SILVERSTONE, England — Formula One driver David Coulthard will retire from the sport at the end of the 2008 Grand Prix season.
The Scottish-born Coulthard made the announcement Thursday as F-1 prepares for this weekend’s British Grand Prix.
“The decision to make this announcement at the British Grand Prix should be an obvious one for all to understand,” Coulthard said. “I have achieved two of my 13 victories at Silverstone, and I am a member of the British Racing Drivers’ Club, which hosts this event.”
Coulthard, 37, will continue to work with his current team, Red Bull Racing, as a consultant, but has not closed the door on racing elsewhere. He visited a NASCAR race earlier this year and said then he might consider a move to the U.S. to pursue that opportunity.
“I have an open mind as to whether or not I will compete again in the future in some other form of motorsport,” he said. “So, I am definitely not hanging up my helmet.”
Most of Coulthard’s Formula One success came during a nine-year stint with McLaren Mercedes from 1996-2004. He broke into Formula One with Williams Renault as the replacement for Ayrton Senna after Senna’s fatal crash at Monaco in 1994.
His first Grand Prix victory came a year later at Portugal. He would win 12 more times with McLaren before moving to Red Bull Racing for the 2005 season. His last victory came with McClaren at the 2003 Australian Grand Prix.
Since moving to Red Bull, Coulthard has collected a pair of podium finishes, a third at Monaco  in 2006 and another third in this year’s Canadian Grand Prix.
“I am proud of my work at Red Bull Racing and will continue to race with the same focus until the last lap at Brazil,” he said. “Thereafter, I will continue to help the team develop and move toward their ultimate goal of winning races.”