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New York Times
4 days ago
- Automotive
- New York Times
F1's high-speed middle finger: David Coulthard relives his clash with Michael Schumacher
David Coulthard was seething. He knew his car could — should — have won the French Grand Prix, but Michael Schumacher had done it again. The great, aggressive German chopped across the Scotsman's bows at the start of the race in Magny‑Cours. And Coulthard was bottled up behind Rubens Barrichello in the other Ferrari, who had one job: to slow the chasing McLarens. Advertisement But Coulthard wouldn't be denied. He followed Barrichello closely, then overtook with cunning racecraft. By this point, Schumacher was seven seconds ahead. Coulthard chased, stopped for fuel and tyres, and chased some more. Finally, he earned a chance at retribution. The McLaren driver got a run down Magny‑Cours' long back straight, but Schumacher knew what was coming. He took the hairpin's inside line. With Coulthard looking for a repeat cutback pass after his Barrichello success, the legendary Ferrari driver held firm — and shoved his silver rival wide. Coulthard's response — at around 40 miles per hour — was immediate. 'I gave him the bird, because I was so p––––d off,' Coulthard told The Athletic at the 2025 British Grand Prix, just a few days past the 25th anniversary of the clash. These days, Coulthard is a Formula One TV presenter, Red Bull ambassador, and current president of the British Racing Drivers' Club, which owns Silverstone Circuit. He remembers the race, which he went on to win, as 'one of my career-defining moments' and 'one of my best weekends.' The Briton scored 13 F1 race wins in a career that spanned 247 starts between 1994 and 2008. He ultimately finished third in 2000, where Schumacher, after years of trying, finally defeated the McLaren drivers, led by double world champion Mika Hakkinen. Coulthard went one better in 2001, but never took the crown. 'OK, I never won the world championship, but there were moments where I was, to be arrogant, world-class against world-class performers,' said Coulthard, speaking ahead of the wild, wet 2025 British Grand Prix won by current McLaren driver Lando Norris. 'What they were was consistently world-class. And I dipped in and out of it. My performances were like that, so that's why the result books reflect the drivers at that time. Mika was consistently quick. Michael was consistently quick. They got the world championships.' Advertisement Coulthard should have started the 2000 French GP from pole position, but was instead second. Fuel pump problems meant he and Hakkinen swapped across McLaren's three cars in qualifying — allowed under the rules back then — with the spare known as a 'T-car.' Schumacher, meanwhile, had claimed pole after diligently working to improve his car's set-up and handling, then nailing his best lap. 'I remember waking early. I'd stayed just outside the track in my motorhome, I got on the rowing machine, did half an hour, and I just was so confident even though I was second on the grid,' Coulthard said of his feelings pre-race. 'It was really a bizarre qualifying session, but I was still confident on a track that I had been strong on before. Michael did the big chop on the run to the first corner that allowed Rubens to go round the outside. So, now I'm p–––– off. I was angry. I had to fight to come back, overtake Rubens, get on to Michael.' Coulthard called his first move against Schumacher 'a bit half-hearted, but he did what he does, which is going to push you wide.' Schumacher would go on to become F1's first seven-time world champion, but at the time of this clash, the German had two titles (and none for Ferrari) alongside a fearsome reputation shaped by the events of Adelaide 1994, when he collided with Damon Hill and beat him to the title with both retiring. Then there was the final race of the 1997 season in Jerez, where another controversial collision led to Jacques Villeneuve winning the world championship, with Schumacher stripped of second place. Coulthard's immediate sweary response at Magny-Cours generated headlines. Autosport magazine declared the following week: 'The Only Way is Up (yours, Michael).' Although one of its readers was distinctly unimpressed and felt the need to 'express my disgust… my daughters, aged six and eight, and I watch the grands prix together, and if I wanted them to witness such obscene gestures, I would take them to a football match. Michael Schumacher's sportsmanship might not be the best, but not even he has stooped this low.' Advertisement The Associated Press report said Coulthard was 'like a highway driver with a case of road rage,' and had 'greeted his Formula One rival with a clenched fist and an obscene gesture.' Coulthard apologized for his actions afterwards. 'And it was completely absurd that I'd think he would see me giving him the middle finger, but it was just the frustration of, 'Buddy, you can try that, but I'm still coming by it one way or the other.' I was convinced I was winning that grand prix, so it was just a question of where I was going to get past him.' Schumacher told reporters that day, 'If he doesn't like it, he can go somewhere else… It's normal practice; I remember in Malaysia (1999), he overtook me and pushed me to the outside. I don't believe I complained a lot.' Schumacher has not been seen in public since he suffered a severe brain injury while skiing in December 2013. Coulthard's moment came just seven laps later that day in France. He feigned another look at the Adelaide hairpin's outside, then dived to the inside when Schumacher moved to cover his first position. The Ferrari stayed alongside through the corner, and they bashed wheels on the exit. 'It was just a race of commitment. I was committed, and if he turned, we were going to crash because I had the overspeed,' Coulthard said. 'But I know that you can't watch your mirrors the whole time, so I felt that he thought that I'd be too far back, or I wouldn't try that based on what happened before. 'But I did everything right. And there were a few moments where I was able to do that sort of wheel-to-wheel racing with Michael and come away with the result.' Schumacher would later retire from the 2000 French GP when his engine failed and billowed smoke. Twenty-five years on, does Coulthard still feel he was right to apologize for his gestures? 