David Coulthard: ‘We should have a Grand Prix here’

Ex-Formula One stalwart David Coulthard from Britain, poses with a car at a press conference in a city hotel on Saturday. Pic/Shadab Khan

Former British racing driver David Coulthard batted to have a Formula One (F1) Grand Prix (GP) in India during the Red Bull Showrun press conference in Bandra on Saturday.

The 51-year-old acknowledged India's robust engineering talent and the country's formidable presence in the global economy as he pushed for a return of the Indian GP that last took place at the Buddh International Circuit, Noida, in 2013.

"From a population point of view, India is a major player in the global economy. There is incredible brain power here. A lot of technology is developed here and then shipped out to the rest of the world to enjoy. There have only been a couple of Indian Formula One drivers over the past 15 years or so. I think we should have a Grand Prix here," Coulthard said during a media interaction. He also reflected on Red Bull's incredible recent run in the F1 circuit with lead driver Max Verstappen claiming the championship title consecutively in the last two years.

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The team also won the F1 constructors' championship after an eight-year-long drought, in 2022. The 13-time F1 GP victor hailed the team's investment in quality manpower as the reason behind their current dominance.

‘Got to invest in people'

"There is no secret ingredient to being successful in Formula One. There are periods, where a team has a technological advantage or they have great efficiencies with teamwork, whether it is with pit stops or is it driving the consistency. You have got to invest in people and empower them to do the job," Coulthard said.

However, Coulthard did not shy away from potentially locking horns with Verstappen. The 2001 F1 championship runner-up asserted that he is always keen to pit himself against the best in the business, something he aspired to do throughout his illustrious career.

"I would love to go up alongside Max. Not because I think I can beat him but I have always wanted to compare myself to the best and not hide from them. I admire success, commitment and work ethic and if I could be alongside someone like that and let's say I am 1/10th slower [to Max], maybe half a 10th, maybe half a second, whatever the gap was at the peak of my career, I would know how I compare to the world champion and that's always what I have aspired to," Coulthard claimed.

Don't mix politics & sports

The veteran driver also touched upon F1 governing body Federation Internationale de l'Automobile's (FIA) recent rule prohibiting racers from making political, religious and personal statements during pre and post-race events on the track. An original order, with wider restrictions, had faced the wrath of many F1 superstars but Coulthard seems to support the FIA's stance on this front.

"Freedom of speech is a human right, absolutely. But my position is if I go to see football, if I go to Wimbledon, I want to see tennis. I don't want to go there to be hijacked having to listen to one's individual's position on any subject," he said.

The former McLaren superstar instead advocated for F1 drivers to make such statements away from the sporting limelight as he believed that there would be no end to it otherwise.

"Why not do it on a Monday? Let's keep the racing for the racing because otherwise the drivers are not the only ones having a voice. Why not the team principles? Why not the crew chief or the catering staff? If we just get it to one because they have more fame then that does not reflect the global population," Coulthard signed off.