Valtteri Bottas beating Lewis Hamilton to the championship would give Formula 1 a "dilemma", David Coulthard claims.
This season appears set to be a two-horse race between the two Mercedes drivers, who have finished 1-2 at five of the opening six races with the Briton taking four wins.
And while from a sporting perspective the Finn winning would be a tremendous achievement, commercially, the Scot feels it would be a blow.
"He is the biggest star in Formula 1 - but therein lies a dilemma," Coulthard told Mirror Sport of Hamilton.
"Not taking anything away from Valtteri, who has really learned from his mean season last year. He came back strong this year, put in some great performances and could well win this world championship.
"But if Valtteri Bottas won the world championship, it's big news in Finland and big news in the world of Formula 1 but it's not going to move the dial in global markets."
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Of course, Hamilton won't be around forever, but at a time when F1 is lacking big-name draws to keep fans interested, his broad appeal is exactly what the sport needs.
"Lewis and his profile in America, his fashion line with Tommy Hilfiger, and all of the various things he does take him and Formula 1 to another audience," Coulthard continued.
"That's not a reason to give him the championship, but it's a much bigger thing than just who wins the championship - and it does look he's in the driving seat."
