Oscar Piastri in the Singapore paddock - Photo: Race Pictures

Coulthard understands Piastri: 'At what point does it become unfair?'

08:23, 09 Oct

byKada Sarkozi

Former F1 driver David Coulthard understands Oscar Piastri's words over the team radio at the Singapore Grand Prix after making contact with Lando Norris

"This is what I highlighted earlier in the year. You can only start meddling to a certain degree, because at what point does it become unfair?"

- David Coulthard

Norris made contact with his teammate Piastri after the start of the Singapore Grand Prix.

The Brit managed to get past his championship rival as a result and finished ahead of him, cutting the gap in the drivers’ standings by three points.

A former McLaren driver himself, Coulthard shared his understanding of the championship leader’s perspective.

"You can understand, actually why you’ve got Oscar going, ‘hold on a minute, I’ve just been barged wide by my teammate’," he began in his commentary for Channel 4.

“He puts forward a compelling argument. No further words needed."

David Coulthard at the 2025 F1 Italian Grand Prix - Photo: Race Pictures

Coulthard then explained that this is the consequence of the so-called papaya rules. "This is what I highlighted earlier in the year. You can only start meddling to a certain degree, because at what point does it become unfair?"

The former driver, who won 12 Grands Prix for the Woking-based team, also recalled how things worked back then with his teammate, Mika Häkkinen.

"Now, I don’t want to open all wounds, but when I moved over for Mika Häkkinen a couple of times, the return I got was he moves over from third, and when I was running in fourth, and I got a third place. I never got a win back.”

He concluded: "The sensitivity of a race driver is such that fair has to be fair.”

Is the championship battle heating up?

Over the team radio, Piastri suggested that his teammate should give the position back.

According to McLaren team boss Andrea Stella, this is what they ask of their drivers: to make their position clear.

Norris also made his position clear after the race. He commented: "If you fault me for just going up the inside and putting my car on the inside of a big gap then, yeah, I think you shouldn't be in Formula 1."

Entering the final quarter of the season, Piastri leads Norris by 22 points in the standings. Sitting in third place, Max Verstappen trails the Aussie by 63 points.

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