David Coulthard has recalled lapping five seconds slower than Red Bull driver Max Verstappen in a one-lap shootout at Imola two years ago.<\/p>\n
Coulthard, a winner of 13 grands prix, used that to highlight the physical demands which come with competing in Formula 1 and how quickly the sport moves on for a retired athlete.<\/p>\n
David Coulthard was \u2018reasonably happy\u2019 with gap to Max Verstappen<\/p>\n
Driving a Formula 1 car from an operational point of view is challenging enough, but drivers also go through intensive training just to be able to cope physically.<\/p>\n
Beefing up the neck muscles is a big area of focus, so that drivers can cope with the incredible G-force created by the F1 cars at speed.<\/p>\n
Coulthard, who retired after the 2008 season, found out just what it means to be at the peak of your powers in Formula 1 when he and Verstappen<\/a> both had a lap in the Red Bull RB7 at Imola.<\/p>\n Coulthard claimed victory at Imola in 1998, winning the San Marino Grand Prix with McLaren. He made the podium a further three times at the venue. Verstappen, meanwhile, has won at Imola on four separate occasions.<\/p>\n Asked on the Indo Sport podcast if the average person could last 10 laps physically in an F1 car, Coulthard replied: \u201cAnd that\u2019s being incredibly kind.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd when I say the average person, that includes me nowadays!<\/p>\n \u201cTwo years ago, I did a filming for a little feature where we were at Imola and I went around the track in the RB7, which would have been the Sebastian Vettel V8 World Championship car.<\/p>\n \u201cI did one timed lap, on a track that I\u2019ve won the grand prix in \u201998, and then Max jumped in the car and he did one flying lap. I was five seconds slower.<\/p>\n \u201cNow I was actually reasonably happy with that, because I hadn\u2019t been around Imola for more than a decade or more.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I don\u2019t drive. I haven\u2019t driven grand prix cars at that time for probably\u2026 I\u2019d done demonstrations and donuts, but not pushing on a racetrack, for well over a decade.<\/p>\n \u201cSo that just puts in perspective, getting what it is to be at the peak of your game.<\/p>\n More on Formula 1 drivers from PlanetF1.com<\/p>\n \ud83d\udc49 How to become an F1 driver: Money, dedication, talent and more<\/a><\/p>\n