Coulthard's Awkward Apology to Villeneuve


By Jamie Makin
April 4 2005

It's ironic that the man who told the press last week that Villeneuve could walk away from F1 and Sauber turned out to be the same man that ended Villeneuve's hopes to score a point in Bahrain yesterday. This man is of course Red Bull's David Coulthard, a good friend of the veteran Canadian racer. After their collision, which damaged the C24's rear suspension, Villeneuve was clearly upset. "I could certainly have got a point today. It was only another lap and I would have passed Rubens, but then I got hit by David. I don't know why and I'll have to ask him..."

Before Villeneuve got the chance to seek out his friend, Coulthard caught Villeneuve in the shower and apologized. "I didn't mean to do it," Coulthard told his stark naked friend. "I was desperate to catch Rubens."

"Naked Jacques accepted the apology," claimed a Red Bull source. Perhaps Coulthard figured by catching his friend at such an awkward moment, he was less likely to start a fight? Or perhaps Coulthard had another motivation? He was scheduled to fly home on Villeneuve's private jet and likely wanted to clear the air between them before the flight. Surely Coulthard had to be feeling sincerely bad for ruining Villeneuve's day.


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