Formula 1’s first eleven rounds created very different contests between team-mates. Some pairs are separated by one result, while others show a clear qualifying pattern.
The figures count which Formula 1 driver finished ahead in qualifying and races. They do not treat pace, reliability and championship points as the same measure.
Antonelli leads at Mercedes while Ferrari remains close
Kimi Antonelli leads George Russell seven to four in both Mercedes comparisons. Six of Antonelli’s seven stronger qualifying results produced pole position. He also won six of the races where he finished ahead. Russell did not finish two of the first eleven races. Antonelli’s record contains one race without a finish. Reliability therefore influenced several of these comparisons. The qualifying record still shows Antonelli’s clear improvement from his rookie season. Ferrari has produced one of the closest internal contests. Charles Leclerc leads Lewis Hamilton six to five in qualifying. Hamilton finished ahead in six races, while Leclerc finished ahead in five.
Both Ferrari team-mates won one Grand Prix before the break. Hamilton collected five podiums and Leclerc reached four. Their different strengths have produced almost equal results across the first eleven weekends. These pairings show why one number cannot describe every team. Mercedes has the same leader on Saturday and Sunday. Ferrari changes leader between those two measures.
McLaren’s race record is level while Audi has two leaders
Lando Norris holds a seven to four qualifying lead over Oscar Piastri. Norris also delivered McLaren’s only win before the summer break at the Hungarian Grand Prix. Norris and Piastri each finished ahead five times. China is excluded because neither McLaren started. Norris did not finish two races. Piastri’s record contains one race without a finish and one missed start. Audi also has different leaders across the two comparisons. Nico Hulkenberg leads Gabriel Bortoleto six to five in qualifying. Bortoleto finished ahead in seven races, while Hulkenberg finished ahead in four.
Reliability adds important context to those Audi figures. Hulkenberg failed to finish three times and missed the Australian start. Bortoleto failed to start in China but finished every other race. McLaren and Audi therefore have no single leader across both measures. Qualifying position and completed race distance tell different parts of each season.
Verstappen and Alonso lead their team-mates
Max Verstappen leads Isack Hadjar eight to three in qualifying. Verstappen also finished ahead in eight races, while Hadjar finished ahead in three. Hadjar moved from Racing Bulls before the season. He has faced a four-time champion while learning another car and team. Technical problems also prevented Verstappen and Hadjar from finishing some races. Fernando Alonso leads Lance Stroll nine to two in Aston Martin qualifying. Their race count stands six to two because three rounds are excluded after both cars retired.
Alonso also scored Aston Martin’s first point in Monaco. The team’s Hungary improvement later allowed Alonso and Stroll to finish inside the top eight. Verstappen and Alonso lead both comparisons. Car failures reduced the number of races that could be counted for Red Bull and Aston Martin.
Gasly, Bearman and Sainz lead their qualifying records
Pierre Gasly leads Franco Colapinto nine to two in Alpine qualifying. The race score is closer at seven to four. Gasly also earned Alpine’s best result with third place in Monaco. Oliver Bearman holds an eight to three qualifying lead over Esteban Ocon at Haas. Bearman finished ahead in seven races, while Ocon finished ahead in four. Bearman did not finish three races. Ocon completed every Grand Prix before the summer break. Carlos Sainz leads Alex Albon nine to two in Williams qualifying. Sainz finished ahead in six races, while Albon finished ahead in five. Sainz scored six points and Albon collected five.
The Williams figures show a large Saturday gap and a narrow Sunday result. Haas combines Bearman’s advantage with uneven reliability. Alpine shows Gasly leading both measures by different margins. These details matter when a team studies performance. A Formula 1 driver can lead qualifying clearly without creating the same difference in race finishes.
Lawson and Perez lead the final two comparisons
Liam Lawson leads rookie Arvid Lindblad six to five in Racing Bulls qualifying. Lawson finished ahead in eight races, while Lindblad finished ahead in three. Lawson and Lindblad scored points in five races before the break. Lawson finished ahead more often, but the qualifying gaps between them were usually small. Sergio Perez leads Valtteri Bottas six to five in Cadillac qualifying. Perez finished ahead in six races, while Bottas finished ahead in three. Austria and Hungary are excluded because neither car finished.
Cadillac entered Formula 1 this season and remains without a point. Perez leads Bottas by one qualifying session. Reliability has reduced the number of races that both racers completed. The eleven comparisons show how often each Formula 1 driver finished ahead. Qualifying results and race results use separate totals. Races without two classified team-mates are excluded. These totals describe the opening eleven rounds. They provide a fixed reference at the start of the summer break.
No Comments