David Coulthard went through his fair share of teammates throughout a glittering 14-year Formula 1 career.
He lined up alongside three world champions and still managed to take 10 victories in cars that were never dominant.
Kimi Raikkonen challenged him during their time at McLaren, and so too did his fellow compatriot Mika Hakkinen.
Coulthard was an able deputy to the Finns in their pursuit of championship success, but could never quite materialise a run himself.
Alex Albon will be under ‘pressure’ from Carlos Sainz in 2025
For two seasons from 2025, Alex Albon will have himself a new teammate in the form of multiple race winner Carlos Sainz.
He has been largely unchallenged by recent teammates in Nicholas Latifi and Logan Sargeant, while Franco Colapinto has offered more of a task.
Being a former Williams driver himself, Coulthard knows a thing or two about pressure from the other side of that grade, as he mentioned on the Drive to Wynn podcast.
“I’d like to imagine, in taking on the Williams opportunity, he will be able to go in there and bring a whole host of knowledge and experience.
“Alex Albon is going to be under a little bit of pressure, which will be really interesting to see how he tallies up alongside Carlos.”
What is Williams’ long-term plan?
Taking a look at Williams’ recent moves, such as heavily investing in infrastructure and signing two ambitious and proven drivers, their trajectory is positive.
For the first time in a decade, it feels as if they have the potential to be regular midfield contenders, and maybe even a long shot for podiums soon.
It’s unlikely that they will bear the fruits of work until the start of the new technical regulations in 2026, but that’s when everything should level out a bit.
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It might be where the cost cap is felt, and finally, the historic big teams begin to falter at the top of the standings, allowing for some fresh faces.
If Aston Martin and more recently McLaren have found a way to compete near the front, then it’s not out of reach for Williams.
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