F1 star downed alcohol before qualifying – and still beat rivals to pole

21 October 2023 , 14:38

1131     0

F1 star downed alcohol before qualifying – and still beat rivals to pole

Formula 1 icon David Coulthard has revealed that he was talked into a pre-race tipple during his first full season in the sport.

Coulthard, 52, enjoyed a fine career behind the steering wheel before taking on media duties following his retirement. He competed for 15 seasons before calling time on his career in 2008 and finished second behind Michael Schumacher in the 2001 Drivers' Championship while racing for McLaren.

But years before that, Coulthard was still finding his feet in the sport - and he's now shared an interesting anecdote from his career relating to an incident before the 1995 Italian Grand Prix during a conversation with Gerhard Berger on the Formula For Success podcast.

Berger, who enjoyed a sterling F1 career of his own, was accused of persuading Coulthard that it was a tradition in Monza to have a schnapps before the race - and after obliging ahead of qualifying, Coulthard actually ended up making pole position.

Coulthard said: “You pulled me in and persuaded me that it was a tradition in Monza before qualifying to have a schnapps. I was a young, impressionable driver and you were a Grand Prix winner. You’ve got Niki [Lauda, three-time world champion] there.

Sebastian Vettel warns of looming F1 ban and is "very worried about the future"

“Of course, you guys had set this up and I didn’t want to say no so they brought out three little glasses that looked like schnapps. For sure they were drinking water. They gave me a schnapps. This is about half an hour before qualifying; I take the schnapps, I go out, I’m in pole position - I got pole!”

David Coulthard has recalled drinking schnapps before the 1995 Italian Grand Prix (Getty Images)

Berger responded by revealing his own pre-race ritual, which consisted of an unusual combination. He said: “David, I always drunk before qualifying, amaretto and then an espresso.”

Although Coulthard started the 1995 Grand Prix at Monza on pole, it proved to be an afternoon to forget for the Scotsman. After losing control and spinning off track during the warm-up, Coulthard blew the lead, with Jonny Herbert winning the race.

Coulthard did win 13 Grand Prix's during his storied career, where he raced for the likes of McLaren, Williams and Red Bull. He remains a prominent figure in the sport and often provides analysis on big moments within the season.

Dan Marsh