First of all I have to say that
David Coulthard is a really priviledged F1-driver. During his
career he has been driving only for two top teams, Williams and
McLaren. Sure, when DC moved to McLaren for the season 1996, the
team was in trouble. But that year is still the only one when DC
didn't have a winning car.
David was Williams' test driver
when he was promoted to race driver in May 1994 after Ayrton
Senna's tragical death. David's first race was the Spanish GP
(who drove the other Williams in Monaco '94?! Wanna know!!), in
which he had to retire due to a technical problem. His career at
Williams didn't start well enough, and at the end of the season
DC was replaced by Nigel Mansell, the World Champion 1992. And
what Mansell did? He won the last race of the season in
Australia, Adelaide after Hill and Schumacher had crashed each
others out of the race.
Frank Williams had to face a
dilemma: Which one to choose as the team's driver for the next
year, rookie-DC or WC-Mansell? And F. Williams chose DC!
DC 'thanked' for the trust by
doing a couple of terrible mistakes during the season '95 (I've
never seen anyone doing stupid mistakes like that!). After taking
pole in one race, DC drove off the track at the FORMATION LAP.
And at the last race of the season at Adelaide, when he was
LEADING the race, DC drove to the wall at the pit straight. Yes!
"He must have been thinking something..."
Politics (whatever that means!)
decided DC's seat for the season 1996. Already at the end of the
year '94 McLaren had been interested about getting DC to their
team. DC had made a pre contract with McLaren for the season 96.
Still in 95 Williams 'won' DC, year 96 not. Since the season 96
DC has been driving for McLaren with some unknown Finn.
The season 96 was catastrophical
for McLaren and to its drivers. The only happy moment was David's
second place at Monaco. Only three cars saw the finish line...
The Williams-drivers Damon Hill and F1-rookie Jacques Villeneuve
were fighting for the World Championship on the season 97.
Jacques had already won America's IndyCar-series' championship.
At the last race in Suzuka however a tyre got loosen from Jack's
car and Hill won the title. The group of friends Jacques, Mika
Salo and DC shaved their heads bald... (Hey! Baldy man!!)
At the beginning of the season
97 McLaren's and Mercedes' team work started finally to product
fruits of success. The first race of the season in Australia
Melbourne should have been a triumph to Williams, but what
happened? McLaren had raced 49 races without a single win, and
now the car had a different colouring. The main sponsor Marlboro
had had enough, and the new speed giving tobacco was West. The
car had been coloured with silver grey like the famous Silver
Arrows at the 50s. But no, the new car couldn't be called a
silver arrow, not before it had won a race. And what a miracle,
the christening took place already at Melbourne, when DC won!!
Melbourne wasn't the only race
on the season 97 which David won. In September DC was fighting at
the track of Monza, trying to win the Italian GP. Pole man Jean
Alesi disagreed. A great start had risen David to the heat, and
the two front runners curved to the pits at the same time.
McLaren made it a bit faster, and that decided the win to David!
At the end of the season the
Mercedes engines blew up a bit too often especially in Mika's
car, who was still chasing his first GP-win. At the season finale
in Jerez, Spain Ferrari's Michael Schumacher and Jacques with his
Williams were fighting for the title. Schuey was controlling the
race at the beginning, but after pit stops Jack decided to try to
find a way pass. Jacques did make it pass Schuey, but Michael
decided to revenue his Adelaide 94 chop and panged Williams
to its side with his car. This time however justice happened and
the nutcase was the only one who retired.
Still a couple of laps of the
race was left, when the standings were Jack, DC and Mika. McLaren
gave a team order and told David to let Mika pass, so that he
would get the chance to try his first win. And after the race the
results were: Häkkinen 1st, DC 2nd and Jacques, the new World
Champion 3rd.
In the next race, the first GP
of the season 1998 DC had to let Mika pass him again. This time
there was not a direct team order, instead there were "a
gentleman's agreement". FIA wasn't too pleased about this,
and McLaren's actions were widely disapproved. All and all, my
opinion is that David's mental back bone broke in these two
races. After these races Mika has had the final word at McLaren.
Still in 1997 DC was ahead of Mika in the drivers' standings.
Mika however win the Championship in 98 and 99. And still in 1998
DC was sometimes able to beat Mika in qualifying and even in
races; but last year DC took no poles. Two sweet victories - at
Silverstone and Spa - were the highlights of the depressing year.
Season 2000 had
before the Canadian GP been great for David: He had been on the
podium in all the races except for the first one! That row lasted
for six races, even though in Brazil Ferrari's Fan Club FIA dared
to disqualify David. It was a lot of fun to think for a
while that Davids bad luck had finally ended with the win in
Monaco! But apperently the World Championship-title doesn't want
to come to DC...
