Difference between revisions of "David Coulthard"
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Revision as of 10:11, 8 October 2009
David Marshall Coulthard (born March 27, 1971 in Twynholm, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland), is a Scottish Formula One racing driver for Red Bull Racing. He has been one of the most successful drivers in the current era of the sport with 13 grand prix victories. By virtue of a long career, much of it spent in top teams, he has amassed a large points haul, and lies 4th on the all-time scorers list being the top British scorer.
Biography
Coulthard began karting at an early age, graduating to Formula Ford in 1989. His performance was so impressive that he won the first ever McLaren/Autosport Young Driver of the Year award. In 1990, he suffered a broken leg at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, yet still came back the following year to win Formula 3 races at Zandvoort, Netherlands and Macau, China. In 1992, he raced in the Formula 3000 series, finishing ninth, and in 1993 he improved to third overall.
In 1993, Coulthard became test driver for the world champions Williams Renault and played an important role in advancing the car's technology. For 1994 he stayed with Williams as tester, but following Senna's tragic death at Imola, was promoted to the race team alongside Damon Hill for Barcelona. He spent much of the season driving the second car, but had to step aside for ex-champion Nigel Mansell on four occasions. Renault were keen to have a big name in the second Williams, and Mansell, at that time reigning Indycar champion, fitted the bill. Coulthard showed flashes of speed, but errors and bad luck saw him take just one podium, a second at Estoril. For the last three races he had to sit back and watch Mansell take his place, but it was he, and not Nigel, who would race for Williams full-time in 1995.
The season saw him demonstrate his undoubted pace, but he only won one race, the Portuguese Grand Prix. There were other races where he could have won, but poor luck and mistakes once more cost him. He did score five pole positions however, four of them consecutively. Some unforced errors tarnished his season however: at Monza he span off on the formation lap, whilst in Adelaide he crashed coming into the pits. With Villeneuve on his way to Williams for 1996, Coulthard had to look elsewhere.
In 1996, Coulthard contracted with McLaren to drive alongside future champion Mika Häkkinen. His first season with McLaren was unremarkable, as the Mercedes-powered team struggled to find speed. He led at Imola and lost out to an inspired Panis at Monaco. In 1997, in his second year with McLaren, he finished the drivers championship tied with Jean Alesi for third place (after the disqualification of Michael Schumacher). He had taken two wins and could have added more, but for problems. At Jerez he was on course to win after Villeneuve moved over, but McLaren ordered him to surrender the win to Hakkinen. In 1998, the McLaren was consistently the fastest car on track, but it was Hakkinen who made the most of it, winning the title. Coulthard took just one win and spent most of the year in a supporting role.
In 1999, a combination of under-performance and bad luck saw him finish the season in fourth place, as McLaren lost the constructor title to Ferrari. Hakkinen had become champion, whilst Coulthard won twice. In 2000, he was involved in a tight battle for the drivers championship with Schumacher and Häkkinen, but eventually fell out of contention into a disappointing third place finish. In 2001 he finished the year in second place, but with barely half the points (65) tallied by runaway winner Schumacher (123).
Coulthard's subsequent years at McLaren, from 2002 through 2004, were disappointing as well, as he was regularly out-paced by younger teammate Kimi Räikkönen. Many of Coulthard's critics argue that his decline began in 2003, when the FIA introduced the single-lap qualifying format, causing David to freeze up (i.e. develop stage-fright) during his hot lap. With the announcement that Juan Pablo Montoya was to join McLaren in 2005 alongside Räikkönen, 2004 was to be Coulthard's last year with the team. A poor ninth place finish in the final 2004 standings (24 points, equal with the injured Ralf Schumacher) hadn't helped Coulthard's cause for 2005 either. However, he was signed by Red Bull Racing, who were attracted by Coulthard's experience, and is teamed with the inexperienced Christian Klien and Vitantonio Liuzzi. Coulthard's contract at Red Bull Racing was also extended prior to the 2005 British Grand Prix, to prolong Coulthard's Formula One career to at least the end of 2006. David's stint at Red Bull was a renewal for the Scottish driver scoring points in many races and becoming one of the more outspoken and media savvy drivers. His sixth place position in the 2005 Japanese GP, ahead of his old foe Michael Schumacher, is representative of how he is able to drive the wheels off an inferior car.
. Soon they will be powered by Ferarri engines in 2006.
