Vettel to replace retiring Coulthard
07/17/08 (GMM) The big rumor in the Hockenheim paddock on Thursday is that Sebastian Vettel will shortly be announced as Mark Webber's teammate at Red Bull Racing for 2009.
The news will apparently be revealed during a press conference at the German circuit.
RBR team principal Christian Horner recently said the rumors about Vettel, 21, moving from Toro Rosso to the energy drink's senior team is a "possibility".
"We always try to have the best possible driver pairing," he added.
Vettel, who has been endorsed for the seat by the retiring David Coulthard, is already under contract to Dietrich Mateschitz's popular drinks brand.
07/03/08 See Hot News article on Coulthard announcing his retirement.
07/03/08 David Coulthard will reportedly announcement his retirement from Formula One at this weekend's British Grand Prix. The BBC says that the Scot has opted to call it quits on his F1 career at the end of this season and will announce his decision later this weekend if not later today at the FIA press conference, which he is scheduled to attend.
At age 37 Coulthard is the oldest driver on the current F1 grid and has spent the past few years fielding questions about when he will retire.
The Red Bull driver, though, has always said that he hopes to continue racing but recently conceded that perhaps time has run out for him.
"I have had a great career," the Daily Mail quoted him as saying. "It is better to be a has-been than a never-been."
However, the Scot later added that he saw no reason why Red Bull would want to replace him or why he should start thinking of his future.
"I just get on with the driving. If I deliver value and have the motivation, why would Red Bull go for someone 16-year-old just because they are an energy drinks company?" he said.
"I have always maintained that if you start making too many plans, then mentally you are preparing to retire. There must be an element of lifting slightly or backing off." PlanetF1
07/01/08 (GMM) The strong rumor in the days before the British grand prix is that David Coulthard will announce his retirement from formula one this weekend at Silverstone.
The veteran of approaching 250 grands prix, 15 consecutive seasons and 13 wins – and at 37 the oldest active race driver – is out of contract at Red Bull at the end of 2008.
With German youngster Sebastian Vettel expected to claim his seat for next year, it is now strongly speculated that Coulthard, a Scot, will take the opportunity of perhaps his last home race to signal the impending end of his F1 career.
He said recently about the prospect of retirement as a race driver: "When that moment comes, there you go. That's the journey of life. You move on to the next thing.
"There are a lot worse things that can happen to you and you move on to the next challenge," Coulthard added.
06/30/08 (GMM) F1 veteran David Coulthard has admitted that this weekend's Silverstone race could be his last home British grand prix.
The Red Bull driver, who at 37 is the oldest and second most experienced racer on the grid, may currently be on his fifteenth and last tour of the annual formula one calendar, as he is yet to extend his contract to include 2009.
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| David Coulthard sees the handwriting on the wall |
The Scot told reporters he is not feeling nostalgic about the possible end of his career.
"When that moment comes, there you go. That's the journey of life. You move on to the next thing," he said.
November's Brazilian grand prix will be his 247th race weekend, and among his options for 2009 and beyond could be a punditry role for British television's F1 coverage.
"I am currently a grand prix driver, I have been for many seasons, and I am still sitting here as a grand prix driver because I enjoy it and I get a buzz from it," Coulthard said.
"There will be a point naturally where that is not going to continue, and boo-hoo. There are a lot worse things that can happen to you and you move on to the next challenge."
06/29/08 (GMM) F1 veteran David Coulthard is not ruling anything in or out about his future — including speculation this weekend that he might use some upcoming spare cash to buy Toro Rosso.
The Red Bull driver, who at 37 is the oldest active competitor on the grid, admitted recently that his fifteen consecutive seasons of formula one is currently giving him cause to reflect on the course of the years ahead.
Rumors suggest that a punditry role for Britain's coverage of the sport on the BBC next year is an option.
But wilder speculation hints that, with the sale of his five-star Columbus hotel in Monaco pending – and half of Red Bull's junior squad Toro Rosso on the market – he might join the action as a team owner next year.
"I'm in the middle of a GP season and I have some clear plans but that's not one of them at the moment — you can't go straight from primary school to university, and to presume I could go straight from driving an F1 car would be arrogant," Coulthard said in interview with The Times.
"Buying it wouldn't be the scary thing but finding $200m a year to run it definitely would," he added.
06/23/08 (GMM) A recurring rumor on the verge of the French grand prix at the weekend was that Sebastian Vettel's deal to move to Red Bull Racing in 2009 is now all but guaranteed.
Even the Milton-Keynes based team's boss, Christian Horner, is warming to the media's regular attempts for signs of confirmation.
German magazine Auto Motor und Sport quotes the Briton as saying switching Vettel, 20, from junior team Toro Rosso to the 'A' squad is a "possibility".
Horner added that Vettel is doing "a very good job" this season, amid suggestions that veteran David Coulthard would be the current Red Bull driver displaced by the young German's graduation.
"We always try to have the best possible driver pairing," Horner said.
He also ruled out suggestions that Vettel might tire of the Red Bull stable if he is not given the nod to move to the premier team in 2009.
"He would not be in the position (to do that)," Horner said. "He has a long term relationship with Red Bull."
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| Vettel looks set to replace veteran Coulthard |
06/22/08 (GMM) Gerhard Berger admits he is likely to look within Red Bull's own stable of young drivers should Toro Rosso need to replace Sebastian Vettel at the end of 2008.
Intense speculation in the Magny-Cours paddock suggests that the energy drink outfit's A-team, Red Bull Racing, has already decided to replace David Coulthard with Vettel for next season.
Berger, Toro Rosso's co-owner, played down the Vettel rumors.
"I know his contractual situation of course but there is no hurry," the Austrian told sportnet.at. "More, I cannot say right now."
Should Vettel graduate to Red Bull, Berger was asked where he might start looking for his replacement.
"At first we would always look within Red Bull to see if anyone is there," he said, but he denied that he has someone already in mind.
"No. Currently there is no-one ready for formula one," Berger said.