David Coulthard believes the F1 2025 title battle between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris closely mirrors the epic 2021 season clash between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. He highlighted that both pairs drove like champions, despite only one ultimately securing the crown.
Why it matters
The 2021 season captivated F1 fans as Verstappen and Hamilton went head-to-head, culminating in Verstappen’s dramatic title victory. Now, in F1 2025, McLaren teammates Piastri and Norris are engaged in a similarly intense intra-team battle for the Drivers' Championship, separated by a mere nine points. This rivalry is poised to define the season.
The battle unfolding
Oscar Piastri, a talent with a strong junior career, is aiming for his inaugural F1 title. Lando Norris, the more experienced McLaren driver, is looking to convert his long-awaited championship opportunity into victory, buoyed by three wins in the last four races. Coulthard, speaking to the Formula 1 website, emphasized that while both drivers deserve the title, only one can claim it, echoing the 2021 scenario.
Team dynamics
Unlike the often fiery Hamilton-Verstappen rivalry, the McLaren duo's competition has largely been clean on track. The primary incident was in Canada, where Norris made contact with Piastri, leading to his own retirement. Coulthard, drawing from his own experiences with Mika Hakkinen, noted that intra-team rivalries naturally intensify when both drivers are genuine title contenders, adding complexity to team management.
The bigger picture
McLaren currently holds commanding leads in both championships. Max Verstappen, the highest-ranked non-McLaren driver, trails the leader by 97 points. In the Constructors' standings, Ferrari, McLaren’s closest rival, is 299 points behind. This considerable gap underscores that the true championship battle is now an internal affair within McLaren.