After the primary three race weekends of the 2026 System 1 season, now is an effective time to take an in depth take a look at the intra-team battles: who’s at present the sooner driver? Who excels in qualifying, and who in race trim? Who’s adapting greatest to the brand new rules – and who’s rising as a shock?
Right here, we run via the driving force pairings that make up all 11 groups on the 2026 System 1 grid to see how the team-mate battles have gone up to now this yr.
McLaren: Champion Lando Norris struggles with new guidelines
On the reigning champions McLaren, Oscar Piastri at present has the higher hand. In qualifying, the Australian is on common 0.14 seconds sooner than team-mate Lando Norris. In race trim, the benefit is much more pronounced at 0.24s per lap.
This marks a transparent step ahead in contrast with 2025, when Norris nonetheless held a 0.06-second edge in qualifying and 0.03s per lap in races.
Nonetheless, warning is required: each McLarens have repeatedly been hampered by technical points this season, costing precious observe time and complicating direct comparisons. Nonetheless, a transparent development is rising.
Mercedes: Kimi Antonelli makes an enormous step over the winter
George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Picture by: Guido De Bortoli / LAT Photos through Getty Photos
The comparability at Mercedes is way extra consultant, as each Kimi Antonelli and George Russell have accomplished each related periods up to now this yr. The Italian at present leads by a median of 0.08s in qualifying and 0.17s per lap in race trim.
This marks an entire reversal in contrast with 2025, when Russell was round three tenths sooner in each classes than the then-rookie Antonelli. The shift could also be attributed each to the brand new rules and Antonelli’s rising expertise.
Pink Bull: Is Isack Hadjar on par with Max Verstappen?
The brand new Pink Bull team-mate battle has been eagerly anticipated – and up to now, the image is stunning. Isack Hadjar is at present 0.08s sooner than Max Verstappen in qualifying on common. In races, nevertheless, the stability swings dramatically the opposite manner as Verstappen is roughly half a second per lap faster.
What is obvious is that Hadjar represents a big enchancment 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 had been even bigger at 1.49s in qualifying and 1.86s per lap in race trim.
Max Verstappen vs teammates qualifying battle
Picture by: Uncredited
The massive discrepancy between qualifying and race tempo raises questions. Already in 2025, Lawson appeared nearer to Hadjar in races than in qualifying at Racing Bulls – a attainable indication of a race tempo limitation for the Frenchman.
Nonetheless, it’s uncertain whether or not this alone explains the hole of greater than half a second. The brand new rules may additionally play a task, as drivers report that it’s now tougher to make a decisive distinction in qualifying.
The reason being clear: the sooner you get on the throttle and the later you brake, the much less battery power stays out there. “Loopy laps,” as Charles Leclerc described them, are at present nearly inconceivable. It’s subsequently fairly attainable that qualifying beneath the brand new rules is not a dependable indicator of pure driver tempo.
Nonetheless, it’s notable that hardly some other workforce reveals such a pronounced shift in comparison with final yr. Verstappen’s present qualifying struggles subsequently stay one thing of a thriller.
Ferrari: Is Lewis Hamilton’s resurgence an phantasm?
At Ferrari, the head-to-head at present favours Charles Leclerc. The Monegasque is on common 0.13s faster in qualifying and 0.07s per lap sooner in race trim than Lewis Hamilton. For Hamilton, nevertheless, this nonetheless represents progress, as he trailed by 0.25s in each classes in 2025.
That stated, it stays to be seen how sustainable this development is, because the circuits up to now have suited Hamilton. Australia and China have historically been amongst his stronger tracks, whereas Leclerc has traditionally struggled there.
An analogous sample was already seen in 2025: in Australia and China, Hamilton was on par with or barely faster than Leclerc, earlier than falling round three tenths behind in Japan – precisely the identical sample repeated in 2026.
