2026 F1 Team-Mate Comparative Results Following the Italian Grand Prix

The 2026 Formula One season has produced a wealth of data on how teammates have performed against each other across qualifying, sprint and race sessions for all eleven teams on the grid. Below is a detailed, rephrased summary of those head‑to‑head statistics, supplemented with additional context to give a fuller picture of each pairing's relative strengths and the circumstances that shaped their results. **McLaren – Lando Norris vs.

Oscar Piastri** - **Qualifying:** Norris out‑qualified Piastri eight times to five. - **Sprint:** Norris swept the sprint format, winning all five sprints while Piastri failed to claim any. - **Race:** In Grand Prix races, Norris held a narrow edge with seven wins to Piastri's six, and again dominated the sprint races 5‑0. - **Championship points:** Norris accumulated 171 points compared with Piastri's 116, reflecting his slightly higher consistency.

- **Season‑long placement:** Norris finished between fourth and seventh place, whereas Piastri’s best finishes ranged from seventh to tenth. - *Note:* No points were allocated for the Chinese Grand Prix because both drivers were unable to start the race.

**Mercedes – George Russell vs. Andrea Antonelli** - **Qualifying:** Russell posted six better qualifying results against Antonelli’s seven. - **Sprint:** The sprint sessions were more favorable for Russell, who won three sprints to Antonelli’s two. - **Race:** Russell’s race performance was stronger, with four victories compared to Antonelli’s nine, while sprint races saw Russell win four to Antonelli’s one.

- **Championship points:** Russell amassed 267 points, outpacing Antonelli’s 201. - **Placement:** Russell’s season‑end positions ranged from second to first, while Antonelli finished between first and second, indicating a tightly contested battle within the team. **Red Bull – Max Verstappen vs.

Hadjar** - **Qualifying:** Verstappen out‑qualified Hadjar eight times to three. - **Sprint:** Verstappen also dominated the sprint format, winning all four sprints, leaving Hadjar without a sprint win. - **Race:** The race tally mirrors qualifying – Verstappen recorded eight wins to Hadjar’s three, and again swept the sprint races 4‑0.

- **Championship points:** Verstappen gathered 112 points, while Hadjar earned 68. - **Placement:** Verstappen’s finishes fell between sixth and eighth place, whereas Hadjar’s best results were in the same range, underscoring a clear hierarchy in the Red Bull lineup. **Mid‑season driver swap – Liam Lawson for Hadjar** - For the Dutch and Italian rounds, Lawson substituted for Hadjar. In qualifying, Verstappen beat Lawson 2‑0, and in the sprint he won once to Lawson’s zero.

However, the race results were mixed: Lawson managed a single victory in the Grand Prix while Verstappen did not win, and Verstappen reclaimed dominance in the sprint with two wins to Lawson’s none. **Ferrari – Charles Leclerc vs.

Lewis Hamilton** - **Qualifying:** Leclerc edged Hamilton with seven better qualifying results to Hamilton’s six. - **Sprint:** The sprint sessions were split, with Leclerc winning two sprints and Hamilton winning three. - **Race:** Leclerc’s race record was 5‑8 against Hamilton’s eight wins, and the sprint races saw Leclerc win three to Hamilton’s two. - **Championship points:** Leclerc collected 155 points, while Hamilton accumulated 191, giving the veteran a slight points advantage.

- **Placement:** Leclerc’s season‑long finishes ranged from fifth to third, whereas Hamilton’s varied between third and first, highlighting Hamilton’s continued competitiveness. **Aston Martin – Alex Albon vs. Carlos Sainz** - **Qualifying:** Albon’s qualifying record was three‑10 against Sainz’s ten‑3.

- **Sprint:** In sprint events, Albon won once while Sainz secured four victories. - **Race:** Albon’s race finishes were five‑8 compared with Sainz’s eight‑5, and the sprint results mirrored the earlier pattern (Albon 1‑4, Sainz 4‑1). - **Championship points:** Albon earned five points, Sainz six, placing Albon roughly 17th‑16th and Sainz around 16th‑15th in the overall standings. **Alfa Romeo – Liam Lawson vs.