Among active F1 drivers, Coulthard has the second most wins (13) behind Schumacher. Coulthard is the highest-scoring British driver ever with 483 points (as of the 2005 Malaysian Grand Prix), beating Nigel Mansell's previous record of 482 points.
Coulthard, along with his personal trainer and then-fiancée Heidi Wichlinski, escaped death in a May, 2000 plane crash. The Learjet in which they were travelling developed engine trouble, and crashed while attempting to land at Lyon-Salotas airport near Lyon, France. While Coulthard luckily received only minor injuries, the front of the aircraft disintegrated upon impact, killing both pilots. Coulthard and Wichlinski broke off their engagement in early 2001; according to tabloid reports, he was associated with a number of women during this time period. However, in a BBC interview, Coulthard vigorously denied these claims, stating that the tabloid reports were "out of date and inaccurate."
Still single, Coulthard now resides in the principality of Monaco. He owns several luxury hotels in Britain and Monaco, including the Columbus, which is located in Monaco's Fontvieille.
Formula 1 results
Championship qualifications
- 1994: 8th, 14 points (Williams)
- 1995: 3rd, 49 points (Williams)
- 1996: 7th, 18 points (McLaren)
- 1997: 3rd, 36 points (McLaren)
- 1998: 3rd, 56 points (McLaren)
- 1999: 4th, 48 points (McLaren)
- 2000: 3rd, 73 points (McLaren)
- 2001: 2nd, 65 points (McLaren)
- 2002: 5th, 41 points (McLaren)
- 2003: 7th, 51 points (McLaren)
- 2004: 9th, 24 points (McLaren)
- 2005: 12th, 24 points (Red Bull)
Podiums and wins
- 1994: Autódromo do Estoril|Estoril 2nd
- 1995: Autódromo José Carlos Pace|Interlagos 2nd, Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours|Magny Cours 3rd, Silverstone Circuit|Silverstone 3rd, Hockenheimring|Hockenheim 2nd, Hungaroring 2nd, Autódromo do Estoril|Estoril 1st, Pacific_Grand_Prix|Aida 2nd
- 1996: Nürburgring 3rd, Circuit de Monaco|Monte Carlo 2nd
- 1997: Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit|Melbourne 1st, Autodromo Nazionale Monza|Monza 1st, Österreichring|A1 Ring 2nd, Circuito Permante de Jerez|Jerez 2nd
- 1998: Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit|Melbourne 2nd, Autódromo José Carlos Pace|Interlagos 2nd, Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari|Imola 1st, Circuit de Catalunya|Catalunya 2nd, Österreichring|A1 Ring 2nd, Hockenheimring|Hockenheim 2nd, Hungaroring 2nd, Nürburgring 3rd, Suzuka Circuit|Suzuka 3rd
- 1999: Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari|Imola 2nd, Circuit de Catalunya|Catalunya 2nd, Silverstone Circuit|Silverstone 1st, Österreichring|A1 Ring 2nd, Hungaroring 2nd, Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps|Spa 1st
- 2000: Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari|Imola 3rd, Silverstone Circuit|Silverstone 1st, Circuit de Catalunya|Catalunya 2nd, Nürburgring 3rd, Circuit de Monaco|Monte Carlo 1st, Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours|Magny Cours 1st, Österreichring|A1 Ring 2nd, Hockenheimring|Hockenheim 3rd, Hungaroring 3rd, Suzuka Circuit|Suzuka 3rd, Sepang International Circuit|Sepang 2nd
- 2001: Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit|Melbourne 2nd, Sepang International Circuit|Sepang 3rd, Autódromo José Carlos Pace|Interlagos 1st, Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari|Imola 2nd, Österreichring|A1 Ring 1st, Nürburgring 3rd, Hungaroring 3rd, Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps|Spa 2nd, Indianapolis Motor Speedway|Indianapolis 3rd, Suzuka Circuit|Suzuka 3rd
- 2002: Autódromo José Carlos Pace|Interlagos 3rd, Circuit de Catalunya|Catalunya 3rd, Circuit de Monaco|Monte Carlo 1st, Canadian Grand Prix|Montreal 2nd, Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours|Magny Cours 3rd, Indianapolis Motor Speedway|Indianapolis 3rd
- 2003: Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit|Melbourne 1st, Hockenheimring|Hockenheim 2nd, Suzuka Circuit|Suzuka 3rd
- 2004: None
- 2005: None