2026 F1 Team-Mate Match‑Ups After Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia

The 2026 Formula 1 season has produced a wealth of data on how teammates have performed against each other across qualifying, sprint and race sessions. Below is a comprehensive summary of the head‑to‑head results for each of the eleven teams, followed by additional context, explanations of the scoring system, and insights into what these numbers mean for the championship battle. ### Overview of the Head‑to‑Head Tables The tables list the number of points each driver earned in three distinct categories: qualifying, sprint and the main Grand Prix race. For each category the format shows the points of the first driver versus the second driver (e.g., Norris 10‑6 means Lando Norris earned ten points while Oscar Piastri earned six).

When a driver did not start or both drivers retired, the entry notes that no points were awarded. ### Team 1: McLaren (Norris vs Piastri) - **Qualifying:** Norris 10 – 6 Piastri – Norris secured a higher grid position, earning more qualifying points. - **Sprint:** Norris 5 – 0 Piastri – In the sprint race Norris finished ahead, giving him a clean five‑point haul while Piastri collected none.

- **Grand Prix (Race):** Norris 8 – 8 Piastri – Both drivers finished on equal footing in the main race, each receiving eight points. - **Championship Totals:** Norris 186 – 128 Piastri – Over the season Norris has built a sizable lead in the drivers’ standings. - **Season‑Long Placings:** Norris 5th – 7th Piastri – Their final positions reflect the points gap, with Norris sitting two places higher.

### Team 2: Williams (Russell vs Antonelli) - **Qualifying:** Russell 7 – 9 Antonelli – Antonelli edged out Russell in qualifying. - **Sprint:** Russell 3 – 2 Antonelli – Russell turned the tables in the sprint, gaining a small advantage. - **Grand Prix:** Russell 5 – 11 Antonelli – Antonelli dominated the race, earning a double‑digit point score.

- **Championship Totals:** Russell 236 – 320 Antonelli – Antonelli leads the championship for the team. - **Season‑Long Placings:** Russell 2nd – 1st Antonelli – Antonelli finished the season one place higher than his teammate. ### Team 3: Red Bull (Verstappen vs Hadjar) - **Qualifying:** Verstappen 9 – 4 Hadjar – Verstappen consistently qualified ahead. - **Sprint:** Verstappen 4 – 0 Hadjar – A clean sprint win for Verstappen.

- **Grand Prix:** Verstappen 10 – 3 Hadjar – Verstappen also took the larger share of race points. - **Championship Totals:** Verstappen 188 – 96 Hadjar – Verstappen’s lead is substantial. - **Season‑Long Placings:** Verstappen 6th – 8th Hadjar – The points translate into a two‑place gap.

### Substitutes and Driver Swaps During the Dutch, Italian and Spanish rounds, Liam Lawson temporarily replaced Isack Hadjar in the Red Bull line‑up. Lawson’s head‑to‑head stats against Verstappen were modest: - **Qualifying:** Verstappen 3 – 0 Lawson – Verstappen secured the top spot. - **Sprint:** Verstappen 1 – 0 Lawson – A single sprint point for Verstappen.

- **Grand Prix:** Verstappen 2 – 1 Lawson – Verstappen again out‑scored his stand‑in. Later, Yuki Tsunoda filled in for Lawson at the same three events, producing the following results against his teammate, the Swedish driver Lindblad: - **Qualifying:** Lindblad 3 – 0 Tsunoda – Lindblad took the full qualifying points. - **Sprint:** Lindblad 1 – 0 Tsunoda – A clean sprint win.

- **Grand Prix:** Lindblad 2 – 1 Tsunoda – Lindblad maintained a narrow edge. ### Team 4: Ferrari vs Mercedes (Leclerc vs Hamilton) - **Qualifying:** Leclerc 8 – 8 Hamilton – Both drivers posted identical qualifying scores.

- **Sprint:** Leclerc 2 – 3 Hamilton – Hamilton edged ahead in the sprint. - **Grand Prix:** Leclerc 7 – 9 Hamilton – Hamilton secured a higher race finish.

- **Championship Totals:** Leclerc 191 – 214 Hamilton – Hamilton leads the combined tally. - **Season‑Long Placings:** Leclerc 4th – 3rd Hamilton – Hamilton finished a spot higher in the final standings. ### Team 5: Alpine (Albon vs Sainz) - **Qualifying:** Albon 4 – 12 Sainz – Sainz dominated qualifying.

- **Sprint:** Albon 1 – 4 Sainz – Sainz again out‑performed his teammate. - **Grand Prix:** Albon 6 – 10 Sainz – Sainz earned more race points. - **Championship Totals:** Albon 5 – 7 Sainz – The points gap is narrow, reflecting close competition. - **Season‑Long Placings:** Albon 19th – 18th Sainz – Sainz finished one place higher.

### Team 6: AlphaTauri (Lawson vs Lindblad) - **Qualifying:** Lawson 8 – 5 Lindblad – Lawson secured a better grid position. - **Sprint:** Lawson 2 – 2 Lindblad – The sprint was evenly split.

