Welcome at RacingNews365

Become part of the largest racing community in the United Kingdom. Create your free account now!

  • Share your thoughts and opinions about F1
  • Win fantastic prizes
  • Get access to our premium content
  • Take advantage of more exclusive benefits
Sign in
Red Bull Racing

Why Red Bull was able to hand Coulthard RB19 test

Testing of current cars is strictly limited - so how come Red Bull was able to put former driver-turned-pundit David Coulthard in the RB19 during the 2023 season?

David Coulthard
Article
To news overview © XPBimages

The number of people to have driven what is statistically the greatest Formula 1 car of all-time is just six.

Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez sampled the RB19 throughout the year, with Jake Dennis and Isack Hadjar also getting a go in Abu Dhabi practice, and in then Dennis's case, the post-season test.

Daniel Ricciardo also got his go during the Pirelli tyre test following the British Grand Prix, with the sixth member of the club Red Bull ambassador and 13-time Grand Prix winner David Coulthard - the team's first-ever driver.

Coulthard joined Red Bull in 2005 for the final chapter in his long career, earning the first points and podium for the team before retiring with a Turn 1 DNF in the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix - although that race is remembered for slightly different reasons...

Outside of official Grand Prix weekends and tests, each team is allowed to run a current car for 100km, twice per year.

Officially known as "Promotional Events", these are commonly referred to as 'filming days', where rights-free and sponsor on-track content is captured while also allowing the team to shakedown its new new car when they are most often used before pre-season testing.

In Red Bull's case, one of these filming days was allotted to Coulthard, whose exploits in the RB19 can be seen below!

Join the conversation!

x
LATEST Wolff reveals Guardiola advice in Hamilton Mercedes exit