Twelve days before the opening round of this year’s Formula One World Championship, and just months after his grand prix career came to an end, the David Coulthard Museum in his home town of Twynholm has closed permanently.
Originally established by the grand prix winner’s family, the running of the museum was taken over in 2005 by current manager Wendy McKenzie and was visited by tens of thousands of DC’s fans in the 12 years it was open.
But on the eve of the new season she has confirmed the museum, which features cars and other memorabilia from Coulthard’s career, has closed.
“It’s official,” McKenzie said today, “the David Coulthard Museum and Pitstop Diner is now closed and, short of a miracle, won’t be re-opening to the general public again.
“I have struggled all the way through this and after a lot of heart-searching, I have come to the decision to move on.”
The collection housed at Coulthard’s museum included the first 100cc Premier Kart in which he won the Scottish Junior Championship in 1983/84, his 1991 Paul Stewart Racing Formula 3 car, as well as 1993 Pacific Racing Reynard 93D he drove immediately before switching to F1.
But pride of place was held by the Williams FW17 in which the Scot won his first F1 race, the 1995 Portuguese Grand Prix.
As well as a replica of the 2000 McLaren MP4/15 in which he won the British, Monaco and French GPs, there was also the 2007 Red Bull car which was third in Monaco.
Coulthard, who won 13 grands prix in 246 F1 starts, was unavailable for comment. The Scot will be in Australia for the opening grand prix on March 29 as part of the BBC team covering the 2009 season for television.
JM