- **Grand Prix:** Lawson 9 – 4 Lindblad – Lawson collected a larger share of race points. - **Championship Totals:** Lawson 65 – 38 Lindblad – Lawson leads the internal standings. - **Season‑Long Placings:** Lawson 9th – 11th Lindblad – Lawson finished two places higher.

### Team 7: Aston Martin (Alonso vs Stroll) - **Qualifying:** Alonso 14 – 2 Stroll – Alonso’s qualifying was markedly superior. - **Sprint:** Alonso 4 – 1 Stroll – A clear sprint advantage for Alonso.

- **Grand Prix:** Alonso 9 – 2 Stroll – Alonso also dominated the race. - **Championship Totals:** Alonso 7 – 0 Stroll – Stroll failed to score any points in the listed events. - **Season‑Long Placings:** Alonso 17th – 21st Stroll – The points reflect their final positions. ### Team 8: Alpine‑Racing (Bearman vs Ocon) - **Qualifying:** Bearman 11 – 4 Ocon – Bearman secured a strong qualifying edge.

- **Sprint:** Bearman 3 – 2 Ocon – Bearman again took more sprint points. - **Grand Prix:** Bearman 9 – 6 Ocon – Bearman finished ahead in the race. - **Championship Totals:** Bearman 20 – 7 Ocon – Bearman leads the internal tally. - **Season‑Long Placings:** Bearman 13th – 16th Ocon – Bearman ended higher in the final order.

### Team 9: Haas (Hulkenberg vs Bortoleto) - **Qualifying:** Hulkenberg 7 – 9 Bortoleto – Bortoleto edged ahead. - **Sprint:** Hulkenberg 2 – 3 Bortoleto – Bortoleto continued the trend.

- **Grand Prix:** Hulkenberg 8 – 8 Bortoleto – The race points were equal. - **Championship Totals:** Hulkenberg 7 – 10 Bortoleto – Bortoleto holds a slight lead. - **Season‑Long Placings:** Hulkenberg 15th – 14th Bortoleto – Bortoleto finished one place higher.

### Team 10: AlphaTauri‑2 (Gasly vs Colapinto) - **Qualifying:** Gasly 13 – 3 Colapinto – Gasly’s qualifying performance was dominant. - **Sprint:** Gasly 3 – 2 Colapinto – Gasly again took more sprint points.

- **Grand Prix:** Gasly 8 – 7 Colapinto – The race was closely contested. - **Championship Totals:** Gasly 41 – 27 Colapinto – Gasly leads the internal championship.

- **Season‑Long Placings:** Gasly 10th – 12th Colapinto – Gasly finished two spots higher. ### Team 11: Mercedes‑Williams (Perez vs Bottas) - **Qualifying:** Perez 8 – 8 Bottas – Identical qualifying scores.

- **Sprint:** Perez 3 – 2 Bottas – Perez gained a slight sprint edge. - **Grand Prix:** Perez 10 – 4 Bottas – Perez collected more race points. - **Championship Totals:** Perez 0 – 0 Bottas – No points were awarded for the listed events due to retirements.

- **Season‑Long Placings:** Perez 23rd – 22nd Bottas – Both drivers ended near the back of the field. ### Notable Race Exceptions Several Grand Prix events did not contribute points to the head‑to‑head tallies because both drivers from a team retired or failed to start.

These include the Chinese GP (both McLaren drivers), the Australian, Barcelona, Dutch and Azerbaijan GPs (both Aston Martin drivers), the Miami Sprint (Hulkenberg failed to start, Bortoleto disqualified), and the Austrian and Hungarian GPs (both Mercedes‑Williams drivers). Such anomalies are clearly marked with asterisks in the original tables.

### How the Points System Works - **Qualifying Points:** Awarded based on grid position, encouraging drivers to push for the best possible start. - **Sprint Points:** Introduced to add excitement; the top three earn points (3‑2‑1), with additional points for fastest laps in some seasons. - **Race Points:** Follow the traditional F1 structure (25 for the winner, 18 for second, etc.) with a point for the fastest lap if the driver finishes in the top ten.

### Implications for the 2026 Championship The data shows that while some teams have clear internal hierarchies (e.g., Red Bull’s Verstappen vs Hadjar), others are fiercely contested (e.g., McLaren’s Norris vs Piastri). Drivers who consistently out‑perform their teammates not only gain a psychological edge but also improve their contract negotiations and market value. Moreover, teams use these internal comparisons to decide where to allocate resources, such as upgrades or strategic focus for the remainder of the season. ### Watching the Action Fans can follow every race weekend live on Sky Sports F1, with streaming available through NOW without a long‑term contract.

The platform also offers a dedicated F1 podcast, “The F1 Show,” and a WhatsApp service for real‑time updates. This ensures that enthusiasts stay informed about driver head‑to‑head battles, race results, and championship developments throughout the 2026 season. In summary, the 2026 Formula 1 head‑to‑head tables provide a granular look at how teammates stack up against each other across the three key session types. By analyzing qualifying, sprint and race points, along with the occasional non‑scoring events, we gain insight into driver performance trends, team dynamics, and the broader narrative of the championship race.