Chop Cut Rebuild • 4:00pm
adam_cooper,_racer_magazine's avatar
Rate this article:
  • 0/5 Stars
SPEEDtv.com Store
Victory By Design: Ferrari DVD
Alain de Cadenet, a long-time Ferrari enthusiast and aficionado, drives some of the great sports racers and sports cars.
Our Price: $24.95
Visit Button
Buy Button
Red Hot Ringtone: Air Rachet Single Burst
Sound off with SPEED Ringtones!
Our Price: Only $1.99
Visit Button
Buy Button
Ferrari 60 Years: The Great Moments
by Leonardo Acerbi
This lavish book dedicates a whole chapter to each of Ferrari's 60 years in existence.
Our Price: $50.00
Visit Button
Buy Button
F1: Coulthard Announces Retirement
Written by: Adam Cooper
RACER Magazine   http://www.racer.com/speedtv
Northamptonshire, UK
 
At age 36, Coulthard is the oldest driver in the F1 paddock. (LAT Photo) ยป More Photos

David Coulthard has announced today that he will retire from F1 at the end of the season.

Since leaving McLaren the Scot has extended his career by four years after signing with Red Bull, but it seems that he has realized that there is no opportunity available to him next year. He may well have been told that next year’s lineup will be Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel.

Coulthard has been consistently outqualified by Webber over the last year and a half. He has on occasion taken advantage of circumstances to score a good result, notably this year in Montreal, where he finished third.

DC's full statement was as follows:

"I would like to announce today my decision to retire from racing in Formula One at the end of this season. I will remain actively involved in the sport as a consultant to Red Bull Racing focusing on testing and development of the cars. I have an open mind as to whether or not I will compete again in the future, in some other form of motorsport, so I am definitely not hanging up my helmet!

My decision to retire was taken earlier in the year and is based on a desire to stop while I am still competitive and enjoying the immense challenge that Grand Prix driving represents. I also have the desire to look for new challenges within the sport.

The decision to make this announcement at the British GP should be an obvious one for all to understand, as I have achieved two of my thirteen F1 victories at Silverstone and I am a member of the British Racing Drivers' Club, which hosts this event.

I am proud of my work at Red Bull Racing and will continue to race with the same focus until the last lap in Brazil. Thereafter I will continue to help the team develop and move towards their ultimate goal of
winning races.
/>
There are many people who have played a part in my career and I would like to list a few of them below;

- My parents whose energy and encouragement through my entire career has been amazing;
- Dave Boyce who guided me through Karting;
- David Leslie Senior and Junior for teaching me how to set up and race a car;
- Sir Jackie and Paul Stewart for putting me through their "staircase of talent";
- Sir Frank Williams and Williams Renault for having the faith to promote me from test driver to race driver, which led to my first GP victory;
- Ron Dennis and the McLaren team where I spent nine seasons and achieved the majority of my success.
- Norbert Haug and Mercedes for being racers through and through;
- Dietrich Mateschitz and his Red Bull Racing team for providing me with the chance to contribute to the development of a new team, while continuing to compete and add to my tally of podiums;
- Christian Horner for his open and professional management style in association with Helmut Marko;
- Bernie Ecclestone for providing such a strong platform for us all to develop our skills and be able to call ourselves professionals. In years to come, my future family will still be thanking him for the financial success of F1;
- My management team of Martin Brundle and David Cawthorne in association with Annette Hutchinson and Iain Cunningham for providing their valued opinions;
- There have been three teams but only one designer, so Adrian Newey deserves special thanks for all the champagne that I have sprayed;
- And last but not least, all the media, officials, marshals, medical support, mechanics, engineers, sponsors, lawyers, accountants and back room staff that I have worked with during this period.

DC
Silverstone 2008"
View All Comments