Lewis Hamilton vs Charles Leclerc Qualifying tempo
Picture by: Uncredited
In 2025, Hamilton’s extra pronounced struggles solely started from Bahrain and Saudi Arabia onward, the place the deficit grew to greater than six tenths. Each tracks are notably sturdy for Leclerc, however are absent from the 2026 calendar. How the battle evolves from Miami onward stays to be seen. If the 2025 development repeats, Leclerc is more likely to lengthen his benefit.
Williams: The pecking order is unclear
The scenario at Williams is tough to evaluate. Each Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon are struggling not solely with the automobile but additionally with recurring technical points.
At current, Sainz holds the sting in qualifying with a median benefit of 0.31s (2025: 0.18s). Albon is forward in races, nevertheless, averaging a 0.15s per lap lead over his team-mate. In 2025, it was the opposite manner round, with Sainz main 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 robust begin to his System 1 profession. The Brit scored factors on his debut and is at present the sooner Racing Bulls driver, main Liam Lawson by 0.13s in qualifying and 0.14s per lap in race trim.
The important thing query stays: is Lindblad exceptionally sturdy, or is Lawson merely not a dependable benchmark? A definitive reply is tough, however knowledge from earlier years doesn’t counsel that Lawson ranks among the many stronger midfield drivers.
Aston Martin: Enterprise as standard
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing, Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
Picture by: Clive Rose / System 1 through Getty Photos
At Aston Martin, a well-known image emerges. Fernando Alonso is considerably faster in qualifying, with a 0.53-second benefit over Lance Stroll. In races, nevertheless, the hole shrinks to 0.12s per lap.
This sample just isn’t new: in 2025, Alonso additionally led by 0.53s in qualifying and 0.14s per lap in races. Regardless of the brand new rules, the inner hierarchy stays unchanged.
Haas: Oliver Bearman confirms sturdy 2025 development
At Haas, the development from final yr continues. Oliver Bearman seems stronger general and is on common 0.22s per lap faster than Esteban Ocon in race trim.
In qualifying, nevertheless, Ocon at present leads by 0.09 seconds – a determine influenced by Bearman’s stunning Q1 exit in Japan. In 2025, Bearman held a 0.19-second benefit in qualifying and 0.11s per lap in races.
Audi: Each drivers carefully matched
At Audi, the image is just like 2025, though the info pattern is proscribed: Nico Hulkenberg didn’t begin in Australia, whereas Gabriel Bortoleto missed the race in China. At current, Bortoleto leads in qualifying by a median of 0.09s .
In races, nevertheless, Hulkenberg is faster, with a bonus of 0.21s per lap. For comparability, in 2025 Bortoleto led by 0.01s in qualifying, whereas the German held a 0.13-second benefit in race trim.
Alpine: Franco Colapinto struggles early
Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Picture by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Photos through Getty Photos
One of many greatest disappointments of the season up to now is Franco Colapinto. The Argentine is at present missing tempo, trailing Pierre Gasly by 0.71s in qualifying and 0.79s per lap in race trim.
This represents a big improve in comparison with 2025, when Colapinto was 0.37s behind in qualifying and simply 0.14s per lap in races.
One attainable rationalization is that Colapinto had not beforehand raced on any of the primary three circuits in System 1. Nonetheless, clear enchancment is required – particularly as Alpine at present seems to have the strongest automobile within the midfield.
Cadillac: The right driver pairing?
At Cadillac, the scenario can be tough to evaluate, as technical points have repeatedly restricted comparability between its veteran drivers – notably in key periods. At current, Valtteri Bottas leads Sergio Perez by a median of 0.24s in qualifying. In races, nevertheless, the image is reversed: Perez is 0.18s per lap sooner.
There aren’t any direct comparisons from earlier years, however the driver profiles present a transparent interpretation: Bottas is called a robust qualifier, with 20 profession pole positions, however has usually struggled with tyre administration in race trim – notably throughout his time at Mercedes.
Perez, in contrast, is famend for his tyre administration and race tempo – incomes him the nickname “the tyre whisperer.” In qualifying, nevertheless, he usually lacks the ultimate edge. Cadillac subsequently seems to have intentionally opted for a complementary driver pairing because it builds its workforce.
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