F1 News: David Coulthard Reflects On Career - "Not Sure I Ever Loved Being A Racing Driver”
Having transitioned into a highly successful career as a broadcaster and F1 pundit, David Coulthard reflects on his time as a Formula 1 racing driver, admitting uncertainty about whether he truly "loved being a racing car driver" despite his extensive 14-year tenure in the sport.
Known by his nickname DC, he seized the opportunity to showcase his talent after the untimely death of Ayrton Senna, before joining Williams as a full-time driver in 1995. The retired Scottish racing driver competed in 15 Formula One seasons from 1994 to 2008, securing 13 Grand Prix victories and 62 podium finishes.
Spending the final years of his career with Red Bull, the 52-year-old driver looks back at his Formula 1 career and concludes that there's more to life than racing. He also explains philosophically about happiness, and that it is a "self declared thing". He told The Telegraph:
“I mean, I love life, but I’m not sure I ever loved being a racing car driver.
“Because it always seemed that life was about more than that.
“I was lucky to grow up in a loving family and we went racing together, but the rest of my week would be normal life, so I’ve always known that you don’t need to be a grand prix driver, living in Monaco and travelling the world to be happy. Happiness is a self-declared thing.”
"I Felt Liberated"
Reflecting on his final year with Red Bull, Coulthard quickly sensed that it wouldn't be a successful season during pre-season testing. He underscores the importance of relying on the car's performance in Formula One, unlike sports like tennis, where talent plays a more significant role. He added:
“I woke up for pre-season testing on what turned out to be my last year.
“When I drove the car (Red Bull’s 2008 RB4), I just didn’t feel it.
“In racing, that brand new car at the start of a season carries all your hopes and desires.
“Unlike other sports where if you’re, say, Novak Djokovic, you tend to have form throughout your entire career, but drivers need that car or they can’t perform.
“So Lewis Hamilton wins races when he has a good car but doesn’t when he has an average one. And on that particular day, I knew that mine was not a winning car – and I lost the energy. I lost the fight.
“It’s like with relationships. You never imagine not being in a relationship, until the moment you think: ‘I don’t want to be in this anymore.’ And instead of feeling depressed, I actually felt liberated.”