2026 F1 Team-Mate Rivalries Following the Italian Grand Prix

The 2026 Formula One season has produced a wealth of intra‑team battles, with each of the eleven squads generating a detailed record of head‑to‑head performances across qualifying, sprint events and the main Grand Prix races. Below is a comprehensive summary that not only lists the raw numbers but also puts them into context, highlighting trends, driver swaps, and the impact of retirements on the championship tally.

**McLaren Duo – Lando Norris vs. Oscar Piastri** - **Qualifying:** Norris out‑qualified Piastri eight times to five. - **Sprint:** Norris dominated the sprint format, winning all five encounters while Piastri failed to score.

- **Race:** In the Grand Prix proper Norris led with seven victories to Piastri’s six, and again swept the sprint races 5‑0. - **Championship Points:** Norris accumulated 171 points against Piastri’s 116. - **Season‑Long Placings:** Norris finished between fourth and seventh place, whereas Piastri’s best results fell in the seventh‑to‑tenth range. - *Note:* No points were awarded for the Chinese Grand Prix because both drivers were unable to start the race.

**Mercedes Pairing – George Russell vs. Andrea Antonelli** - **Qualifying:** Russell posted six wins to Antonelli’s seven. - **Sprint:** Russell edged Antonelli 3‑2 in sprint qualifying. - **Race:** Russell claimed four Grand Prix victories compared with Antonelli’s nine, while the sprint races saw Russell win four to Antonelli’s single.

- **Championship Points:** Russell gathered 267 points, Antonelli 201. - **Placings:** Russell’s season‑end positions ranged from second to first, while Antonelli’s fluctuated between first and second, indicating a tightly contested intra‑team rivalry. **Red Bull Contenders – Max Verstappen vs.

Isack Hadjar** - **Qualifying:** Verstappen out‑performed Hadjar eight to three. - **Sprint:** Verstappen swept the sprint sessions 4‑0.

- **Race:** The Grand Prix results mirrored qualifying, with Verstappen winning eight races to Hadjar’s three, and again dominating the sprint format. - **Championship Points:** Verstappen earned 112 points, Hadjar 68. - **Placings:** Verstappen consistently finished between sixth and eighth, whereas Hadjar’s best finishes were eighth.

**Driver Substitutions – Dutch and Italian Rounds** - Liam Lawson stepped in for Hadjar at the Dutch and Italian events. In qualifying, Verstappen beat Lawson 2‑0, and in the sprint Verstappen again led 1‑0.

However, the race results flipped: Lawson secured a win in the Grand Prix while Verstappen did not finish, and Verstappen reclaimed the sprint victory 2‑0. - Later, Yuki Tsunoda replaced Lawson for the same two rounds. Lindblad, Lawson’s teammate, out‑qualified Tsunoda 2‑0 and won the sprint 1‑0.

In the race, Lindblad’s performance was evenly split 1‑1, while he also took the sprint win. **Ferrari vs.

Mercedes – Charles Leclerc vs. Lewis Hamilton** - **Qualifying:** Leclerc edged Hamilton 7‑6. - **Sprint:** Hamilton turned the tables, winning three of five sprint sessions to Leclerc’s two.

- **Race:** Hamilton’s race record (8 wins) surpassed Leclerc’s five, and the sprint races were split 3‑2 in Hamilton’s favour. - **Championship Points:** Leclerc amassed 155 points, Hamilton 191.

- **Placings:** Leclerc’s season‑end positions ranged from fifth to third, while Hamilton consistently sat on the podium, reflecting a classic rivalry intensified by differing strengths in qualifying versus race pace. **Alfa Romeo Pair – Alex Albon vs.

Carlos Sainz** - **Qualifying:** Albon’s three‑to‑ten record shows he often started behind Sainz. - **Sprint:** Sainz dominated the sprint qualifying 4‑1. - **Race:** Albon secured five wins to Sainz’s eight, while sprint races remained in Sainz’s favour 4‑1.

