Coulthard explains his passion for MotoGP

Taking in the action from round twelve at Brno on Sunday was long-time MotoGP fan David Coulthard, the experienced Formula 1 driver, who is due to retire from racing at the end of this year.

With more time on his hands as of 2009 it would be no surprise to see the 37 year-old star paying more visits to the MotoGP paddock, given his admiration for the sport.

Coulthard explained, `Before I started on four wheels I was doing a little bit of motocross but I was breaking too many bones! I got into karting and then progressed to cars but I have always had a love of bikes and I am always amazed at what these guys are able to do on two wheels. As a fan I think the show that MotoGP puts on is fantastic.´

Comparing the MotoGP environment to that of his own sport, the Scottish driver who boasts 13 F1 wins and 62 podiums, noted, `It is a lot more open than our paddock. If we try to imagine that in F1 we imagine that it wouldn´t work, but clearly it does work here. People move around, the riders are able to do their things, the teams are able to work and I can see the appeal of MotoGP to sponsors.´

Detailing how his affinity for the MotoGP World Championship had grown over the years, courtesy of his friendship with a certain five-time premier class title winner, Coulthard added, `For many years I was training with Mick Doohan before he retired. We would spend hours on our bikes and I would be questioning him all the time about the bikes.´

Indeed, it is through Doohan, who was also at Brno last weekend working for U.S. television network CBS, that Coulthard´s expertise has been developed.

The Scotsman stated, `Obviously things have moved forward since Mick stopped in 1999, but through his contacts and some of the people I have met I have followed some of the technology. A lot of what they have on the bikes we have on the cars, with traction control and electronics. But there are a lot of things specific to MotoGP which obviously makes it very technically challenging.´