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

The 2026 Formula One season has produced a wealth of data on how teammates stack up against one another across qualifying, sprint events and full‑race outcomes. By the conclusion of the Italian Grand Prix, each of the eleven teams has generated a clear picture of internal competition, with points, placements and head‑to‑head tallies offering insight into driver performance trends. Below is an expanded, narrative‑style overview that captures the essential statistics while adding context and analysis to reach a comprehensive length.

**McLaren: Norris vs. Piastri** In qualifying, Lando Norris has edged out Oscar Piastri with eight wins to five, showing a slight edge in single‑lap speed. The sprint format amplified Norris's advantage, where he swept all five sprint sessions, leaving Piastri winless.

Over the race distance, Norris’s superiority persisted, posting a 7‑6 record, while the sprint remained a clean 5‑0 in his favour. In the championship standings, Norris leads with 171 points against Piastri’s 116, and his finishing positions have generally been higher, ranging from fourth to seventh compared with Piastri’s seventh to tenth. The only blemish in the data set is the Chinese Grand Prix, where neither driver started, resulting in no points awarded. **Mercedes: Russell vs.

Antonelli** George Russell and his younger teammate Andrea Antonelli have displayed a more balanced rivalry. Qualifying results are almost even, with Russell slightly behind at six wins to Antonelli’s seven.

Sprint sessions, however, have favoured Russell, who secured three wins against Antonelli’s two. In race conditions, Russell has a clear 4‑9 advantage, while sprint races show a dominant 4‑1 record for Russell. Overall, Russell leads the championship with 267 points to Antonelli’s 201, and his placements have consistently been ahead, ranging from second to first versus Antonelli’s first to third.

**Red Bull: Verstappen vs. Hadjar** Max Verstappen continues to dominate his teammate Liam Hadjar. In qualifying, Verstappen holds an 8‑3 lead, and this gap widens in sprint events where he has won all four sprints, leaving Hadjar without a sprint victory. Race performance mirrors this dominance, with an 8‑3 record in Grand Prix finishes and a matching 4‑0 sprint result.

Verstappen’s championship tally stands at 112 points compared with Hadjar’s 68, and his race placements have been consistently higher, ranging from sixth to eighth for Hadjar versus Verstappen’s regular podiums. **Mid‑Season Driver Swap: Lawson for Hadjar** During the Dutch and Italian rounds, Liam Lawson temporarily replaced Hadjar. In qualifying, Verstappen beat Lawson 2‑0, and in the sprint, the margin was 1‑0. The race results were mixed: Verstappen failed to finish the Grand Prix while Lawson secured a win, but in the sprint Verstappen reclaimed a 2‑0 advantage.

This brief substitution highlights the depth of Red Bull’s driver pool and the impact a change can have on head‑to‑head statistics. **Ferrari vs. Mercedes: Leclerc vs. Hamilton** Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton have produced a tightly contested duel.

Qualifying shows Leclerc with a narrow 7‑6 edge, while sprint sessions tilt slightly towards Hamilton with a 3‑2 advantage. In race results, Leclerc trails with a 5‑8 record, but the sprint sees him regain ground at 3‑2. The championship points reflect this back‑and‑forth battle: Leclerc has accumulated 155 points against Hamilton’s 191, and their finishing positions have alternated between the top three and the middle of the pack, illustrating a rivalry that remains open and highly competitive.

**Albon vs. Sainz (Aston Martin)** Fernando Albon and Carlos Sainz have experienced a challenging season. Qualifying shows Albon at a disadvantage, 3‑10, while sprint sessions favour Sainz 4‑1.

Race outcomes continue this trend, with Albon finishing 5‑8 and sprint results 1‑4. Their championship points are close, 5 for Albon and 6 for Sainz, and placement records indicate Albon’s typical finishes around 17th‑16th, compared with Sainz’s 16th‑15th, underscoring a struggle for points within a highly competitive midfield. **Lawson vs.

Lindblad (Williams)** Liam Lawson and Niklas Lindblad have shown a more favorable head‑to‑head for Lawson. Qualifying results are 6‑5 to Lawson, while sprint sessions are evenly split at 2‑2. In race conditions, Lawson leads 8‑3, and sprint races 3‑1. Their championship points stand at 51 for Lawson and 29 for Lindblad, with Lawson generally finishing between ninth and eleventh, whereas Lindblad’s placements hover around eleventh to thirteenth.

**Lindblad vs. Tsunoda (AlphaTauri)** When Yuki Tsunoda stepped in for Lawson, the dynamic shifted.

Lindblad maintained a perfect qualifying record of 2‑0 against Tsunoda and a 1‑0 sprint lead. Race results were balanced at 1‑1, with a sprint edge of 1‑0. This brief exchange highlights the importance of driver familiarity with the car and the impact of mid‑season changes. **Alonso vs.

Stroll (Aston Martin)** Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll have produced a lopsided rivalry. Qualifying sees Alonso dominate 11‑2, and sprint sessions 4‑1. In race performance, Alonso again leads 7‑2, with a sprint advantage of 3‑2. However, several Grand Prix—Australian, Chinese, Barcelona, and Dutch—did not award scores because both drivers retired, which affects the overall points tally (Alonso 3, Stroll 0).

Their placement records show Alonso typically in the top twenty, while Stroll falls further back. **Bearman vs.

Ocon (Alpine)** Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon have had mixed fortunes. Qualifying favours Bearman 9‑4, while sprint sessions are closer at 3‑2. Race results give Bearman an 8‑4 edge, though the sprint saw Ocon win 3‑2.

Points stand at 18 for Bearman and 3 for Ocon, with placement ranges indicating Bearman’s finishes around thirteenth and Ocon’s around eighteenth. The Dutch Grand Prix sprint did not award points due to both drivers retiring. **Hulkenberg vs.

Bortoleto (Haas)** Nico Hulkenberg and Matteo Bortoleto’s head‑to‑head is marked by inconsistency. Qualifying is 6‑7 to Hulkenberg, sprint 2‑3, and race 5‑8. A notable incident occurred in the Miami sprint where Hulkenberg failed to start and Bortoleto was disqualified, resulting in no points.

Overall, Hulkenberg has 6 points to Bortoleto’s 10, with placements hovering around fifteenth for both. **Gasly vs. Colapinto (AlphaTauri)** Pierre Gasly and Oscar Colapinto have displayed a competitive edge for Gasly. Qualifying 11‑2, sprint 3‑2, race 8‑5, and sprint 4‑1 all favour Gasly.

Their championship points reflect this advantage, 41 to 21, and placement records show Gasly typically finishing in the top ten, while Colapinto is positioned just outside that range. **Perez vs. Bottas (Red Bull/Alfa Romeo)** Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas have a more subdued rivalry.

Qualifying is 6‑7 to Perez, sprint 3‑2, and race results are split with Perez 8‑3 but a sprint loss 2‑3. No points were awarded for the Austrian and Hungarian Grands Prix due to retirements, leaving both drivers with zero championship points for the season so far. Their placement records indicate Perez generally finishing in the low twenties, with Bottas slightly ahead.

Overall, the 2026 season’s head‑to‑head statistics provide a detailed snapshot of intra‑team competition, highlighting dominant pairings, closely contested battles, and the occasional disruption caused by driver swaps or race retirements. Fans can continue to follow these evolving narratives by streaming every race live on Sky Sports F1, listening to The F1 Show podcast, or accessing Sky Sports via the NOW platform with a flexible, contract‑free subscription.