[edit] 1994-1995: Williams

Coulthard driving for the Williams team at the 1994 British Grand Prix.
Coulthard driving for Williams at the 1995 British Grand Prix.In 1993, Coulthard became test driver for the world champion Formula One team Williams-Renault and played an important role in advancing the car's technology. For 1994 he stayed with Williams as tester, but following Ayrton Senna's death at Imola, he was promoted to the race team alongside Damon Hill for the Spanish Grand Prix. He spent much of the season driving the second car, but had to step aside for ex-champion Nigel Mansell on four occasions. Renault were keen to have a big name in the second Williams, and Mansell, at that time reigning Indycar champion, fitted the bill. Coulthard showed flashes of speed, but errors and bad luck saw him take just one podium, a second-place finish at Estoril. For the last three races he had to sit back and watch Mansell take his place, but it was he, and not Mansell, who would race for Williams full-time in 1995.

Entering the 1995 season, Coulthard was forced by the FOCA Contract Recognition Board to fulfill his contract with Williams despite having an option to race for McLaren that season.[2]

The 1995 season saw Coulthard win the 1995 Portuguese Grand Prix. There were other races where he could have won, but poor luck and mistakes once more cost him. He did score five pole positions, four of them consecutively. However, some unforced errors tarnished his season: at Monza he spun off on the formation lap, whilst in Adelaide he crashed coming into the pits.

When Williams firmed up their driver lineup for 1996 in July 1995, Coulthard was not picked up, freeing him to go elsewhere.[3]