Kammala wannan jumla: Coulthard ya fara karting yana da shekara goma sha ɗaya kuma ya sami nasara da wuri kafin ya ci gaba da tseren mota a gasar Championship ta Ford ta Burtaniya da kuma jerin Formula 3000. Ya fara tuki a cikin Formula One tare da Williams a cikin kakar 1994 wanda ya gaji marigayi Ayrton Senna. A shekara mai zuwa ya lashe Grand Prix na farko a
Portugal, sannan kuma a kakar wasa ta 1996 ya koma McLaren. Bayan ya lashe tsere biyu a kakar 1997, ya gama na 3 a Gasar Dakarun Duniya a kakar 1998.