2026 F1 Team‑Mate Showdowns Following the Dutch Grand Prix

The 2026 Formula One season has produced a wealth of intra‑team battles, with each of the eleven squads logging head‑to‑head results from qualifying, sprint events and full‑distance races. Below is a comprehensive breakdown of how teammates have fared against one another up to and including the Dutch Grand Prix, along with some added context to help readers understand the significance of these numbers.

**McLaren (Norris vs. Piastri)** - **Qualifying:** Norris out‑qualified Piastri eight times to four. - **Sprint:** Norris dominated the sprint format, winning five sprints while Piastri failed to claim any.

- **Race (Grand Prix):** The pair split the race victories evenly, each securing six wins. - **Championship points:** Norris has accumulated 159 points compared with Piastri’s 104. - **Season‑long finishing positions:** Norris has consistently finished between fourth and seventh, whereas Piastri’s results have hovered between seventh and tenth. - *Note:* No points were awarded for the Chinese Grand Prix because both drivers were unable to start the race.

**Mercedes (Russell vs. Antonelli)** - **Qualifying:** Russell posted five better qualifying performances against Antonelli’s seven. - **Sprint:** The sprint races were tightly contested, with Russell edging Antonelli three to two.

- **Race (Grand Prix):** Russell finished ahead of Antonelli four times, while Antonelli managed eight better finishes. - **Championship points:** Russell leads with 242 points, while Antonelli trails with 183.

- **Season placements:** Russell has been a regular runner‑up, whereas Antonelli has even claimed a podium with a first‑place finish. **Red Bull (Verstappen vs.

Hadjar)** - **Qualifying:** Verstappen out‑qualified Hadjar eight times to three. - **Sprint:** Verstappen swept all four sprint events, leaving Hadjar without a sprint win.

- **Race (Grand Prix):** Verstappen again outperformed Hadjar with eight race wins to three. - **Championship points:** Verstappen holds 112 points; Hadjar has 68. - **Season placements:** Verstappen’s best finishes range from sixth to eighth, while Hadjar’s best results sit between eighth and tenth. **Mid‑season driver swap:** For the Dutch Grand Prix, Liam Lawson stepped in for Isack Hadjar at Red Bull.

In qualifying, Verstappen beat Lawson 1‑0, and the sprint result mirrored this. However, the race saw Lawson claim a surprise victory, giving him a 1‑0 edge in the Grand Prix tally for that event. **Ferrari vs.

Mercedes (Leclerc vs. Hamilton)** - **Qualifying:** The two legends split qualifying evenly, each achieving six better grid positions. - **Sprint:** Hamilton edged Leclerc with three sprint wins to Leclerc’s two. - **Race (Grand Prix):** Leclerc finished ahead of Hamilton five times, while Hamilton secured seven better finishes.

- **Championship points:** Leclerc sits at 155 points, Hamilton at 183. - **Season placements:** Leclerc’s finishes range from fourth to seventh, whereas Hamilton has consistently been on the podium, ranging from third to fifth. **Alfa Romeo (Albon vs.

Sainz)** - **Qualifying:** Albon out‑qualified Sainz three times to nine. - **Sprint:** The sprint results were split, with Albon winning one and Sainz four. - **Race (Grand Prix):** Albon achieved five better race finishes, while Sainz managed seven.

- **Championship points:** Albon’s tally is a modest 5 points compared with Sainz’s 6. - **Season placements:** Albon has been fighting in the lower midfield (17th‑16th), while Sainz has been slightly higher (16th‑15th). **Williams (Lawson vs. Lindblad)** - **Qualifying:** Lawson edged Lindblad six‑to‑five.

- **Sprint:** Both drivers were evenly matched in sprint qualifying, each securing two top spots. - **Race (Grand Prix):** Lawson dominated the race results with eight wins to Lindblad’s three. - **Championship points:** Lawson has gathered 43 points, Lindblad 23.

- **Season placements:** Lawson’s finishes have been around ninth place, while Lindblad has been slightly lower, between eleventh and thirteenth. **AlphaTauri (Lindblad vs. Tsunoda)** - After Lawson’s brief stint, Yuki Tsunoda returned to replace him for the Dutch round.

Lindblad qualified ahead of Tsunoda once, and the sprint mirrored that result. However, the race saw Tsunoda overturn the deficit, winning the Grand Prix while Lindblad finished behind. **Aston Martin (Alonso vs.

Stroll)** - **Qualifying:** Alonso out‑qualified Stroll ten‑to‑two. - **Sprint:** Alonso again led with four sprint wins to Stroll’s one.

- **Race (Grand Prix):** Alonso secured seven victories, Stroll only two. - **Championship points:** Alonso’s points are listed as 3‑0, reflecting a scoring anomaly due to retirements.

- **Season placements:** Alonso has been running near the back of the field (19th‑21st), while Stroll has been slightly worse. - *Retirements:* No points were awarded for the Australian, Chinese and Barcelona Grands Prix because both drivers retired from those events.

**Alpine (Bearman vs. Ocon)** - **Qualifying:** Bearman took eight better grid spots, Ocon four. - **Sprint:** Bearman won three sprint events, Ocon two. - **Race (Grand Prix):** Bearman claimed seven victories, Ocon four, though both retired from the Dutch GP sprint, resulting in no points for that round.

- **Championship points:** Bearman leads with 18 points to Ocon’s 3. - **Season placements:** Bearman’s best finishes are around thirteenth, Ocon’s around eighteenth.

**Haas (Hulkenberg vs. Bortoleto)** - **Qualifying:** The duo split qualifying evenly, six‑to‑six. - **Sprint:** Hulkenberg edged Bortoleto two‑to‑three.

- **Race (Grand Prix):** Hulkenberg finished ahead five times, Bortoleto seven. - **Championship points:** Hulkenberg holds six points, Bortoleto ten. - **Season placements:** Hulkenberg has been around fifteenth, Bortoleto slightly higher at fourteenth.

- *Note:* No sprint points were awarded for the Miami GP because Hulkenberg failed to start and Bortoleto was disqualified. **AlphaTauri (Gasly vs.

Colapinto)** - **Qualifying:** Gasly dominated with ten better positions to Colapinto’s two. - **Sprint:** Gasly won three sprints, Colapinto two.

- **Race (Grand Prix):** Gasly secured seven wins, Colapinto five. - **Championship points:** Gasly leads with 44 points, Colapinto 19. - **Season placements:** Gasly’s finishes hover around tenth, Colapinto around twelfth.

**Williams (Perez vs. Bottas)** - **Qualifying:** Both drivers were evenly matched, six‑to‑six. - **Sprint:** Perez edged Bottas three‑to‑two.

- **Race (Grand Prix):** Perez claimed seven victories, Bottas three. - **Championship points:** Neither driver earned points due to double retirements at the Austrian and Hungarian Grands Prix. - **Season placements:** Perez’s best finishes were 23rd, Bottas 22nd. Overall, the 2026 season has highlighted the importance of intra‑team competition.

Strong qualifying performances often translate into sprint success, which can then influence race outcomes and championship standings. Fans can continue to follow every race live on Sky Sports F1, stream without a contract via NOW, and stay updated with podcasts and WhatsApp alerts.

The full 2026 calendar remains packed with exciting venues, ensuring that teammate duels will keep shaping the narrative throughout the year.