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

The 2026 Formula 1 season has produced a wealth of data on how teammates have stacked up against each other across qualifying, sprint events and the main races. Below is a detailed breakdown of each of the eleven team pairings, showing how the drivers performed in the latest Grand Prix, the sprint races, and the overall championship standings.

Where a driver missed a start or a race, the score for that event is omitted, as noted in the footnotes. **McLaren (Norris vs. Piastri)** - Qualifying: Over the course of the season Norris has out‑qualified Piastri nine times to five.

In the sprint format Norris has a perfect 5‑0 record. - Race results: In the Grand Prix distance Norris leads with eight wins to Piastri’s six, while the sprint races again see Norris unbeaten (5‑0). - Championship points: Norris has amassed 186 points compared with Piastri’s 120. - Season‑long finishing positions: Norris typically finishes between fourth and seventh, whereas Piastri’s best finishes have hovered around seventh to tenth.

- Note: No points were awarded for the Chinese Grand Prix because both drivers were unable to start. **Mercedes (Russell vs.

Antonelli)** - Qualifying: Russell’s record stands at six wins to Antonelli’s eight. - Sprint: Russell has a modest edge, 3‑2. - Race: Russell’s Grand Prix tally is four wins to Antonelli’s ten, while the sprint races show a dominant 4‑1 advantage for Russell. - Championship: Russell leads with 211 points to Antonelli’s 292, reflecting Antonelli’s stronger race finishes.

- Placings: Russell’s season best has been second place, while Antonelli has even reached the top step of the podium. **Red Bull (Verstappen vs. Hadjar)** - Qualifying: Verstappen out‑qualified Hadjar eight times to three.

- Sprint: Verstappen is unbeaten in the sprint format, 4‑0. - Race: The Grand Prix results mirror qualifying, with Verstappen eight wins to Hadjar’s three, and the sprint races again 4‑0. - Championship: Verstappen holds 145 points against Hadjar’s 71. - Placings: Verstappen’s best finishes this year have been sixth, while Hadjar’s have been eighth.

**Williams (Lawson substitution for Hadjar)** - Qualifying: Verstappen’s dominance continues when paired with Lawson, 3‑0. - Sprint: 1‑0 in favour of Verstappen. - Race: Verstappen wins two of three Grand Prix meetings, Lawson takes one.

Sprint races remain 1‑0 for Verstappen. **Ferrari (Leclerc vs. Hamilton)** - Qualifying: The two legends are evenly matched, each scoring seven top‑qualifying performances. - Sprint: Leclerc edges Hamilton 2‑3.

- Race: Leclerc’s Grand Prix record is six wins to Hamilton’s eight, while the sprint results flip to Leclerc 3‑2. - Championship: Leclerc has collected 167 points, Hamilton 191. - Placings: Leclerc’s best finish this season is fifth, whereas Hamilton has reached as high as third.

**Alpine (Albon vs. Sainz)** - Qualifying: Albon’s record is four wins to Sainz’s ten. - Sprint: Albon trails 1‑4. - Race: Albon’s Grand Prix tally is six to Sainz’s eight, and the sprint results again show Albon 1‑4.

- Championship: Albon holds five points, Sainz six. - Placings: Albon’s best finish has been 17th, Sainz 16th. **AlphaTauri (Lawson vs. Lindblad)** - Qualifying: Lawson leads 6‑5.

- Sprint: The pair are dead‑locked at 2‑2. - Race: Lawson dominates with eight wins to Lindblad’s three, while sprint races show Lawson 3‑1. - Championship: Lawson has 59 points, Lindblad 31. - Placings: Lawson’s season best is ninth, Lindblad’s is eleventh.

**Haas (Lindblad substitution for Lawson)** - Qualifying: Lindblad beats his temporary teammate 3‑0. - Sprint: Lindblad 1‑0. - Race: Lindblad wins two of three Grand Prix events, with a sprint win as well. **Aston Martin (Alonso vs.

Stroll)** - Qualifying: Alonso dominates with twelve wins to Stroll’s two. - Sprint: Alonso again leads 4‑1.

- Race: In the Grand Prix Alonso has eight wins to Stroll’s two, while sprint races are 3‑2 for Alonso. - Championship: Alonso’s points stand at three, Stroll’s at zero. - Placings: Alonso’s best finish is nineteenth, Stroll’s twenty‑first. **Alpine‑Racing (Bearman vs.

Ocon)** - Qualifying: Bearman leads 9‑4, sprint 3‑2. - Race: Bearman’s Grand Prix record is eight wins to Ocon’s five; sprint races are 2‑3 in Ocon’s favour.

- Note: Bearman missed Spanish qualifying, and both drivers retired in the Dutch Grand Prix, so no points were allocated for those events. - Championship: Bearman has 18 points, Ocon only three.

- Placings: Bearman’s best finish is thirteenth, Ocon’s eighteenth. **Alfa Romeo (Hulkenberg vs.

Bortoleto)** - Qualifying: Evenly split at seven each. - Sprint: Hulkenberg trails 2‑3.

- Race: Hulkenberg’s Grand Prix tally is six to Bortoleto’s eight, while sprint races are 1‑3 for Bortoleto. - Note: No sprint points for the Miami event because Hulkenberg failed to start and Bortoleto was disqualified.

- Championship: Hulkenberg holds seven points, Bortoleto ten. - Placings: Hulkenberg’s best finish is fifteenth, Bortoleto’s fourteenth. **AlphaTauri (Gasly vs.

Colapinto)** - Qualifying: Gasly’s record is eleven to three. - Sprint: Gasly leads 3‑2.

- Race: Gasly wins eight Grand Prix events to Colapinto’s six, and sprint races are 4‑1 for Gasly. - Championship: Gasly has accumulated 41 points, Colapinto 27. - Placings: Gasly’s best finish this year is tenth, Colapinto twelfth.

**Red Bull Racing (Perez vs. Bottas)** - Qualifying: Both drivers have seven top‑qualifying performances. - Sprint: Perez leads 3‑2. - Race: Perez’s Grand Prix record is eight wins to Bottas’s four, while sprint races are 2‑3 for Bottas.

- Note: No points were awarded for the Austrian and Hungarian Grands Prix because both drivers retired. - Championship: Both drivers currently sit on zero points due to the retirements, and their final placings are twenty‑third for Perez and twenty‑second for Bottas. Overall, the 2026 season continues to deliver intense intra‑team battles, with several duos showing clear superiority in qualifying, sprint formats, or race distance.

Fans can follow every weekend live on Sky Sports F1, stream without a contract via NOW, and catch additional analysis on The F1 Show podcast. For those who prefer instant updates, Sky Sports also offers a WhatsApp service to keep you informed of the latest results, driver swaps, and championship implications as the season unfolds.