Head-to-head qualifying stats: Max Verstappen, Fernando Alonso, and the toughest teammate battles. Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso dominated their teammates in 2025 F1 qualifying sessions.

With the 2025 season concluded, it’s time to analyze some interesting data from head-to-head comparisons between teammates, which remain the best benchmark for evaluating a driver’s season. Formula 1 recently released a graphic comparing classic qualifying performances (excluding Sprint races) within each team.

Two clean sweeps

It comes as no surprise that the most dominant drivers within their teams were Fernando Alonso and Max Verstappen. Both world champions lived up to their reputations as ‘team killers,’ recording two incredible clean sweeps. Neither driver lost a single qualifying duel against their respective teammates, Lance Stroll and Yuki Tsunoda. Alonso delivered a devastating 24-0 against Stroll, while Verstappen ended up 22-0 against the Japanese driver, who joined Red Bull after Liam Lawson contested the first two Grands Prix (Lawson had also never beaten Max in qualifying).

Lewis and Kimi struggle

Significant disparities were also seen at Mercedes – George Russell defeated rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli 21-3 – and at Ferrari. In Maranello, Charles Leclerc out-qualified Lewis Hamilton 19-5, a result that stands out even more considering Hamilton is the most successful driver in F1 history and, statistically, one of the greatest qualifiers ever. This lopsided result further underlines Hamilton’s disappointing 2025 season.

Not all newcomers struggled in the one-lap comparison. Carlos Sainz, for example, overcame Alex Albon 14-9 in Williams. Unlike Antonelli, all other rookies, except Franco Colapinto, managed to win their internal qualifying battles. Bortoleto edged Nico Hulkenberg 12-11, Oliver Bearman won 14 out of 24 qualifying sessions against Esteban Ocon, and Isack Hadjar delivered a 16-6 record against Liam Lawson.

McLaren balance

And at McLaren, where the two drivers spent the year contesting the championship leadership, the qualifying battle was equally close. The head-to-head duel between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri was decided by a narrow margin, with the new world champion finishing 13-11 ahead of his Australian teammate.

As we look ahead to 2026, these statistics lay the groundwork for a fascinating psychological battle. While Verstappen and Alonso remain the undisputed kings of the one-lap pace, the rise of the younger generation—led by the likes of Piastri, Bearman, and Bortoleto—suggests that the gap at the top is closing. For legends like Hamilton, the winter break will be a vital period of reflection to ensure that 2025’s qualifying slump doesn’t become a permanent trend in the new era of the sport.