Now campaigning his 15th consecutive season at 37 years old, David Coulthard is Formula One's elder statesman. His 236 grands prix contested to date is second only to Rubens Barrichello's 261, and the Scotsman has elevated his suffering of the latest batch of rookies each season to an art form. But that may be winding to a close, as DC looks into the future.
With rumors of Red Bull promoting its young driver Sebastian Vettel out of the Toro Rosso junior team and into Coulthard's seat, the veteran driver is admitting it might be time to hang up the helmet and move on. And what does he think of the proposition? "Boo hoo.... There are a lot of worse things that can happen to you. You just move on to the next challenge."
The next obvious question is what the next challenge will be for the perennial fixture of the F1 grid. He's already discounted the notion of moving to another team. Rumors suggest he could move into a management role in the Red Bull team he helped establish. Others suggest he could buy out Toro Rosso with the cash he's liquidating from the sale of his five-star Columbus hotel in Monaco (realizing what was previously just a joke). A third possibility pegs him as a commentator for BBC's Formula One coverage. What he's committed to avoid, however, is following his longtime friend Jacques Villeneuve in pursuit of a NASCAR seat, or reverting to any other racing series for that matter. "After F1, everything else is a step down."
[Sources: autosport and F1-Live; photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Bongarts/Getty Images for Puma]
Officially Official: Honda unveils updated 2009 Civic
Facelifted 2009 Honda Civic sedan gets scantastic reveal
Monterey 2008: Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport
Infiniti G37 Convertible revealed ahead of L.A.
Monterey 2008: Cadillac unveils 2010 CTS Sport Wagon![First Drive: 2009 Corvette ZR1 [w/VIDEO]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/08/zr1-1st-drive-1280-46_opt_thumbnail.jpg)
First Drive: 2009 Corvette ZR1 [w/VIDEO]
First Drive: 2008 Range Rover Sport
Woodward 2008: Monday morning recap
VIDEO: Corvette ZR1 does epic burnouts, we have proof
Autoblog drives the 2009 Corvette ZR1! (but we can't talk about it yet)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Richard @ Jul 1st 2008 6:33PM
I, for one, hope DC sticks around the F1 scene. He adds that little bit of serene UK class that keeps F1 the nonpareil of motor racing.
Natural Selection @ Jul 1st 2008 8:39PM
Rumor has it he can't afford the new superlicense fees.
Richardh @ Jul 2nd 2008 1:07AM
Pretty sure he can afford the superlicense fees
Disgruntled Goat @ Jul 1st 2008 6:45PM
I know what you're thinking - don't say it...
JD @ Jul 1st 2008 7:20PM
Well, I must admit, despite all the nasty jokes regarding his age that myself and others make about him, I would miss him if he retired. Not like he hasn't been here for a while, but I am glad to see that he doesn't plan to degrade his own dignity by pursuing a seat in NASCAR. I would like to see him stick around the F1 scene, a management role would be great for him, I think. I hope he at least sticks around for one more season though. He is a legend in his own right.
Ben @ Jul 1st 2008 8:03PM
Me likes the girl. Who is she? =]
Zane @ Jul 2nd 2008 3:23AM
Karen Minier, I suppose? He's engaged to some female, ain't it?
Dan @ Jul 1st 2008 8:09PM
that girl is hot
Eric @ Jul 1st 2008 8:17PM
DC brings alot to the sport, hopefully he sticks around the RB team.
Andy @ Jul 1st 2008 10:19PM
I enjoyed his races with McLaren, especially when he took the fight to Schumacher.
bob d @ Jul 1st 2008 11:08PM
He's giving up so Hamilton can become the new "whiner in chief" in Formula one.
Mobius_1 @ Jul 2nd 2008 12:15AM
If you include team bosses, no one has surpassed Ron Dennis (although he has been getting a lot of stick from F1)
Although Hamilton probably has already surpassed DC
Dave Ellis @ Jul 2nd 2008 2:43AM
If the BBC doesn't take on Martin Brundle then they need to take on David Coulthard in his place.
Devon @ Jul 2nd 2008 8:32AM
The Beeb does not cover F1 - ITV does, and I doubt they would boot Brundle from his commentary job, he's very good. Now if they would only replace that other prat with DC....
Devon @ Jul 2nd 2008 8:43AM
Whoops, my bad - I see BBC is taking over F1 from ITV next year. Not a big surprise that ITV haven't talked that up.... Here's hoping we continue to get the British F1 coverage here in Canada, with a commentator who has actually raced in F1 within say the last 100 years.
Brad @ Jul 2nd 2008 8:43AM
The Beeb doesn't cover F1 this year but they will in 2009. I think he would be a good color commentator.
alex hofstetter @ Jul 2nd 2008 6:45AM
I gained respect for DC when the private jet carrying him and his trainer to the South of France crashed on landing killing both pilots. DC crawled through the mangled wreck and survived. As a matter of fact, he may have won his next race after the incident. Pretty tough guy.
But to me he will always be Spongebob Squarehead.
MikeInNC @ Jul 2nd 2008 8:14AM
DC's a class act. Love to see him stick around in the F1 scene.
Devon @ Jul 2nd 2008 8:49AM
Whoops, my bad - I see thatthe Beeb is taking over F1 coverage next year from ITV. Not surprising that this hasn't come up in the ITV coverage this year...
Here's hoping we Canucks continue to get the British feed with a real live recently-ex-F1 driver commentating. David Hobbs is a nice guy, but let's be honest, he's way, way past his best-before date.