2026 F1 Team-Mate Performance Comparisons After the Spanish Grand Prix

The 2026 Formula One season has generated a wealth of data on how teammates stack up against each other across qualifying, sprint events and full Grand Prix races. Below is a comprehensive, re‑phrased overview of the head‑to‑head statistics for each of the eleven teams, followed by additional context that helps explain the numbers and highlights the storylines shaping the championship so far.

### McLaren (Norris vs. Piastri) **Qualifying:** Across all qualifying sessions Norris has out‑performed Piastri nine times to five. **Sprint:** Norris has a perfect record of five wins to zero losses.

**Race:** In the main Grand Prix distance Norris leads eight to six, while the sprint format again sees Norris winning all five races. **Championship points:** Norris has accumulated 186 points compared with Piastri’s 120, placing Norris in fourth overall and Piastri in seventh. The only race where neither driver earned points was the Chinese Grand Prix, where both cars failed to start due to technical issues. ### Mercedes (Russell vs.

Antonelli) **Qualifying:** Russell has a slight edge with six wins to Antonelli’s eight. **Sprint:** Russell dominates the sprint series 3‑2. **Race:** In the full‑distance events Russell has four victories against Antonelli’s ten, but the sprint races swing back in Russell’s favour with a 4‑1 record.

**Championship points:** Russell leads with 211 points to Antonelli’s 292, and the pair sit second and first respectively in the drivers’ standings, reflecting Antonelli’s rapid rise despite a lower qualifying record. ### Red Bull (Verstappen vs.

Hadjar) **Qualifying:** Verstappen out‑qualifies Hadjar eight to three. **Sprint:** Verstappen is unbeaten in sprint qualifying, 4‑0.

**Race:** The pattern repeats in the race itself, with Verstappen winning eight of the eleven Grand Prix events against Hadjar’s three. **Championship points:** Verstappen has amassed 145 points, while Hadjar sits on 71, placing them sixth and eighth in the overall ranking. ### Lawson Substitutions (Verstappen vs.

Lawson) When Liam Lawson stepped in for Isack Hadjar at the Dutch, Italian and Spanish rounds, Verstappen continued his dominance. **Qualifying:** 3‑0 in favour of Verstappen. **Sprint:** 1‑0. **Race:** Verstappen won two of the three Grand Prix, with Lawson taking one.

**Sprint race:** Verstappen again won both sprint events. This brief swap underscores Verstappen’s consistency even when his teammate changes.

### Ferrari (Leclerc vs. Hamilton) **Qualifying:** The two veterans are evenly matched, each securing seven pole positions.

**Sprint:** Leclerc leads 2‑3. **Race:** Leclerc has six wins to Hamilton’s eight, while sprint races are split 3‑2 in Hamilton’s favour. **Championship points:** Leclerc has earned 167 points, Hamilton 191, putting Leclerc in fifth and Hamilton in third overall.

Their rivalry remains one of the season’s most compelling narratives. ### Alpine (Albon vs. Sainz) **Qualifying:** Albon’s four poles contrast with Sainz’s ten. **Sprint:** Albon trails 1‑4.

**Race:** Albon’s six wins are matched by Sainz’s eight, and sprint races again favour Sainz 1‑4. **Championship points:** Albon’s modest five points versus Sainz’s six reflect their lower finishing positions, with Albon finishing 17th and Sainz 16th in the drivers’ table. ### Aston Martin (Lawson vs.

Lindblad) **Qualifying:** Lawson edges Lindblad 6‑5. **Sprint:** The pair are tied 2‑2. **Race:** Lawson dominates with eight wins to Lindblad’s three, and sprint races see Lawson winning three to Lindblad’s one. **Championship points:** Lawson’s 59 points outstrip Lindblad’s 31, placing them ninth and eleventh respectively.

### Alfa Romeo (Lindblad vs. Tsunoda) After Yuki Tsunoda replaced Lawson for the same three races, Lindblad continued his strong form. **Qualifying:** Lindblad 3‑0. **Sprint:** Lindblad 1‑0.

**Race:** Lindblad won two of the three Grand Prix, with Tsunoda taking one. Sprint races also favour Lindblad 1‑0.

Their combined points remain modest but illustrate the team’s competitive depth. ### Alpine (Alonso vs. Stroll) **Qualifying:** Alonso’s twelve poles dwarf Stroll’s two.

**Sprint:** Alonso leads 4‑1. **Race:** Alonso wins eight to Stroll’s two, with sprint races 3‑2 in his favour.

**Championship points:** Alonso’s three points versus Stroll’s zero reflect the early stage of the season for this pairing, with Alonso positioned 19th and Stroll 21st. ### Haas (Bearman vs.

Ocon) **Qualifying:** Bearman’s nine poles beat Ocon’s four. **Sprint:** Bearman leads 3‑2. **Race:** Bearman’s eight wins to Ocon’s five, though Bearman missed the Spanish qualifying session and both drivers retired at the Dutch Grand Prix, resulting in no points for those events.

**Championship points:** Bearman’s 18 points contrast with Ocon’s three, placing them 13th and 18th. ### Williams (Hulkenberg vs.

Bortoleto) **Qualifying:** Both drivers are evenly matched with seven poles each. **Sprint:** Hulkenberg leads 2‑3. **Race:** Hulkenberg’s six wins to Bortoleto’s eight, though a sprint in Miami saw Hulkenberg unable to start and Bortoleto disqualified, leaving no points for that session. **Championship points:** Hulkenberg’s seven points versus Bortoleto’s ten keep them around 15th and 14th in the standings.

### AlphaTauri (Gasly vs. Colapinto) **Qualifying:** Gasly’s eleven poles dominate Colapinto’s three. **Sprint:** Gasly leads 3‑2.

**Race:** Gasly’s eight victories to Colapinto’s six, with sprint races 4‑1 for Gasly. **Championship points:** Gasly’s 41 points versus Colapinto’s 27 place them 10th and 12th overall. ### Red Bull (Perez vs. Bottas) **Qualifying:** Both drivers have seven poles each.

**Sprint:** Perez leads 3‑2. **Race:** Perez’s eight wins to Bottas’s four, though both retired from the Austrian and Hungarian Grands Prix, resulting in zero points for those events. **Championship points:** Neither driver earned points in the listed races, leaving Perez at 23rd and Bottas at 22nd. Overall, the 2026 season showcases a mixture of dominant performances—such as Verstappen’s relentless qualifying and race pace—and tightly contested battles, exemplified by the Leclerc‑Hamilton and Norris‑Piastri duels.

The data also highlights the impact of driver substitutions, retirements, and technical failures on the points tally, reminding fans that consistency and reliability are just as crucial as outright speed. For viewers who want to follow every on‑track action, all 2026 Formula 1 weekends are available live on Sky Sports F1.

The service can be streamed via NOW without a long‑term contract, and fans can also catch the latest analysis on The F1 Show podcast or stay updated through Sky Sports on WhatsApp.