'I apologized afterwards because I remembered there was kids watching and all that sort of thing. I wasn't sort of inciting violence or anything, but it wasn't very sporting, and I always kind of prided myself on being a sportsman. It is what it is. Passions run high. The frustration was there.' Advertisement The incident has parallels with today's racing. Schumacher's move was typical of his style, continuing the tradition established by the very aggressive Ayrton Senna. Four-time world champion Max Verstappen's uncompromising racing in this era garners similar debate. In shoving Coulthard wide at the Adelaide hairpin, Schumacher's driving is actually codified these days in F1's 'Driving Standards Guidelines.' A driver has to have their 'front axle ahead of the front axle of the other car at the apex' of a corner. And, if they don't, the driver on the inside can run them fully wide and take all the space. The onus is on the driver attempting to live by the sword. However, at the turn of the century, not only were such moves largely unregulated, but aggression was the exception, not the norm. 'You've got to live for your time, haven't you? That was that time, and so I'm happy,' Coulthard said. One of the most striking things about the French GP saga is how visible Coulthard's gestures were from the cockpit of his McLaren MP4/15. In those days, before many of the safety systems used in modern F1 car design had been established, the drivers' helmets were fully exposed, and often their hands were too when turning. Since 2018, the halo cockpit protection system has better cocooned the drivers, along with other developments, such as much higher cockpit sides — a design that followed Coulthard's crash with Alex Wurz at the 2007 Australian GP. In modern F1, it's therefore even harder to see such driver emotion behind the wheel, which is a longstanding issue. An exception is Liam Lawson giving Sergio Pérez the finger at the 2024 Mexican GP, after they'd clashed earlier at the latter's home race. Visible outbursts are rare these days, though verbal ones are commonplace on the team radio broadcasts that weren't aired in 2000. Advertisement Under the rule of FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem since late 2021, driver expression has also been curtailed. The most stringent restrictions — where drivers faced fines of up to €120,000 for repeat offenses — were only rowed back on in May after much debate. 'Maybe they're all told, 'If you do anything, you get fined.' So they get on the radio,' Coulthard said of this. 'And we've obviously had a bit of that, people getting upset and swearing on the radio. 'Heat of the moment, we want to see passion, and people show passion in different ways. I want to see that people care. Certain drivers don't look to be that bothered if you have a good day or a bad day. Certain drivers, you can see that. 'It does matter. Because sport is an escape from everyday lives. You feel for (athletes). You're with them.' (Top image: John Marsh/EMPICS/Getty Images)
Associated Press
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Two victories and Téo Calvet clearly in the lead. Buggyra Academy France drivers shine at Magny-Cours
The drivers of Buggyra Academy France showcased their talent in the third round of the French Truck Racing Championship. José Sousa claimed a victory at Magny-Cours, while Téo Calvet also triumphed, dominating the entire Grand Prix on the track known from Formula 1. Monaco/France, July 15, 2025 -- Téo holds a 41-point lead over Thomas Robineau in the overall standings. José Sousa moved up to third place overall, eight points ahead of another Buggyra Academy France driver—his son, Raphaël Sousa. 'It was a crazy weekend full of ups and downs. But the important thing is that we scored a lot of points. What matters most is Téo's overall win in the Magny-Cours Grand Prix. There was action on the track, races full of emotion—and that's exactly what truck racing is all about. Now we have a short summer break ahead of us,' said a satisfied Fabien Calvet, boss of Buggyra Academy France. Téo Calvet started the first race from second position and held on to it at the finish. 'Unfortunately, I dropped back a bit at the start, and came out of the first corner in fifth place. I had to start overtaking my rivals one by one. It was a great battle until I caught up to my biggest rival, Anthony Robineau. He drove a solid defensive race,' said the defending champion, who finished just three-tenths of a second behind the winner. The second race on Saturday, with a reversed starting grid, was a triumph for José Sousa. Téo Calvet also made it onto the podium, finishing in third place. 'It was a good comeback. But unfortunately, we had a really tough race with several collisions. It's very difficult to overtake at Magny-Cours—it's really hard to get ahead of your rivals here. So I'm satisfied with third place,' said Téo Calvet, who openly admits that Magny-Cours isn't exactly his favorite circuit. Sunday's program couldn't have started better for the defending champion—it opened with a victory. The Buggyra Academy France team also celebrated a double podium, as José Sousa finished second. But the win didn't come easily. 'After a big battle on the first lap, Thomas (Robineau) pushed me off the track, and I lost two positions. But I managed to come back. It was a really great race. I overtook Yorick Montagne and then José Sousa to take the win. I'm very happy,' said the smiling winner at the finish. The final truck race of the weekend at Magny-Cours turned into a major battle with technical issues for Téo. A failing gearbox forced him to settle for fourth place. However, that didn't change the fact that he was the best overall performer at Magny-Cours. 'It was quite chaotic at the front. I could have finished third, but unfortunately I had gearbox trouble. So I had to give up the fight for the podium. On top of that, the truck was overheating. It wasn't easy. But I still managed to finish fourth. And most importantly, I won the Magny-Cours Grand Prix overall, so I'm very happy. Thanks to the team for their work—they did an amazing job this weekend,' added Téo Calvet. Contact Info: Name: Buggyra Organisation Email: Send Email Organization: Buggyra Organisation Address: La Villa 19, Galerie Charles III, 98000 Monaco Phone: +37780094459 Website: Video URL: Release ID: 89164735 If there are any deficiencies, discrepancies, or concerns regarding the information presented in this press release, we kindly request that you promptly inform us by contacting [email protected] (it is important to note that this email is the authorized channel for such matters, sending multiple emails to multiple addresses does not necessarily help expedite your request). Our dedicated team is committed to addressing any identified issues within 8 hours to guarantee the delivery of accurate and reliable content to our esteemed readers.
