2026 F1 Team-Mate Head‑to‑Head Comparisons After the Spanish Grand Prix

The 2026 Formula 1 season has produced a wealth of data on how teammates have fared against each other across qualifying, sprint and race sessions. Below is a comprehensive, re‑phrased summary of the head‑to‑head results for each of the eleven teams up to and including the Spanish Grand Prix, together with an expanded analysis that puts the numbers into context, highlights trends, and offers insight into what the statistics suggest for the remainder of the year. ### Overview of the Head‑to‑Head Tables For each driver pair the original source listed three categories: Qualifying, Race (including the Grand Prix result), and Championship points, together with the finishing positions achieved over the period considered.

In several cases a driver was substituted for another for specific events, and certain races did not award points because both drivers failed to start or retired. The rewritten tables below preserve the original meaning while using fresh wording. #### McLaren (Norris vs. Piastri) - **Qualifying:** Across the Grand Prix sessions Norris out‑qualified Piastri nine times to five.

In the sprint format Norris was unbeaten, winning five to zero. - **Race Results:** In the Grand Prix Norris finished ahead of Piastri eight times to six, while the sprint races again saw Norris win all five contests. - **Championship Points:** Norris accumulated 186 points compared with Piastri’s 120.

- **Season‑Long Placement:** Norris’s best finish was fourth, whereas Piastri’s highest was seventh. - *Note:* No points were recorded for the Chinese Grand Prix because neither driver started the race. #### Mercedes (Russell vs.

Antonelli) - **Qualifying:** Russell’s qualifying record stood at six wins against Antonelli’s eight. In sprint qualifying Russell edged Antonelli three to two.

- **Race:** Russell finished ahead of Antonelli four times to ten in the Grand Prix, but dominated the sprint races with four wins to Antonelli’s single. - **Championship Points:** Russell earned 211 points, Antonelli 292.

- **Placement:** Russell’s best overall finish was second, while Antonelli achieved a season‑high of first place. #### Red Bull (Verstappen vs. Hadjar) - **Qualifying:** Verstappen beat Hadjar eight to three in Grand Prix qualifying, and swept the sprint qualifying 4‑0.

- **Race:** The same pattern held in the race results – Verstappen eight to three in the Grand Prix and a clean 4‑0 sprint record. - **Championship Points:** Verstappen amassed 145 points, Hadjar 71. - **Placement:** Verstappen’s best finish was sixth, Hadjar’s was eighth.

#### Lawson Substitution (Verstappen vs. Lawson) Liam Lawson stepped in for Isack Hadjar at the Dutch, Italian and Spanish rounds. - **Qualifying:** Verstappen out‑qualified Lawson three to zero.

- **Sprint Qualifying:** Verstappen won the single sprint qualifying session. - **Race:** Verstappen beat Lawson two to one in the Grand Prix and again 1‑0 in the sprint. #### Ferrari (Leclerc vs.

Hamilton) - **Qualifying:** Leclerc matched Hamilton with seven equal qualifying results, while Hamilton also recorded seven. In sprint qualifying Leclerc led two to three. - **Race:** Leclerc finished ahead of Hamilton six times to eight in the Grand Prix; the sprint races were split three to two in Leclerc’s favour. - **Championship Points:** Leclerc earned 167 points, Hamilton 191.

- **Placement:** Leclerc’s best finish was fifth, Hamilton’s was third. #### Alpine (Albon vs.

Sainz) - **Qualifying:** Albon’s qualifying record was four wins to ten losses against Sainz. Sprint qualifying was one to four.

- **Race:** Albon finished ahead of Sainz six to eight in Grand Prix races; sprint races mirrored the qualifying split. - **Championship Points:** Albon gathered five points, Sainz six.

- **Placement:** Albon’s season‑best was seventeenth, Sainz sixteenth. #### Williams (Lawson vs.

Lindblad) - **Qualifying:** Lawson led Lindblad six to five; sprint qualifying was tied at two each. - **Race:** Lawson’s Grand Prix record was eight to three, and sprint races were three to one.

- **Championship Points:** Lawson accumulated 59 points, Lindblad 31. - **Placement:** Lawson’s highest finish was ninth, Lindblad’s eleventh. #### Alfa Romeo (Lindblad vs. Tsunoda) After Lawson’s stint, Yuki Tsunoda replaced him for the Dutch, Italian and Spanish events.

- **Qualifying:** Lindblad beat Tsunoda three to zero; sprint qualifying was 1‑0. - **Race:** Lindblad’s Grand Prix record was two to one, sprint 1‑0.

