EXCLUSIVE: David Coulthard admits history has repeated itself with messy McLaren saga
Updated . First published at
The Formula 1 season is already cemented in the sport's history books as a year defined by a fiery battle between two McLaren teammates.
Regardless of the result come Monday morning AEDT, the drama inside the papaya garage will stand out as a central narrative.
But, the Woking-based team is no stranger to infighting in their midst.
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Former F1 driver David Coulthard lifted the lid exclusively to Wide World of Sports in Adelaide on his own rivalry with two-time world champion Mika Häkkinen, drawing direct correlation to the explosive dynamic currently.
The McLaren teammates have been locked in battle the entire 2025 season. Supplied
He also insists the 2025 season harks back to some of the sports' fiercest dogfights.
"It's an interesting dynamic because your teammate's a misnomer," Coulthard said exclusively to Wide World of Sports.
"He's not your mate. He's your biggest rival. He's the guy you've got to beat.
"His success is your failure. Your success is his failure.
"I think it's one of the biggest management jobs in Formula 1, with a team principal to give two equal drivers an equal opportunity and an equal support.
"You know, there's rumours at McLaren that maybe Lando is psychologically ... a little bit more favoured, and McLaren would understandably go, 'that's not the case.'
"Why would they come out and say, 'yeah, you're right, he's our favourite son because he's been with us for seven years' where Oscar's only ... in his third year in Formula 1."
Norris picked up pace in the title fight as Piastri took a downward turn. Getty
Heading into the final grand prix of 2025, fans are raring for a championship fight between the three top drivers - McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri and Red Bull's golden boy Max Verstappen.
Only a razor-thin 16 points separate the trio, McLaren have finally admitted they need to boost one of their drivers to championship glory but the question is, who will they sacrifice to stop Verstappen snatching top honours?
Now, with Norris quick in the blistering heat of Abu Dhabi, it sets the stage for a dramatic final showdown to lift the 2025 trophy.
The commentator also pointed out the harsh reality of performance ebbs and flows in a driver's season. As quickly as Piastri looked like the "real deal" mid season, his momentum stalled, coinciding with his teammate's surge.
"Really interesting battle [between teammates]," added Coulthard.
"Lando has just done 150 Grands Prix which is the same I did for McLaren. He's done that in seven seasons. It took me nine seasons because of the difference in Formula 1.
"At a certain point in the year, Oscar was looking like the real deal, looked like he was marching to a super impressive world championship.
"Since Baku, still a brilliant driver, but it hasn't looked as good.
"This is the bottom line. There's opinions and there's data and we can all have our opinion, but the data shows that at a certain point, he was the man.
Oscar Piastri has frustratedly fronted media after a series of dismal weekends in 2025. Getty
"And since Baku, he is not the man. Analyse that in any way that you can.
"But I feel for Oscar because I think it's such a gift to be a professional sportsperson that you don't want to see any of them be knocked down or ridiculed or whatever.
"But they're well rewarded for those big commitments they make.
"This is what it is, the world stage.
"As Mark Webber says, 'Formula 1 isn't a finishing school.'"
Coulthard is famously acquainted with being on the less-favoured side of the McLaren garage during his own career behind the wheel.
Under Ron Dennis' tenure for the papaya team, the Scotsman was often pitted against Häkkinen, a rivalry that went toe-to-toe multiple times.
While both former drivers initially tipped Norris to take the title earlier in 2025, Coulthard concluded our exclusive interview by naming Verstappen the best driver on the current grid, arguing the Dutchman sets the grid's undeniable standard.
Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard were fierce teammates in Formula 1. Bongarts/Getty Images
"I would say the best driver right now is Max Verstappen," he said.
"It's great to see young talent coming up, but once you stop celebrating how good they're doing in the first [and earlier] year, you go, 'right, how good are they?'
"And if they can't beat the best guy, they sadly aren't good enough and life goes on.
"The bottom line of Formula 1 is always who's the best driver, and how does that person compare?"
For Piastri, leaving Abu Dhabi third in the Drivers' Championship could propel him on an upward trajectory from 2026 and beyond.
But, a tough final result could also be seen as the Australian hitting his 'current ceiling' in the relentless pressure cooker of Formula 1.