The Sun
03-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
Borja Gomez dead at 20: Former Moto2 rider dies after horror crash as tributes pour in
TRAGEDY has struck the world of motorsport after the death of Borja Gomez at the age of 20. Gomez was involved in a horrific crash in the European Stock Championship earlier today. 1 The Spanish speedster had been leading the world championship going into round three at the Magny-Cours circuit in France. THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY..
Irish Examiner
01-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
'She dug in' - Magny Cours shows grit in Listowel
Young trainer Daniel McLoughlin has a promising sort on his hands in the shape of Magny Cours, debut winner of the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies' Maiden, the second race on yesterday's Flat card at a busy Listowel racecourse. Clearly, the filly had been showing the right signs at home as the market spoke favourably, and when some grit was required, she showed she also possesses that. Luna Mia threw down a challenge in the straight but Ben Coen got a great response from Magny Cours and they shaded the verdict. 'We thought a lot of her at home,' said McLoughlin, who trains 20 horses, most of which are two-year-olds. 'Conor Quirke, from Fermoy, and his wife, Katherine, own her, and they've been very good to me. 'Conor got in touch with me at the end of last year, and from there it spiralled, and you'd swear he's a fella I know for 10 years. He sent me to two-year-olds and I couldn't thank him enough. 'I thought inexperience might have got the better of the filly today, but Ben said he gave her two or three, and when he put the stick down, she dug in. She's good and genuine. She's by an underrated sire in Awtaad, and she's not fully furnished. She's going to mature, going to strengthen up.' A step up to Group 2 company could be on the cards for the winner. Gavoo showed promise on debut, when finding only subsequent Group 1 runner-up Andab too good, and duly built on that with a fine effort in the Irish EBF Median Sires Series Maiden. The gambled-on Fresh Fade set out to make all the running from his favourable draw, next to the rails, and looked for much of the race as though he may have stolen it. However, the David Marnane-trained Gavoo, ridden by Luke McAteer, picked up really well close home and got on top with three parts of a length to spare, the pair a proverbial mile clear of the remainder. White Clover put a second win on her card when taking the Croom House Stud Handicap for Joe Murphy and Gary Carroll. Always to the fore, she edged ahead inside the final furlong and fended off market leader Never Shout Never by half a length. In the absence of Wannabe Royal, only four went to post for the Coco AT The Arcade Race and Admiral Churchill used the opportunity to put the seal on a second success of the season. Winner of a Limerick maiden, Paddy Twomey's horse made all under Billy Lee and found plenty to keep all challengers at bay. Doneraile trainer Brendan Walsh saddled his first winner on the Flat when Liamo came from last to first to take the James Collins Memorial Handicap under Wayne Hassett. The winner, not without his supporters at big prices, looked to be in a difficult position for much of the race but picked up really well in the straight and ultimately won a shade comfortably. Walsh was hopeful the gelding might win another one or two for the yard, and that he might jump a hurdle a little further down the line. Eric McNamara and Robert Whearty teamed up to win the Lane Family Memorial Handicap with Ifitwasme, and the gelding showed real appreciation for the step up to two miles. Market leader Dark Note set what looked like a modest pace and was ideally placed to kick from the front, but Ifitwasme, who was a winner over hurdles at this track at last year's Harvest Festival, swept by on the turn for home and readily went clear. Chatterbox stayed on well to take second place, with the favourite holding on to third place. There was an exciting finish to the finale, the Acro Fire & Safety Qualified Riders' Race, and victory went to Gentleman Joe, from the stable of Henry de Bromhead. Lark In The Mornin made most of the running, but John Gleeson, aboard the eventual winner, kept tabs on him and mounted a challenge in the straight. The 3-1 eventually got on top and then did just enough to deny the fast-finishing Sorrentino by half a length. The National Hunt brigade, who were in Kilbeggan on Sunday, will be back in Listowel this afternoon for the final day of the June Bank Holiday meeting.