#### Aston Martin (Alonso vs. Stroll) - **Qualifying:** Alonso dominated with twelve wins to two for Stroll; sprint qualifying was four to one. - **Race:** In the Grand Prix Alonso won eight to two, and sprint races were three to two.

- **Championship Points:** Alonso earned three points, Stroll none. - **Placement:** Alonso’s best finish was nineteenth, Stroll twenty‑first. - *Note:* No points were awarded for the Australian, Chinese, Barcelona and Dutch Grand Prix because both drivers retired. #### Alpine‑Powered (Bearman vs.

Ocon) - **Qualifying:** Bearman’s qualifying tally was nine to four; sprint qualifying three to two. - **Race:** Bearman achieved eight to five in Grand Prix races; sprint races were split two to three.

- **Championship Points:** Bearman collected 18 points, Ocon three. - **Placement:** Bearman’s season‑best was thirteenth, Ocon eighteenth. - *Note:* Bearman missed Spanish qualifying, and both drivers retired at the Dutch Grand Prix, so no points were recorded for those events.

#### Haas (Hulkenberg vs. Bortoleto) - **Qualifying:** Both drivers were equal at seven each; sprint qualifying was two to three. - **Race:** Hulkenberg finished ahead six to eight; sprint races were one to three. - **Championship Points:** Hulkenberg earned seven points, Bortoleto ten.

- *Note:* No sprint points for the Miami GP because Hulkenberg did not start and Bortoleto was disqualified. #### AlphaTauri (Gasly vs.

Colapinto) - **Qualifying:** Gasly out‑qualified Colapinto eleven to three; sprint qualifying three to two. - **Race:** Gasly’s Grand Prix record was eight to six; sprint races were four to one. - **Championship Points:** Gasly accumulated 41 points, Colapinto 27.

- **Placement:** Gasly’s best finish was tenth, Colapinto twelfth. #### Red Bull Junior (Perez vs.

Bottas) - **Qualifying:** Both drivers recorded seven equal qualifying results; sprint qualifying three to two. - **Race:** Perez’s Grand Prix record was eight to four; sprint races were two to three. - **Championship Points:** Neither driver earned points in the recorded period. - **Placement:** Perez’s highest finish was twenty‑third, Bottas twenty‑second.

- *Note:* No points for the Austrian and Hungarian Grand Prix because both drivers retired. ### Interpretation and Trends The data reveal several patterns that are worth highlighting for fans and analysts alike: 1.

**Dominant Teammates:** In many teams the leading driver has a clear edge. Norris, Verstappen, and Alonso all display superior qualifying and race performance, often winning the majority of head‑to‑head match‑ups.

2. **Impact of Substitutions:** When a regular driver is replaced, the statistics can shift dramatically.

Lawson’s brief stint for Hadjar showed Verstappen’s dominance persisted, while Lindblad’s performance improved when paired with Tsunoda instead of Lawson. 3. **Sprint vs. Grand Prix Dynamics:** Some drivers excel in sprint formats (e.g., Norris, Russell) while others perform better in the full Grand Prix distance (e.g., Leclerc’s mixed results against Hamilton).

This suggests differing skill sets or car setups that favor short‑run speed. 4. **Points Discrepancies:** Certain pairings have large point gaps despite relatively close win‑loss records, indicating that finishing positions and points scoring systems (e.g., top‑10 points) heavily influence the championship tally.

5. **Retirements and No‑Score Rounds:** Several events yielded no points because both drivers retired or failed to start, which skews the overall picture and underscores the importance of reliability. ### What This Means for the Rest of 2026 As the calendar progresses beyond the Spanish Grand Prix, teams will likely analyse these head‑to‑head figures to fine‑tune strategies. Drivers who are consistently out‑qualifying their teammates may push for better race pace, while those lagging in sprint events could focus on short‑run performance.

Moreover, the championship battle will continue to be shaped not only by outright speed but also by consistency and the ability to avoid retirements. Fans can follow every race weekend live on Sky Sports F1, stream the coverage with NOW without a contract, and stay updated with podcasts such as The F1 Show.

For those who prefer quick updates, Sky Sports also offers a WhatsApp service delivering the latest news directly to your device. In summary, the 2026 season’s teammate head‑to‑head statistics provide a detailed snapshot of intra‑team competition, highlight areas of strength and weakness, and set the stage for an exciting second half of the championship as drivers strive to out‑perform their closest rivals within each squad.