“I do look at where I am today and think how lucky I am. I could have been killed in 2000 when my plane crashed; I could have been killed at various other points of my life during the journey I have been on, but I'm still here.
“I don't need to be sitting here. I could do so many other things and I'm excited about what that might be when the point comes. When I'm 50 I want to get in a camper van and drive around the world, or do the same in a boat.
“Because of having been a successful racing driver, I have the resources to make decisions that normal people don't get the chance to make because they have to work ‘til 65.
“I have had a great career – better to be a has-been than a never-been.
F1 is unique no question, but it is wrong to say nothing can replace that. There are a lot of people who live exciting, adrenaline-filled lives who aren't grand prix drivers.”
Coulthard will be one of the drivers participating in Thursday's official
FIA press conference at
Silverstone, and has been linked to a consultancy and occasional test-driving role at RBR – in much the same manner as
Michael Schumacher has prolonged his own F1 career with
Ferrari – ownership of
STR or, more likely perhaps, a punditry position for the Beeb's F1 coverage in 2009.
He secured back-to-back triumphs in the British Grand Prix for
McLaren in both 1999 and 2000, and achieved a best championship finish of runner-up to a dominant Schumacher in 2001. On his day he has been known as a driver who could beat anyone.
