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David Coulthard compared McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris’ tight battle to the 2021 Verstappen-Hamilton duel for supremacy.
Defending champion Verstappen (L) has a steep mountain to climb as Norris (C) and Piastri (R) continue to battle fiercely for the 2025 title (X)
As the 2025 Formula 1 season reaches its halfway mark, the fiercest championship battle isn’t between rival teams—but between teammates at McLaren.
Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris are locked in a thrilling duel for supremacy, with just eight points separating them after 12 races.
Former McLaren driver and F1 veteran David Coulthard believes the internal rivalry mirrors the legendary 2021 title showdown between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton—two drivers at their peak, but only one eventual champion.
“If it were half a World Championship, Oscar’s won,” Coulthard told media. “I don’t think anyone could say he hasn’t deserved to be leading—he was ahead even before the McLarens came together in Canada.”
Piastri has taken five wins so far to Norris’s four, but Coulthard believes the second half of the season will determine who truly has championship steel.
“This is like 2021. Both Max and Lewis drove like World Champions that year, but only one could win. That’s what we’re seeing now with Lando and Oscar.”
McLaren Rivalry Drawing Praise—and Warnings
Coulthard credited McLaren for keeping the situation under control, describing both drivers as “on the tamer side of animal,” which he said made the rivalry easier to manage. However, he warned that such golden opportunities don’t come often.
“This might be their only chance to win a world title—we don’t know what 2026 will bring,” he said. “You’ve got to seize the moment.”
During his stint alongside Häkkinen from 1996 to 2001 at McLaren, Coulthard experienced first-hand how internal rivalries can escalate when both drivers feel capable of winning.
“Once both drivers think they can be world champion, it always gets more complicated.”
Don’t Count Verstappen Out Yet
Despite McLaren’s dominance, Coulthard cautioned against writing off Max Verstappen, who trails Piastri by 69 points. He praised Verstappen’s “stellar qualifying” at Silverstone and noted that Red Bull still has the capacity to turn the tide.
“You can’t rule Max out. They’ll need an upgrade to regain consistency, but Red Bull have done it before, and Max is exceptional.”
With 12 races down and 10 to go, the 2025 F1 season is shaping up as a dramatic showdown—one that could go down in history like 2021.
But as Coulthard puts it, “Only one of them can get the trophy.”
(with IANS inputs)
After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term…Read More
After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term… Read More
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