Horner pays tribute to Coulthard.

Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner has led the tributes to David Coulthard, who has announced his retirement from Formula 1 after 14 years of competition.

Horner helped revive Coulthard's career after he was dropped by McLaren-Mercedes at he end of the 2004 season, and while many believed his decision to join the fledgling ex-Jaguar team would mark the final chapter in a long career, he has been a constant figure in the upper half of the field for four more years.

Indeed, Coulthard led the team to a number of landmark results, including scoring points on the team's debut in 2005 and recording their first podium at Monaco in 2006.

Now though, Coulthard will call time on his glittering career, one that has made the 37 year-old one of the most experienced Formula 1 drivers of all time.

Seeing out the season for the Austrian-backed outfit before assuming a developmental role, Horner has praised Coulthard's determination, professional nature and ability to act as a team player.

"Working with David has been an absolute pleasure and his contribution to the team over the past four seasons has been significant. He is a
consummate professional and I think that one of the key elements to the length of his career is the dedication he has applied and the commitment he has shown to the team. He has demonstrated that he is a real team player, a fact reinforced by the statistic that he has only driven for two other F1 teams in his career.

"To date, he has won thirteen grands prix and there could have been many more if you count the near misses and the ones he gifted to other drivers! He scored our first point, our first podium and was the first of our drivers to lead a grand prix. Above all, he is a gentleman and I regard him as a good friend.

Although all of Coulthard's 13 grand prix wins came with Williams and McLaren, the Scot has been widely credited for transforming Red Bull into one of the strongest mid-field teams. Indeed, after 62 races with them, Coulthard has managed two podiums, 18 top eight finishes and a total of 58 points.

"Within the team there's a huge amount of respect for David," Horner continued. "His retirement brings to a close not just his career as a grand prix racing driver but also a chapter in the history of Formula 1, if one considers the changes the sport has been through while he has been involved with it.

"Now he heads off to face a new challenge. Red Bull Racing will still be utilising his services and he will on occasion drive the car in test sessions for us so that we can draw upon his vast experience and knowledge. He will be involved as a consultant to the team and to the technical group as we look to extract the maximum from his considerable experience of Formula 1. I don't think he will be struggling to fill his time!"