Team-mate battles in 2026: Are “slower” F1 drivers suddenly more competitive?

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After the first three race weekends of the 2026 Formula 1 season, now is a good time to take a detailed look at the intra-team battles: who is currently the faster driver? Who excels in qualifying, and who in race trim? Who is adapting best to the new regulations – and who is emerging as a surprise?

Here, we run through the driver pairings that make up all 11 teams on the 2026 Formula 1 grid to see how the team-mate battles have gone so far this year.

McLaren: Champion Lando Norris struggles with new rules

At the reigning champions McLaren, Oscar Piastri currently has the upper hand. In qualifying, the Australian is on average 0.14 seconds faster than team-mate Lando Norris. In race trim, the advantage is even more pronounced at 0.24s per lap.

This marks a clear step forward compared with 2025, when Norris still held a 0.06-second edge in qualifying and 0.03s per lap in races.

However, caution is required: both McLarens have repeatedly been hampered by technical issues this season, costing valuable track time and complicating direct comparisons. Nevertheless, a clear trend is emerging.

Mercedes: Kimi Antonelli makes a huge step over the winter

George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

The comparison at Mercedes is far more representative, as both Kimi Antonelli and George Russell have completed every relevant sessions so far this year. The Italian currently leads by an average of 0.08s in qualifying and 0.17s per lap in race trim.

This marks a complete reversal compared with 2025, when Russell was around three tenths faster in both categories than the then-rookie Antonelli. The shift may be attributed both to the new regulations and Antonelli’s growing experience.

Red Bull: Is Isack Hadjar on par with Max Verstappen?

The new Red Bull team-mate battle has been eagerly anticipated – and so far, the picture is surprising. Isack Hadjar is currently 0.08s faster than Max Verstappen in qualifying on average. In races, however, the balance swings dramatically the other way as Verstappen is roughly half a second per lap quicker.

What is clear is that Hadjar represents a significant improvement over his predecessors. In 2025, Yuki Tsunoda trailed Verstappen by 0.81s in qualifying and 1.07s per lap in races. Liam Lawson’s deficits were even larger at 1.49s in qualifying and 1.86s per lap in race trim.

Max Verstappen vs teammates qualifying battle

Max Verstappen vs teammates qualifying battle

The large discrepancy between qualifying and race pace raises questions. Already in 2025, Lawson appeared closer to Hadjar in races than in qualifying at Racing Bulls – a possible indication of a race pace limitation for the Frenchman.

However, it is doubtful whether this alone explains the gap of more than half a second. The new regulations may also play a role, as drivers report that it is now harder to make a decisive difference in qualifying.

The reason is clear: the earlier you get on the throttle and the later you brake, the less battery energy remains available. “Crazy laps,” as Charles Leclerc described them, are currently almost impossible. It is therefore quite possible that qualifying under the new regulations is no longer a reliable indicator of pure driver pace.

Still, it is notable that hardly any other team shows such a pronounced shift compared to last year. Verstappen’s current qualifying struggles therefore remain something of a mystery.

Ferrari: Is Lewis Hamilton’s resurgence an illusion?

At Ferrari, the head-to-head currently favours Charles Leclerc. The Monegasque is on average 0.13s quicker in qualifying and 0.07s per lap faster in race trim than Lewis Hamilton. For Hamilton, however, this still represents progress, as he trailed by 0.25s in both categories in 2025.

That said, it remains to be seen how sustainable this trend is, as the circuits so far have suited Hamilton. Australia and China have traditionally been among his stronger tracks, while Leclerc has historically struggled there.

A similar pattern was already visible in 2025: in Australia and China, Hamilton was on par with or slightly quicker than Leclerc, before falling around three tenths behind in Japan – exactly the same pattern repeated in 2026.

Lewis Hamilton vs Charles Leclerc Qualifying pace

Lewis Hamilton vs Charles Leclerc Qualifying pace

In 2025, Hamilton’s more pronounced struggles only began from Bahrain and Saudi Arabia onward, where the deficit grew to more than six tenths. Both tracks are particularly strong for Leclerc, but are absent from the 2026 calendar. How the battle evolves from Miami onward remains to be seen. If the 2025 trend repeats, Leclerc is likely to extend his advantage.

