JENSON BUTTON has paid tribute to David Coulthard after the veteran Scot confirmed he will retire from Formula One at the end of the season.
The 37-year-old Red Bull Racing driver, who has claimed 13 grand prix victories in 236 races to date, announced his decision ahead of his home grand prix at Silverstone – a race he has won on two occasions.
Coulthard will remain with Red Bull beyo
nd the end of the season in a consultancy capacity, an arrangement that will see the Scot continue to test for the Milton Keynes-based outfit.
Honda driver Button admitted to his sadness at losing a formidable on-track competitor, but conceded it was fitting for the oldest driver on the grid to bow out on his own terms. "In a way, for sure I am disappointed," said Button. "If you look at David's career, he has achieved a lot and a lot more than most drivers will ever achieve in their F1 career.
"I have also always got on well with DC since 2000. I will miss him at the races for sure but I'm also happy for him that he has made the decision to do something else next year. It is nice when you can make that decision yourself and find something else that can take up your time."
Coulthard, meanwhile, insists he has no regrets when he looks back on his 15 years in the sport, although he did highlight an incident that took place a decade ago as a defining moment in his career. At the opening race of the 1998 season, Coulthard allowed his McLaren team-mate Mika Hakkinen – who had fallen behind the Scot after erroneously taking to the pit lane – to overtake him to claim victory as part of a pre-race gentleman's agreement.
Those ten points won that day set Hakkinen on course for his maiden world title that season, while the momentum of the achievement carried him to a second crown 12 months later.
"I could go back through lots of different things and think I could have done that better, but that's not the way life works," said Coulthard.
The full article contains 366 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
