As Formula 1 heads into its summer break, fans and analysts are keen to evaluate the intra-team rivalries and see which drivers are outperforming their teammates. Here’s a detailed look at the current state of play in the 2024 F1 season based on qualifying performances and supertimes.
Qualifying Head-to-Head
Here’s how drivers are stacking up against their teammates in qualifying sessions so far this season:
- Verstappen vs. Perez: 14-0
- Albon vs. Sargeant: 13-0
- Bottas vs. Zhou: 13-1
- Norris vs. Piastri: 11-3
- Russell vs. Hamilton: 10-4
- Tsunoda vs. Ricciardo: 9-4
- Alonso vs. Stroll: 9-5
- Leclerc vs. Sainz: 8-5
- Gasly vs. Ocon: 8-4
- Hulkenberg vs. Magnussen: 10-2
Supertimes Gaps
Supertimes provide a more refined view of drivers’ raw speed by comparing their fastest laps to the overall fastest lap at each race weekend. Here’s how they measure up:
| Driver Pairing | Gap |
|---|---|
| Gasly vs. Ocon | 0.015s |
| Russell vs. Hamilton | 0.101s |
| Leclerc vs. Sainz | 0.134s |
| Norris vs. Piastri | 0.185s |
| Tsunoda vs. Ricciardo | 0.196s |
| Alonso vs. Stroll | 0.211s |
| Hulkenberg vs. Magnussen | 0.426s |
| Bottas vs. Zhou | 0.643s |
| Albon vs. Sargeant | 0.675s |
| Verstappen vs. Perez | 0.953s |
Key Insights
- Gasly and Ocon: The Alpine duo is the closest, with only a 0.015-second difference. This is one of the tightest intra-team battles in recent years.
- Russell and Hamilton: The gap between Mercedes teammates is narrow at 0.101 seconds. Hamilton, despite being slightly behind in qualifying head-to-head, remains strong in the championship.
- Leclerc and Sainz: Ferrari’s drivers have a gap of 0.134 seconds, with Leclerc currently holding the edge. This shows a competitive internal battle within the Scuderia.
- Norris and Piastri: McLaren’s pair are separated by 0.185 seconds, reflecting Piastri’s progress as he narrows the gap from 2023.
- Verstappen and Perez: The most notable gap is between Red Bull teammates Verstappen and Perez, with a significant 0.953-second difference. This indicates a challenging season for Perez, who is struggling to keep pace with his dominant teammate.
Summary
As the season progresses, these intra-team dynamics will continue to play a crucial role in the championship standings and driver evaluations. The tight competition between Gasly and Ocon highlights Alpine’s strong driver pairing, while the significant gap between Verstappen and Perez underscores the challenges at Red Bull. With several teams having close intra-team battles, the second half of the season promises to be exciting as drivers seek to close gaps and maximize their performance.