- **Championship Points:** Albon earned a modest five points, Sainz six. - **Placings:** Both drivers hovered near the back of the grid, with Albon finishing 17th‑16th and Sainz 16th‑15th, underscoring the challenges faced by the midfield team. **Williams Squad – Liam Lawson vs.

Jonny Lindblad** - **Qualifying:** Lawson’s six‑to‑five edge over Lindblad was mirrored in the sprint where they split the sessions evenly. - **Race:** Lawson dominated with eight victories to Lindblad’s three, and also won three of four sprint races. - **Championship Points:** Lawson’s 51 points contrasted with Lindblad’s 29.

- **Placings:** Lawson’s season‑end positions ranged from ninth to eleventh, while Lindblad finished between eleventh and thirteenth, highlighting Lawson’s emerging role as a front‑running contender. **Aston Martin – Fernando Alonso vs. Lance Stroll** - **Qualifying:** Alonso’s eleven‑to‑two advantage was evident, and he also led the sprint qualifying 4‑1.

- **Race:** Alonso continued his dominance with a 7‑2 Grand Prix record and a 3‑2 sprint record. - *Caveat:* No points were awarded for the Australian, Chinese, Barcelona, and Dutch Grands Prix because both drivers retired from those events. - **Championship Points:** Alonso collected three points, Stroll none, placing Alonso between 19th‑21st and Stroll slightly lower. **Alpine Pair – Oliver Bearman vs.

Esteban Ocon** - **Qualifying:** Bearman’s nine‑to‑four edge was complemented by a 3‑2 sprint lead. - **Race:** Bearman secured eight wins to Ocon’s four, though the sprint race saw Ocon win three to Bearman’s two. - *Note:* The Dutch Grand Prix awarded no points as both drivers retired. - **Championship Points:** Bearman amassed 18 points, Ocon three, with season‑end placings of 13th‑18th respectively.

**Haas Duo – Nico Hülkenberg vs. Enzo Bortoleto** - **Qualifying:** Hülkenberg’s six‑to‑seven record was closely matched by Bortoleto’s strong sprint qualifying 3‑2. - **Race:** Hülkenberg’s five‑to‑eight record and Bortoleto’s sprint performance (1‑3) were affected by a non‑start for Hülkenberg and a disqualification for Bortoleto in the Miami sprint, resulting in no points for that event. - **Championship Points:** Hülkenberg earned six points, Bortoleto ten, with final placings of 15th‑14th.

**AlphaTauri – Pierre Gasly vs. Lorenzo Colapinto** - **Qualifying:** Gasly’s eleven‑to‑two advantage translated into a 3‑2 sprint lead.

- **Race:** Gasly secured eight victories to Colapinto’s five, and also won four of five sprint races. - **Championship Points:** Gasly accumulated 41 points, Colapinto 21, finishing 10th‑12th overall. **Williams‑Renault Hybrid – Sergio Pérez vs. Valtteri Bottas** - **Qualifying:** Pérez’s six‑to‑seven record was matched by a 3‑2 sprint edge.

- **Race:** Pérez won eight races to Bottas’s three, though the sprint results were split 2‑3 in Bottas’s favour. - *Caveat:* No points were awarded for the Austrian and Hungarian Grands Prix due to retirements for both drivers. - **Championship Points:** Both drivers ended the season with zero points from the listed events, placing Pérez 23rd‑22nd and Bottas similarly.

Overall, the 2026 season has been a tapestry of driver swaps, retirements, and closely fought intra‑team duels. Fans can follow every race weekend live on Sky Sports F1, stream the coverage via NOW without a long‑term contract, and stay updated through The F1 Show podcast and Sky Sports on WhatsApp. The data above offers a clear snapshot of how each teammate fared across the diverse formats of modern Formula One, illustrating both the competitive spirit within teams and the unpredictable nature of the sport.