Max Verstappen watches on as F1 stars have big ARGUMENT in airport

verstappen, abu dhabi gp — Photo: © LAT Images

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Verstappen watches on as F1 stars have big ARGUMENT in airport

David Coulthard and Nico Rosberg once got into a heated exchange in front of Verstappen

Shay Rogers

Wednesday 13 December 2023 12:57

David Coulthard has revealed that he once got into a heated argument with Nico Rosberg in front of Max Verstappen in a French airport.

After retiring from the sport in 2008, and having his last race scuppered by Rosberg in Brazil, Coulthard claims to have felt ‘aggrieved’ for a while as the German failed to own his part in the incident.

Years on from the clash, with both now working as pundits in Formula 1, David Coulthard tells the story of a time when everything boiled over.

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After flying back from the Japanese Grand Prix with the Verstappen family and a few others, he reveals how something Rosberg said to him ‘touched a nerve'.

David Coulthard was forced to retire from his last F1 outing at Brazil in 2008

Nico Rosberg frequents the F1 paddock every season with multiple news outlets

David Coulthard has been a part of the paddock for well over 30 years now

Coulthard: I flipped my chips

“I think Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz was going from Dubai to Madrid, Max, myself and I forget who else, but it was a group of us all flying back after the race,” he told the Formula For Success podcast.

“And we get to Nice and as we’re just waiting for our baggage, Nico said to me, ‘Hey DC, by the way, remember, everything we’ve discussed is off the record’. And it touched a nerve.

“He obviously thought that as a current driver, I was some kind of tabloid journalist and I was sneaking away all these stories we’ve been sharing.

“Anyway, it touched a nerve and my neck changed colour and I flipped my chips is the expression we would have and Max was recalling the fact that everyone just stood there in silence as I go off on one at Nico, and he’s going, ‘Well, I don’t understand’ and I’m like, ‘Well that’s the problem Nico, you don’t understand!'”

After the clash, the two talked things over and now have a better relationship, according to the Scotsman.

Coulthard even revealed that he allowed Rosberg to use his Mercedes 280 SL at his wedding in 2014, as well as some kilts for a wedding that he had to go to.

Max Verstappen Japanese Grand Prix Nico Rosberg David Coulthard