Coulthard: Red Bull talks on-going
David Coulthard has urged patience as he bids to extend his Formula One career with RedBull.
The Scot is out of contract at the end of this season but was this week reported to have agreed a third year at Red Bull, with a contract due to be signed in August.
But Coulthard, 35, calmed that talk, insisting discussions are still underway for another year with the Milton Keynes-based squad.
He said: “Talks are always ongoing, it is my business to know what the situation is. As I’ve said all along, just be patient. It’s part of my business to not only know what the options are with the team where you are but also with other teams. That’s what your manager does.”
One of the early threats to Coulthard’s position at Red Bull was Juan Pablo Montoya, who was strongly rumoured to be on his way there for 2007.
However, interest in the Colombian from Red Bull cooled and he this week revealed he will move to NASCAR next season, a move which prompted McLaren to drop him immediately.
But Coulthard is adamant Montoya, who took his McLaren drive in 2005, was not a genuine threat.
He said: “I don’t believe it had any impact on the decision Red Bull will make in the future because as far as I could see they made it quite clear they were not interested.”
Meanwhile, Coulthard has given his backing to a novel suggestion to improve next year’s Red Bull – convince design guru Adrian Newey and team boss Christian Horner to take this season’s car for a spin.
Newey is a keen amateur racer but suffered a heavy accident while racing his classic car at Le Mans last weekend while Horner was an aspiring Formula 3000 driver before heading into management.
Despite that prang, Coulthard would trust him to get behind the wheel of a Red Bull and gain hands-on experience of a modern racer.
“It wouldn’t be a bad idea,” he said. “It would be a good suggestion. Get him and Christian out in the car – it’s been a few years since Christian drove anything.
“You can definitely learn things through experience. I guess it’s possible. It would make a good story.”
Coulthard is already looking ahead to next year, when the first Newey-designed Red Bull will make its debut.
The design chief was recruited in a big-money move from McLaren and Coulthard is eagerly anticipating his next car – assuming he will be behind the wheel.
He said: “We just have to get our heads down and focus on making sure we hit the ground running next year.”
