IWC JOURNAL: A Day in the Life - David Coulthard

Instead of racing on the track, he now races to the bus stop. The Journal spends the day with Formula 1™ champ and IWC brand ambassador David Coulthard.

— IWC brand ambassador David Coulthard

DC: DAVID COULTHARD

RT: RASHUNDA TRAMBLE

RT: What’s a normal day for you?

DC: A normal day at home in Monaco starts with a 6:20am alarm and I go directly to make a cup of tea. Thereafter I prepare breakfast for our son Dayton before waking him around 6:40am. I then have my own breakfast and take Dayton to the bus stop, leaving home at 7:30am with Gwen, our Maltese terrier.

Dayton’s bus normally arrives around 7:40am and I walk the dog around the Fontvieille harbor and back to our apartment. I then normally check mails and action anything that has come to mind. I meet some other “MAMILS” - middle aged men in Lycra - and head out on the road bike. I’m back in time to check if anything requires action before having lunch with my wife Karen.

The afternoon involves a combination of office and organizational calls, and mails for my TV production and live events businesses. Clearly both currently effected by the lack of either happening right now. I collect our son from the bus stop and the evening is spent at home doing normal family things before trying to get an early night. I have always needed a healthy amount of sleep to rebuild and maintain energy.

RT: How do you balance your work and family life?

DC: When I’m at home I really try to live a normal family life. When I am travelling, I work whatever hours are required so in that respect I think I have a balance to my work and family life. It’s almost certainly more work time than home time, but in my mind that is perfectly normal given the international nature of my business.

RT: What’s one aspect or memory from your younger years that you bring into your current daily life?

DC: Work ethic, my parents ran a transport business whilst maintaining a normal family and social life. They both were very organized and encouraged routine and structure. My elder brother and younger sister were expected to help around the household which I believe has given me a great base to live my life.

RT: Is there a difference in how you prepared for races earlier in your career and how you prepare now?

DC: When I was racing everything revolved around health and fitness, and I worked hard on maintaining a healthy lifestyle in preparation for the races. Today my training fits in around family, business, etc, and isn’t the priority now. So I have less mental stress and frustrations when things don’t go according to plan as ultimately my career doesn’t depend on it!

— David Coulthard and Karen Minier walk the red carpet for IWC Schaffhausen at SIHH 2019 on January 15, 2019 in Geneva – D. Coulthard is wearing the IWC Big Pilot's Watch (IW501001)

RT: What’s ahead for the IWC Racing Team?

DC: I’m looking forward to getting back on track and racing the beautiful and historic IWC Gullwing. It’s a timeless work of engineering art, like many of the IWC watches, but thankfully they also tell the time!