang 2nd
His F1 podiums and wins in 1998: - Melbourne 2nd, - Interlagos 2nd, - Imola 1st, - Catalunya 2nd, - A1 Ring 2nd, - Hockenheim 2nd, - Hungaroring 2nd, - N?rburgring 3rd, - Suzuka 3rd
His F1 podiums and wins in 1996: - N?rburgring 3rd, - Monte Carlo 2nd
His F1 podiums and wins in 1994: - Estoril 2nd
As at end October 2006 DC has had 1 triple (pole position, win and fastest lap).
As at end October 2006 DC has had 12 F1 pole positions.
As at end October 2006 DC has had 63 retirements from F1 races.
As at end October 2006 DC has been on the F1 podium 60 times.
As at end October 2006 DC has participated in 207 GPs.
His favourite actors are Mel Gibson and Sylvester Stallone.
DC's hobbies include: Golf, cycling, yachting, movies.
DC is 1.82m tall and weights approx 72.5kg.
David attended Twynholm Primary School (1976-1983) and Kirkcudbright Academy (1983-1986).
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