Jonny Lindblad** - **Qualifying:** Lawson out‑qualified Lindblad six‑to‑five. - **Sprint:** The sprint sessions were evenly split, each driver winning two.

- **Race:** Lawson claimed eight victories to Lindblad’s three, and in sprint races Lawson won three to Lindblad’s one. - **Championship points:** Lawson amassed 51 points, Lindblad 29, resulting in Lawson finishing between ninth and eleventh, while Lindblad placed between eleventh and thirteenth.

**AlphaTauri – Yuki Tsunoda replaces Lawson** - When Tsunoda stepped in for Lawson at the Dutch and Italian rounds, Lindblad again proved the stronger of the pair. Lindblad qualified ahead twice, won one sprint, and matched Tsunoda’s race finish 1‑1, while Tsunoda secured a single sprint win. **Alpine – Fernando Alonso vs.

Lance Stroll** - **Qualifying:** Alonso dominated with an 11‑2 record over Stroll. - **Sprint:** Alonso also led the sprint with four wins to Stroll’s one. - **Race:** In the Grand Prix, Alonso’s record was 7‑2, and sprint races were 3‑2 in his favour.

However, several events (Australian, Chinese, Barcelona, Dutch) saw both drivers retire, meaning no points were awarded for those rounds. - **Championship points:** Alonso earned three points, Stroll none, placing Alonso between 19th‑21st and Stroll at the back of the field.

**Williams – Oliver Bearman vs. Esteban Ocon** - **Qualifying:** Bearman posted a 9‑4 advantage. - **Sprint:** Bearman won three sprints to Ocon’s two. - **Race:** Bearman’s race tally was 8‑4, while the sprint race saw Bearman win two and Ocon three.

The Dutch Grand Prix sprint awarded no points as both drivers retired. - **Championship points:** Bearman accumulated 18 points, Ocon three, giving Bearman a mid‑field finish (13th‑18th) and Ocon near the back (18th‑20th).

**Haas – Nico Hülkenberg vs. Bortoleto** - **Qualifying:** Hülkenberg’s record was 6‑7. - **Sprint:** He won two sprints to Bortoleto’s three. - **Race:** Hülkenberg finished five‑8 in Grand Prix races, while sprint results were 1‑3.

The Miami sprint awarded no points because Hülkenberg failed to start and Bortoleto was disqualified. - **Championship points:** Hülkenberg earned six points, Bortoleto ten, placing them 15th‑14th respectively.

**Alpine (second entry) – Pierre Gasly vs. Oliver Colapinto** - **Qualifying:** Gasly out‑qualified Colapinto 11‑2.

- **Sprint:** Gasly won three sprints to Colapinto’s two. - **Race:** Gasly’s race record was 8‑5, and sprint races were 4‑1 in his favour. - **Championship points:** Gasly amassed 41 points, Colapinto 21, resulting in Gasly finishing between tenth‑12th and Colapinto slightly lower.

**Mercedes (second entry) – Sergio Perez vs. Valtteri Bottas** - **Qualifying:** Perez’s record was 6‑7.

- **Sprint:** Perez won three sprints to Bottas’s two. - **Race:** Perez’s Grand Prix tally was 8‑3, but the sprint races were split 2‑3.

Both drivers retired at the Austrian and Hungarian Grands Prix, so no points were awarded for those events. - **Championship points:** Neither driver earned points in the listed head‑to‑head table, leaving Perez at 23rd‑22nd and Bottas similarly placed. Overall, the 2026 season has offered fans a comprehensive view of intra‑team dynamics, illustrating which drivers consistently outperform their teammates and where the gaps are narrowing. For those who wish to follow every session live, all races are available on Sky Sports F1, with streaming options via NOW that require no long‑term contract and can be cancelled at any time.

Additionally, listeners can stay updated through The F1 Show podcast and receive Sky Sports alerts on WhatsApp.