Williams: The pecking order is unclear

The situation at Williams is difficult to assess. Both Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon are struggling not only with the car but also with recurring technical issues.

At present, Sainz holds the edge in qualifying with an average advantage of 0.31s (2025: 0.18s). Albon is ahead in races, however, averaging a 0.15s per lap lead over his team-mate. In 2025, it was the other way around, with Sainz leading by 0.01s per lap in race trim.

Racing Bulls: Is Arvid Lindblad that good – or Liam Lawson that weak?

Rookie Arvid Lindblad has impressed with a strong start to his Formula 1 career. The Brit scored points on his debut and is currently the faster Racing Bulls driver, leading Liam Lawson by 0.13s in qualifying and 0.14s per lap in race trim.

The key question remains: is Lindblad exceptionally strong, or is Lawson simply not a reliable benchmark? A definitive answer is difficult, but data from previous years does not suggest that Lawson ranks among the stronger midfield drivers.

Aston Martin: Business as usual

Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing, Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing

Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing, Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing

At Aston Martin, a familiar picture emerges. Fernando Alonso is significantly quicker in qualifying, with a 0.53-second advantage over Lance Stroll. In races, however, the gap shrinks to 0.12s per lap.

This pattern is not new: in 2025, Alonso also led by 0.53s in qualifying and 0.14s per lap in races. Despite the new regulations, the internal hierarchy remains unchanged.

Haas: Oliver Bearman confirms strong 2025 trend

At Haas, the trend from last year continues. Oliver Bearman appears stronger overall and is on average 0.22s per lap quicker than Esteban Ocon in race trim.

In qualifying, however, Ocon currently leads by 0.09 seconds – a figure influenced by Bearman’s surprising Q1 exit in Japan. In 2025, Bearman held a 0.19-second advantage in qualifying and 0.11s per lap in races.

Audi: Both drivers closely matched

At Audi, the picture is similar to 2025, although the data sample is limited: Nico Hulkenberg did not start in Australia, while Gabriel Bortoleto missed the race in China. At present, Bortoleto leads in qualifying by an average of 0.09s .

In races, however, Hulkenberg is quicker, with an advantage of 0.21s per lap. For comparison, in 2025 Bortoleto led by 0.01s in qualifying, while the German held a 0.13-second advantage in race trim.

Alpine: Franco Colapinto struggles early

Pierre Gasly, Alpine

Pierre Gasly, Alpine

One of the biggest disappointments of the season so far is Franco Colapinto. The Argentine is currently lacking pace, trailing Pierre Gasly by 0.71s in qualifying and 0.79s per lap in race trim.

This represents a significant increase compared to 2025, when Colapinto was 0.37s behind in qualifying and just 0.14s per lap in races.

One possible explanation is that Colapinto had not previously raced on any of the first three circuits in Formula 1. Nevertheless, clear improvement is required – especially as Alpine currently appears to have the strongest car in the midfield.

Cadillac: The perfect driver pairing?

At Cadillac, the situation is also difficult to assess, as technical issues have repeatedly limited comparison between its veteran drivers – particularly in key sessions. At present, Valtteri Bottas leads Sergio Perez by an average of 0.24s in qualifying. In races, however, the picture is reversed: Perez is 0.18s per lap faster.

There are no direct comparisons from previous years, but the driver profiles provide a clear interpretation: Bottas is known as a strong qualifier, with 20 career pole positions, but has often struggled with tyre management in race trim – particularly during his time at Mercedes.

Perez, by contrast, is renowned for his tyre management and race pace – earning him the nickname “the tyre whisperer.” In qualifying, however, he often lacks the final edge. Cadillac therefore appears to have deliberately opted for a complementary driver pairing as it builds its team.

Read Also:

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Analysis: Red Bull’s 2026 F1 pace is its slowest since 2015

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