Report 2024: Duels between teammates
In Formula 1, the aim is always to do better than your team-mate, who is the first rival you have to fight against. As the new year dawns, let's take a look at the duels between team-mates in the 2024 season.
McLaren: Lando Norris ahead of Oscar Piastri, a logical domination
With a title of world constructors’ champion on the line, McLaren could count on one of the most solid driver duos on the grid. Oscar Piastri made impressive progress in his second season, tripling his points total. Meanwhile, Lando Norris confirmed that he could have the level required to clinch a world title. In their internal duel, the advantage logically went to the Briton, with clear figures: 20-4 in qualifying, 16-8 in races, 8 poles to 0, and 4 wins to 2. The rivalry between the two drivers promises an exciting season ahead.
Ferrari: Carlos Sainz held his ground against Charles Leclerc
Charles Leclerc had a very good season, which is reflected in the numbers of his duel against Carlos Sainz. The Spaniard did not disappoint, even knowing that Ferrari was no longer counting on him for the future. Charles Leclerc took the advantage in qualifying (14-9) and in races (14-8), scoring 66 more points. He achieved more victories, poles, and podiums. Together, the two drivers offered the Scuderia its finest season of the modern era.
Red Bull: Sergio Perez invisible against Max Verstappen
The comparison between Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez is stark for the Mexican: 23-1 in qualifying and races, 9 victories against none, 14 podiums against 4, 8 poles to 0, and nearly three times more points for the Dutchman. The record is heavy: with only 16 finishes in the points, Sergio Perez concludes his F1 career on a bitter note.
Mercedes: George Russell takes the upper hand over Lewis Hamilton
Statistics confirm the impression left on the track this season at Mercedes: Lewis Hamilton has had difficulty fully exploiting the potential of his car. George Russell excelled in qualifying with a marked dominance (19-5, 4 poles to 0). In the races, the seven-time world champion put up more resistance (14-9), finishing just 22 points behind his teammate. It remains to be seen if his transfer to Ferrari will allow him to regain his momentum.
Aston Martin: Lance Stroll outpaced by Fernando Alonso
Beating a double world champion like Fernando Alonso, even at 43, is a significant challenge. Lance Stroll has never really shown that he could compete with the Spaniard, and the 2024 season only confirmed this gap: 19-5 in qualifying, 17-7 in races, 14 top 10 finishes versus 6, with Fernando Alonso obtaining 75% of the team’s points. It’s difficult to be competitive under these conditions.
Alpine: Pierre Gasly – Esteban Ocon, a half-successful, half-disappointing season
At Alpine, the 2024 season was complicated for the French team. Pierre Gasly almost doubled Esteban Ocon’s score in points (42-23), but it was Ocon, future Haas driver, who took the lead in qualifying (12-11) and in races (13-10). However, Gasly remains ahead in the number of top 10 finishes (9-5). Despite these individual performances, the French team ends on a disappointing note, saving its 6th place in the Championship only thanks to a double finish (2-3) in Brazil.
Haas: Nico Hülkenberg significantly ahead of Kevin Magnussen
At Haas, Nico Hülkenberg clearly dominated Kevin Magnussen. The German achieved twice as many top 10 finishes, scored 70% of the team’s points, and beat his teammate in qualifying (16-6) and in races (16-5). The only statistic in favor of Kevin Magnussen remains the number of retirements. Unsurprisingly, Nico Hülkenberg will continue his F1 career with Sauber, while the Dane has found a new challenge in WEC with BMW.
Racing Bulls: Yuki Tsunoda takes the advantage over his two teammates
The duel between Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo during the first two thirds of the season clearly turned in favor of the Japanese: 12-6 in qualifying, 8-6 in races, and especially 22 points scored against just 7 for the Australian. Then, against Liam Lawson over six Grand Prix, Yuki Tsunoda continued his momentum: 6-0 in qualifying, 4-2 in races, and 8 points to 4. This naturally led to confusion among Japanese fans when Red Bull decided to promote the New Zealander to replace Sergio Perez.
Williams: Franco Colapinto at Alex Albon’s level in race
Alex Albon had two teammates at Williams this season. The first, Logan Sargeant, was largely dominated by Albon: 12-2 in qualifications and 10-0 in races. On the other hand, against Franco Colapinto, his teammate for nine races, the situation was different. Although the Argentine, a rookie in F1, was beaten in qualifications (7-2), he was tied with Albon in races (4-4) and scored 5 points, while the Thai driver scored 8.
Sauber: Only Guanyu Zhou managed to score points
Although Valtteri Bottas outperformed Guanyu Zhou in qualifying (19-4) and in races (14-10), it was the Chinese driver who scored the only points for Sauber this season, with 4 points thanks to his 8th place in Qatar. However, this was not enough to save the season for the future Audi team. In 2025, neither of the two drivers will be on the starting grid.
