Scottish F1 hero David Coulthard jokes he could have been the fastest milkman in the west if his career didn’t take off
Coulthard, worth £54million, spoke following the release of his new book about his life, which lifts the lid on the inner secrets of his drive to reach the top
DAVID Coulthard reckons he could have been tearing round the streets of Scotland in a milk float like Benny Hill if his own will to succeed and a bit of fortune hadn’t peformed a massive wheelspin in his favour.
The motor racing legend already had grand plans aged 14 to become an F1 driver, settle in tax haven Monaco and then break into TV.
And he pulled it off, racing for Williams, McLaren and Red Bull, winning 13 Grands Prix, before signing for the BBC as a pundit and now fronting Channel 4’s live coverage of motorsport’s blue riband event.
But he admits that realistically he was more destined to be a milkman in his native Twynholm, Kirkcudbrightshire, than fulfil his dream.
He reveals: “I come from an unremarkable village in terms of history.
“I loved my childhood and I’d like that same childhood again as I have very fond memories but my life has evolved and it’s changed.
Scots F1 hero David Coulthard criticises eight-year-old son’s driving in kart racing video
“I was more likely to be a truck driver, a farmer or a milkman than I was to be a Formula 1 driver.”
But having the right support at the right time helped catapult him to superstardom.
He adds: “I had support, I was given guidance, I had focus and determination. I got myself in the right position at the right time and the opportunity was there.
“I was lucky enough that those plans came to fruition but of course just because you have a plan doesn’t mean you’ll be lucky enough to be given those opportunities.
“I think irrespective of what background you have, there are many great examples of people with determination and a work ethic and a desire to overcome adversity that have been able to go on and achieve success in their lives.
“Success isn’t about money and being in the public eye, success can be about getting through a given day because of the circumstances you unfortunately find yourself in.”
Coulthard, 47, has now released a book about his life, which lifts the lid on the inner secrets of how he built his career and home life.
F1 stars are usually viewed as being playboys — travelling the globe, hanging out on yachts with models and drinking champagne.
But he disputes that — and says the biggest shake-up in his normal life was when he had to sacrifice his full Scottish breakfast on a Sunday after a team boss asked to see his six-pack to prove he was in shape.
He says: “I love a fry-up but what I decided was I could be eating them for the rest of my life if it didn’t work out in Formula 1.
“Whereas if I wasn’t prepared to show my commitment then I would never know if I could be in Formula 1. You’ve just go to prioritise.
“I can eat and drink what I want to now. Hopefully I’ll have a long life and I don’t feel now that was a particularly big sacrifice.”
With an estimated net worth of £54million gleaned from a stellar career on the track that saw him locked in epic battles with the likes of Michael Schumacher, Mika Hakkinen and Fernando Alonso in glamorous locations around the world, giving up the square sausage, tattie scones and fried eggs seems like a bit of a no-brainer.
But Coulthard believes too many people’s dreams of success fail because they’re not prepared to make even the smallest of sacrifices in the pursuit of glory.
He says: “A lot of people go, ‘Oh I can’t give that up’.
“Is it that they can’t or they’re not prepared to?
“That’s the question. If you are not prepared to and someone is, and they’ve got the same talent, which one of them is more likely to have success or get the opportunity?
“None of this is rocket science.”
Coulthard clearly isn’t one for waiting for things to happen.
He wants to see more people grab the bull by the horns — and be prepared to put in the hard graft and work their way up the ladder.
The Scot — known as DC in motor racing circles — adds: “I get young mechanics and engineers saying :‘I’d love to work in Formula 1, what do you suggest?’
“I’ll say: ‘Have you gone to the reception of any Formula 1 team and said can I come and sweep some floors?’
“And 99.9 per cent say: ‘No, I’ve never done that.’
“Also, you can’t walk up to a Formula 1 team at a Grand Prix but you can be at their hotel. Think outside the box.
“If you just follow the line of people looking to do the same thing, then you’ll be behind that line — come at it from a different angle.
“If we all keep using the same ingredients, we all keep producing the same cakes.
“If you want to stand out from Mary Berry, put a bit of Tabasco in there and see what you get.
“It’ll either be a raging success or a flop — but you’ll be remembered either way.”
Meanwhile, despite being worth millions, being happily married to beautiful Belgian TV presenter Karen Minier and leading the kind of lifestyle others could only dream of, the F1 legend is still a bit of a hard taskmaster when it comes to nine-year-old son Dayton.
The youngster is already a keen karter — just like his old man was.
Last year, Coulthard shared a video of Dayton skidding off the track on Twitter, with some brutally honest criticism: “Bit wide of the apex but early days!”
He says: “What I certainly don’t want to do — and I know my wife doesn’t want to do — is bring our kids up in a world where because we’re more fortunate than some others, that they’re wrapped in cotton wool and think the world is a nice, cushty place.
“The reality is it can be a harsh place and it can be a dog eat dog world — you don’t have to be in motor racing for it to be like that. If he’s not wired to want to face up to that competition, that’s fine.
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“If he thinks it’s going to be cushty just because dad used to be a Formula 1 driver, he’s very much mistaken and I’m not going to pretend it is. If he’s not cut out, we’ll still love him, I’ll still love him and we’ll find something that he does enjoy.
“There are many wonderful people in the world who don’t do anything that’s competitive, but they are wonderful people and you can trust them to take on a task and deliver.
“I don’t aspire for anything more than for our kids to be polite and respectful. But if he chooses to take that challenge, I’ll support him.”
The Winning Formula: Leadership, Strategy, Motivation The F1 Way by David Coulthard (Blink Publishing) is out now.
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