With bright eyes, square jaw, striking face and a big grin – David Coulthard is an eye-catcher. The Scot has an aura that attracts everyone’s attention. As attractive as his success is and the fact that he drives in the 2010 DTM as an excellent racer is noteworthy, but as an individual, Coulthard is also a great addition to the human race.
Once addicted, always addicted
After only a year away and his F1 farewell in 2008 he is back in the racing world. In the DTM with Mercedes-Benz. Norbert Haug and his men can also be proud of this coup. “DC” is a star. Such types can bring a real racing series only forward. At least, humanly, morally and in terms of image.
Whether DC also sports an added value may be, will turn out. It starts in a 2008-spec C-Class mosquito teams – there, where Ralf Schumacher his “apprentice” year graduated. For a team that has a lot of experience and DTM Peter Mücke in a calm, serene as head teacher.
“I would like to try it by myself and make the challenge of DTM. I do not have a defined goal, but simply want to make with my friends again at Mercedes motorsport, “said Coulthard his motivation to compete with the world’s best touring car aces. There it is again: this radiation, this karma. It deprives them of their estimates from simple and wishes him that will be the DTM-entry more than a brief interlude. David Coulthard will be good for the DTM – just as it has done before, fetched from Mercedes Jean Alesi, Mika Hakkinen and Ralf Schumacher.
Held in Formula 1
Coulthard’s career in racing runs initially as textbook: As a child turns David Klein, the first laps in the kart, he shows great talent in dealing with the gas pedal and steering wheel. In Scottish championships in the 80’s he giving his competitor for many years no chance. The reward: 1989 is the now adult Coulthard honored with the “McLaren Autosport BRDC Award – the most prestigious award for young racers. The ticket simply for a successful career. Coulthard also gives the award a boost. It rises up in the Formula racing. In 1991, he travels in the team of Paul Stewart, son of former Formula 1 world champion Jackie Stewart, in the British Formula 3 Championship and won second place overall. In the same year he wins both the Formula 3 Grand Prix in Macau as well as the Formula 3 Masters, and thereby gains the two most prestigious races in the Formula 3 circus. Coulthard climbs logically the next stage of the career ladder: Formula 3000 Championship – the second division under the first formula Furthermore, for Paul Stewart. In 1993, the dream comes from Formula 1 in performance: The Williams-Renault team requires him as a test driver in the top class. ” Full-Coulthard remains in the Formula 3000 For the Pacific team, he occupied overall.
Then the year that he will never forget. 1994 Grand Prix of San Marino. Formula 1 experienced one of its saddest days. Williams superstar Ayrton Senna fatal accident. Team boss Frank Williams has to make a difficult decision. He gives his inexperienced replacement driver Coulthard a chance – and using them. In eight operations to the end of the season he runs five times in the points, including once on the podium in Portugal. Coulthard in 1995, celebrates his first victory. Back in Portugal. The McLaren-Mercedes team is aware of the young Scot and obliged him to season 1996. In 1997 the big break: In the very first race in Australia Coulthard wins. It is the first victory in a “silver arrow” since the 1950s.
McLaren-Mercedes is developing a titeltauglichen team again. However, it is not Coulthard, who is reaping the laurels of the British. Rather, he takes the role of the solid number two behind the Finn Mika Hakkinen, who is a world champion in 1998 and 1999. 2001: F1 last year by Hakkinen. It is no longer good, overall five. Coulthard uses his chance and comes out of the shadows: two overall. His best end result in Formula 1 2002 – another Finn DC makes life difficult. Initially developed at eye level to Kimi Raikkonen for Ohata number one. Three average from 2002 to 2004 are cause for a team move to Red Bull Racing, which celebrates in 2005 its F1 debut. The former Jaguar team, bought by Red Bull boss Dietrich Mateschitz, turns out to be a mediocre team. Coulthard comes in spite of his experience in four years does not go beyond the tenth place overall. A victory is denied him, but he makes 2006 in Monaco as a third party for the much acclaimed first Red Bull podium place.
With the Brazilian GP in 2008 Coulthard ends racing career. For the time being. “I will certainly not hang his helmet on the nail. I’m staying in motor sports receive different, “he reassured his fans. The F1 record of 15 years is impressive. In the eternal rankings of the race started, the collected championship points and landed podium finishes he romped in the Top Ten. After Michael Schumacher (180 races for Ferrari) no driver stayed longer with a team (150 races for McLaren-Mercedes). He keeps his promise to the fans. In the background, in 2009 he worked as a consultant and representative for Red Bull, in the foreground, and hear it as a Formula 1 expert for the British TV channel BBC. And as an ambassador for “Wings for Life”, a foundation of former motorcycle star Heinz Kinigadner and Red Bull founder Mateschitz, which supports research to cure paralysis.
Disaster Strikes
May 2, 2000. An ordinary Tuesday. David Coulthard, his then-fiancee Heidi Wichlinski and personal fitness trainer, Andrew Matthews, were in a privately rented Lear jet on the way to the Spanish Grand Prix. Then a shock for all occupants: Around the Lyon region in France, pilot and co-pilot realize there are problems with both engines and put on the emergency landing. The quintet will be diverted to the airport of Lyon-Satolas. Then the disaster takes its course: According to official data, the pilots lose control of landing the plane. The chassis and the left wing touching the ground, the plane bounces up again breaks into two parts, and goes up in flames. Coulthard and Matthews can save themselves, Coulthard is believe to have saved his fiancee from the blazing wreck. A real feat. For the pilots, however, help comes too late. “I thought I would die,” said Coulthard, who incurs in the disaster, only a few scrapes and bruised ribs.
Women Held in everyday life
“I admit that women are on me,” says David Coulthard in his very entertaining autobiography, “It is what it is”. It was during his time in Formula 1, many unique properties. Time he assumed that once he refused. This Playboy life is history. He has found his true love: Karen Minier, a former television presenter from Belgium. Coulthard puts her engagement ring befitting the Formula 1 race in Hockenheim in 2006 on the grid to. Two years later, the couple is happy about the birth of their son, Dayton. Coulthard’s everyday life: remove children, change diapers, get up at night, when the boy cries. Only for Karen, he is a womanizer. And in the DTM, it can quickly become one.
