Verstappen declines Perez in qualifying and race duel in 2024
A driver's first opponent is his teammate. With exactly the same equipment, your teammate is the one you want to beat first. How do the duels between the drivers stand after the Canadian Grand Prix? Here is the complete overview of all internal duels.
After nine Grands Prix in 2024, two drivers are still undefeated in the duel with their teammate. Max Verstappen and Alexander Albon have yet to finish behind their teammate in qualifying or the race this season when both drivers crossed the finish line. With Verstappen in particular, the difference is impressive, with a 7-0 and 9-0 gap.
With those two duos, the average difference in qualifying is also almost four tenths compared to Sergio Perez and Logan Sargeant. While the latter may lose his seat as a result, the former has just signed a new deal with Formula 1's top team. Yet Perez and Sargeant are not the drivers with the biggest difference compared to their teammate. Indeed, Guanyu Zhou lost more than four tenths per qualifying session on average compared to Valtteri Bottas.
Among other driver duos, it is much more interesting. Ferrari and McLaren have line-ups closest to each other in 2024. At both teams, the difference on Saturday is negligible by less than a tenth and the Ferrari drivers are also close together on Sunday. At McLaren, the experienced Lando Norris still makes up the difference there with Oscar Piastri, though perhaps not surprisingly in his second year in F1.