F1 | Coulthard: “At the beginning of my career I said no to Ferrari”

Say no to Ferrari so as not to be the second driver behind Michael Schumacher. It's the decision that David Coulthard taken at the beginning of his career, when after two years on the Williams seat, the possibility of racing the 1996 season with the Red one arose.

“At Ferrari I was offered a contract that saw me as Michael's number two”, Coulthard explained to Irish broadcaster RTE. “I have no doubts about Michael's strength, but at that stage of my career I couldn't accept signing a contract as number two. Here because I decided to sign for McLaren and I think it was the right decision for my career", has continued. An anecdote already told in 2010 in the columns of the Daily Telegraph.

By Coulthard's own admission, the first year at McLaren was not exciting, given the competitiveness it enjoyed at Williams, where in his second year he finished third in the World Drivers' Championship. In 1995 he achieved 8 podiums in 17 races, with four second places, three third places and victory in the Portuguese GP (the first of his F1 career).

Una competitiveness then rediscovered in 1997, with victory in Australia on his season debut and in Monza. That year too Coulthard came third in the final standings, as in 1998. The triumphs were the Williams of Villeneuve and his teammate Hakkinen (also victorious in 1999), before it was that Michael Schumacher to whom Coulthard put the world championship dream before.