David Coulthard broke through the pain barrier to claim his second place in yesterday's Spanish Grand Prix, admitting after the race that he was suffering from cracked ribs sustained in last week's jet crash.
The McLaren number two bustled his way past Michael Schumacher 17 laps from the end of the race and clung on to a deserved second. After being embraced by fiancee Heidi Wichlinski, who also survived last Tuesday's accident, Coulthard said his condition had worsened throughout the weekend and that he had been in pain throughout the event.
"I do have some injury to both my sides and that has got worse each day, as obviously driving a grand prix car is not the best thing to do. As Heidi and Andy (Matthews, Coulthard's trainer) have got better, I've got worse each day. I think I probably won't now do the test next week to give myself time to recover."
Coulthard, who refused to join in the traditional champagne spraying at the prize giving as a mark of respect for the two pilots killed in the plane crash, was due to travel to Jerez tomorrow for a three-day test ahead of the next round of the world championship, the European Grand Prix. French man Olivier Panis will now take over testing duties for the Scot.
Despite Coulthard's physical discomfort, the McLaren driver said returning to racing was the best thing he could do after the trauma of Lyon last week.
"To get in the car, drive and do my job was good. This is the best thing that could have happened to me and the team to come away from here with maximum points for the team."
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/YVIRIOZQ35EWRPZXR27KGMO6YU.png)