Interview With David Coulthard
Jun 16, 2008
teamredbull
Question: David, based on your season up until Montreal, many had already written you off. Last weekend you silenced your critics with a vengeance. How did that feel?
David Coulthard: It felt phenomenal. I am long enough in the sport to know that you are only as good as your last result - and if the previous six results didn’t look so good then of course I know that it was because of circumstance rather then a lack of pace or a lack of desire - quite the contrary. So to have such good pace in Canada, and to have a bit of luck on your side - even if those three cars had not crashed in the pit lane - I believe I had it to be seventh, which of course is not as good as a podium, but which would still be a strong result for where we are as a team, as we know that the two Ferraris, the two McLarens and the two BMWs are quicker. Normally you’re fighting over seventh position with Toyota, Honda and Williams. So, all of that said, I delivered - and it shuts people up for a few weeks!
Question: One of the first to congratulate you was Hollywood star Michael Douglas. And no doubt you had Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz on the phone…
David Coulthard: Getting Michael’s congratulations was the icing on the cake. I’ve known him for years. He’s a real race fan - and a very down-to-earth person when you consider what a big celebrity he is. And Dietrich, of course, is delighted with the podium result. In the end that is what Red Bull wants to do: they want to be up there fighting with the manufacturer teams.
Question: Montreal is considered a pretty difficult track in many regards, so if you can do well there can you do well everywhere else this season? What do you expect for the next round at Magny-Cours, a distinctively different circuit?
David Coulthard: Magny-Cours is not the Formula One world’s favourite venue because of its location, but I like the track. I think it’s very challenging, it’s very smooth and it requires a car with good aero efficiency. I expect Ferrari to be very strong there and, of course, McLaren - and I am hoping that we can bring in a strong performance.
Question: What is the state of the 2009 car? It must be quite a challenge to simultaneously develop the current car and build a completely new one for next year…
David Coulthard: This is were the big teams get their advantage when you have such a significant change in regulations. If it’s an upgrade of the current regulations it is less challenging for the small teams, but now we have to develop KERS, we have to develop low downforce and we have to understand the influence of the slick tyres. So for sure teams like Ferrari or McLaren are able to invest more time earlier, but I hope that the skills of Adrian and Geoff (Willis) and the whole design team means that we don’t get stuck too far behind.
