F1 News: Former Red Bull driver reveals lack of 'confidence' in team

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F1 News & Gossip

Former Red Bull driver reveals lack of 'confidence' in team

David Coulthard tells a tale about the team’s confidence when they were formed

Shay Rogers

Thursday 7 March 2024 20:57

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David Coulthard has revealed that he had little confidence in Red Bull when he joined them at the start of their Formula 1 journey in 2005.

The Austrian outfit were very new to the grid after they bought Jaguar, with a fresh-faced Christian Horner leading the team’s charge up the field.

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Originally, the team started off firmly in the midfield before making progress through the pack as the sport entered a new era of technical regulations in 2009.

It helped them to win their first grand prix, before they took both titles the year after in 2010 – writing themselves into the history books within five years.

David Coulthard drove for Red Bull between 2005-2008

Red Bull are now a dominant force of Formula 1

Coulthard: 'I didn't have a lot of confidence'

Speaking to formule1.nl, Coulthard confided that he had little belief in the project when he first entered talks with them.

“I didn't have a lot of confidence when they asked me if I would like to drive for Red Bull,” he said.

“I still remember how surprised I was at the extent to which they at Red Bull already believed so much in this project. And about how they tried to convince me that it was really going to be a success. But look at where they are now with Red Bull.

“A team that once started with the mindset of competing against top teams like Ferrari and then made it happen... That's great.

“Once a few hundred people worked in a factory, but now they have an entire campus with 1,500 people who work for the team in all kinds of areas.”

While he retired in 2008, just before the team began to enjoy more success, his work helped to pave the way for young talent Sebastian Vettel to set up a dynasty.

The biggest shame of it all, was that he never got to finish his last race with the team and in F1 at the Brazilian Grand Prix – with a special liveried car being taken out by Nico Rosberg.