David Coulthard's son benefited from his father's more sedate post-retirement driving style yesterday as he returned from hospital to the family's home near Brussels, three days after his birth.

Dayton Minier weighed just under 6lbs when he was born three weeks early in a Brussels hospital on Friday.

The Scottish motor racing veteran of 246 Grand Prix and winner of 13 F1 world championship races had cause for a double celebration yesterday as he was confirmed as a member of the BBC commentary team for next year's F1 season after the corporation secured a five-year television deal.

Coulthard, 37, yesterday described his first child's birth as "the start of a fantastic period" in his life.

"I was incredibly lucky to be a Grand Prix driver for 15 years, something I could only dream of as a wee boy. But nothing compares to his birth and winning 13 races seems completely insignificant in comparison," he said.

"Racing has been my only focus but the miracle of birth and creation of another being is a completely special and separate thing. It does not even compare."

The Scot bowed out of F1 as a driver earlier this month at the Brazilian Grand Prix after a first-lap collision.

He explained yesterday that his son's name allowed him to be "another DC" while relating it to the Hayton element in the family's Hayton-Coulthard haulage business, based in Twynholm, Kircudbright, which was established in 1916. Coulthard grew up in the village.

The child's middle name is Minier, the surname of his mother, Karen, a Belgian broadcast journalist, who met Coulthard while covering Grand Prix racing for the French TF1 television channel.

The Scot said: "It was a moving experience to be at the birth. Anticipating the birth was as emotional as the arrival. It was all very calm with no squeezing of hands and screaming."

Coulthard's father Duncan, who bankrolled his early motor racing career, said his son "has never been off the phone since the birth asking his mother Joyce advice on things like changing nappies".

Coulthard's parents will travel to Brussels today to see the new addition, while his sister Lynsay will visit next week.

Coulthard will continue as a consultant with the Red Bull racing team. He will join former team boss Eddie Jordan as a pundit and BBC anchorman Jake Humphrey for the corporation's coverage of next season's F1 Championship.