Only a few more F1 races for him

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 lead 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.

Coulthard to retire at the end of this year

Following David Coulthard’s announcement that he plans to retire from race driving in Formula 1 after the end of the 2008 season, Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner commented:

“Working with David has been an absolute pleasure and his contribution to the team over the past four seasons has been significant. He is a consummate professional and I think that one of the key elements to the length of his career is the dedication he has applied and the commitment he has shown to the team.

“He has demonstrated that he is a real team player, a fact reinforced by the statistic that he has only driven for two other F1 teams in his career. To date, he has won thirteen grands prix and there could have been many more if you count the near misses and the ones he gifted to other drivers!

“He scored our first point, our first podium and was the first of our drivers to lead a grand prix. Above all, he is a gentleman and I regard him as a good friend. Within the team there’s a huge amount of respect for David. His retirement brings to a close not just his career as a grand prix racing driver but also a chapter in the history of Formula 1, if one considers the changes the sport has been through while he has been involved with it.

“Now he heads off to face a new challenge. Red Bull Racing will still be utilising his services and he will on occasion drive the car in test sessions for us so that we can draw upon his vast experience and knowledge. He will be involved as a consultant to the team and to the technical group as we look to extract the maximum from his considerable experience of Formula 1. I don’t think he will be struggling to fill his time!”

DAVID COULTHARD

Nationality: British
Date of Birth: 27 / 03 / 1971
Lives: Monaco

STATISTICS (up to and including the French GP 2008)

- David has won 13 F1 races

- David has had 12 pole positions

- David has led 60 grands prix

- David has had 62 podium finishes (his most recent was in Canada 2008 for Red Bull
Racing, when he finished third)

- David has set 18 fastest race laps

- David has scored 533 points up to and including the French Grand Prix 2008. Based
on points, he’s the most successful British GP driver in the history of the sport.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2008 Red Bull Racing Formula One driver
Third place podium finish (Canada)

2007 Red Bull Racing Formula One driver
Scored 14 points
10h in Drivers’ Championship

2006 Red Bull Racing Formula One driver
Third place podium finish (Monaco)
Scored 14 points
13h in Drivers’ Championship

2005 Red Bull Racing Formula One driver
Two fourth place finishes (Australia and Nürburgring)
Scored 24 points
12th in Drivers’ Championship

2004 McLaren Mercedes Formula One driver
Fourth place (Germany)
Scored 24 points
Ninth in Drivers’ Championship

2003 McLaren Mercedes Formula One driver
Wins Australian Grand Prix
Scored 51 points
Seventh in Drivers’ Championship

2002 McLaren Mercedes Formula One driver
Wins Monaco Grand Prix
Scored 41 points
Fifth in Drivers’ Championship

2001 McLaren Mercedes Formula One driver
Wins Brazilian Grand Prix and Austrian Grand Prix
Scored 65 points
Second in Drivers’ Championship

2000 McLaren Mercedes Formula One driver
Wins in Great Britain, Monaco and France
Scored 73 points
Third in Drivers’ Championship

1999 McLaren Mercedes Formula One driver
Wins British Grand Prix and Belgian Grand Prix
Scored 48 points
Fourth in Drivers’ Championship

1998 McLaren Mercedes Formula One driver
Wins San Marino Grand Prix
Scored 56 points
Third in Drivers’ Championship

1997 McLaren Mercedes Formula One driver
Wins Australian Grand Prix and Italian Grand Prix
Scored 36 points
Third in Drivers’ Championship

1996 McLaren Mercedes Formula One driver
Second in the Monaco Grand Prix
Scored 18 points
Seventh in Drivers’ Championship

1995 Williams Renault Formula One driver
Wins Portuguese Grand Prix
Scored 49 points
Third in Drivers’ Championship

1994 Williams Renault Formula One driver
Promoted from Test Driver to Race Driver

1993 Formula 3000 Championship
Third in Championship
Winner of GT Class at Le Mans 24 Hours
Official F1 Test Driver for Williams Renault

1992 Formula 3000 Championship
Ninth in Championship
Eighth in Euro-Macau-Fuji Formula 3

1991 British Formula 3 Championship
Second in Championship
Wins Formula 3 Macau GP
Wins Marlboro Masters of Formula 3

1990 Formula Vauxhall-Lotus Championship / GM Lotus Euroseries
Championship

1989 Dunlop / Autosport FF1600 Champion
Wins P&O Ferries Junior FF1600 Series
Third Formula Ford Festival, Brands Hatch
Wins McLaren Autosport Young Driver of the Year Award

1988 Scottish Open Kart Champion
1986-1987 Scottish Open Kart Champion & British Super Kart 1 Champion
1983-1985 Scottish junior Kart Champion

source: David Coulthard / redbullracing.com