Coulthard’s message echoed ADNOC’s Safe to Thrive theme: that safety is built through preparation, technology and teamwork, creating the conditions for sustained performance. Appearing on the same stage before Coulthard, Chief HSE Officer Amir Gerges said ADNOC had recorded its best-ever safety performance during one of the most challenging periods in its operational history. In 2025, ADNOC completed 837 million workhours while reducing its total recordable injury rate to 0.10 per million workhours – half the 2022 rate. More than 1,000 vehicles equipped with AI-enabled fatigue and distraction detection recorded zero crashes across 22 million monitored kilometers. “Just as F1 teams build resilience before they face pressure on track, we build safety before we face challenges in our operations,” says Gerges. That emphasis on preparation has long been central to safety in F1. Coulthard served as chairman of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association during his career, working to improve safety in the sport. “And what that association did, along with my fellow directors, Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso, my competitors, the people who wanted to beat me and guys I definitely wanted to beat, is come together every Grand Prix,” Coulthard says. At those meetings, they discussed the risks ahead, regulations and circuit safety, constantly looking for ways to better protect drivers.