RaceFans readers knew what to anticipate from final 12 months’s Method 1 driver line-up. They accurately predicted who would out-score their authentic group mate in eight out of the ten groups.
Are you able to do even higher in 2026? A lot of the driver pairings are unchanged however there’s an additional group on the grid now. Who will come out on prime in every of the 11 groups?
McLaren: Lando Norris vs Oscar Piastri
It was greater than a battle for bragging rights at McLaren final 12 months. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri fought for the drivers’ championship till the ultimate race of the season, taking so many factors off one another they nearly opened the door for Max Verstappen to beat them each.
Norris could have received however Piastri, in his third season of F1, led a lot of the 12 months. Simply 13 factors separated them come the top of the season, although Norris misplaced greater than that struggling the group’s solely race-ending technical failure of the 12 months at Zandvoort. Nonetheless, Piastri popping out on prime this 12 months is clearly a sensible risk.
Which McLaren driver will beat his group mate within the championship?
Lando Norris (56%)
Whole Voters: 32
Mercedes: Andrea Kimi Antonelli vs George Russell
Final week’s season-opening take a look at on the Circuit de Catalunya gave the primary strong indication there is perhaps some substance to the rumours Mercedes have gained the higher hand on their rivals in the course of the low season. If that’s the case, their drivers might head into the season as championship favourites.
The skilled George Russell confirmed rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli the best way final 12 months, successful twice. However Antonelli rebounded from a tough mid-season spell to finish the 12 months in fantastic type. He will certainly be nearer this 12 months.
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Which Mercedes driver will beat his group mate within the championship?
Andrea Kimi Antonelli (0%)
Whole Voters: 32
Loading …Pink Bull: Max Verstappen vs Isack Hadjar
Throughout his rookie season final 12 months, Isack Hadjar admitted the prospect of going up towards Verstappen at Pink Bull was daunting. But it surely has come to move, and it stays to be seen how the stand-out newcomer of final 12 months will fare towards the driving force who has dominated a succession of group mates in recent times.
Which Pink Bull driver will beat his group mate within the championship?
Max Verstappen (100%)
Whole Voters: 31
Loading …Ferrari: Charles Leclerc vs Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton’s first season as a Ferrari driver ended poorly, with a string of Q1 eliminations. Earlier within the season he had appeared extra of a match for Charles Leclerc, however his failure to even attain the rostrum final 12 months clearly stung. Are the seven-times champion’s finest days behind him?
Which Ferrari driver will beat his group mate within the championship?
Charles Leclerc (77%)
Whole Voters: 30
Loading …Williams: Alexander Albon vs Carlos Sainz Jnr
This was certainly one of solely two intra-team fights which our readers didn’t accurately predict the end result of final 12 months. A transparent majority backed Carlos Sainz Jnr, who misplaced to Alexander Albon.
Nonetheless it was a detailed combat, simply 9 factors in it, and Sainz clearly held the higher hand over the ultimate third of the season, the place he reached the rostrum twice. This one might certainly go both method.
Which Williams driver will beat his group mate within the championship?
Carlos Sainz Jnr (94%)
Whole Voters: 32
Loading …Aston Martin: Fernando Alonso vs Lance Stroll
Fernando Alonso could have been hotly tipped to proceed his run of out-scoring Lance Stroll however after a gradual begin to the season it took him a lot of the 12 months to get forward. The ultimate rating line could have been clearly in Alonso’s favour however it was a shock this one ever seemed shut.
Which Aston Martin driver will beat his group mate within the championship?
Fernando Alonso (100%)
Whole Voters: 32
Loading …Haas: Esteban Ocon vs Oliver Bearman
This was the opposite battle our readers did not predict accurately. Not unreasonably, most thought the skilled Esteban Ocon would paved the way at Haas, however rookie Oliver Bearman pipped him by simply three factors. Ocon was a lot happier together with his automobile on the remaining race final 12 months, nevertheless, so Bearman could count on to face a renewed risk from the opposite aspect of the storage.
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Which Haas driver will beat his group mate within the championship?
Oliver Bearman (81%)
Whole Voters: 32
Loading …Racing Bulls: Liam Lawson vs Arvid Lindblad
Simply 4% of readers final 12 months predicted Liam Lawson would beat Verstappen at Pink Bull, however did anybody count on him to get the boot after simply two appearances? He salvaged his repute together with his performances after returning to Racing Bulls, and now faces the one rookie on the 2026 grid, Method 2 graduate Arvid Lindblad.
Which Racing Bulls driver will beat his group mate within the championship?
Liam Lawson (72%)
Whole Voters: 32
Loading …Audi: Nico Hulkenberg vs Gabriel Bortoleto
Though skilled racer Nico Hulkenberg completed eight locations forward of newcomer Gabriel Bortoleto on the group previously often known as Sauber final 12 months, the rookie confirmed critical potential. Bortoleto even narrowly received the qualifying battle between the pair, and will give Hulkenberg some actual competitors at Audi.
Which Audi driver will beat his group mate within the championship?
Nico Hulkenberg (28%)
Whole Voters: 32
Loading …Alpine: Pierre Gasly vs Franco Colapinto
Alpine confirmed little endurance with Jack Doohan final 12 months and shortly ushered him apart to carry Franco Colapinto in. His outcomes weren’t drastically higher, however the group have saved the religion within the driver who seemed so promising on his debut for Williams on the finish of 2024. This can be his first likelihood to start out a season with a group and profit from prior testing, as he goes up towards season campaigner Pierre Gasly.
Which Alpine driver will beat his group mate within the championship?
Pierre Gasly (100%)
Whole Voters: 32
Loading …Cadillac: Sergio Perez vs Valtteri Bottas
Cadillac’s first driver line-up will make for an enchanting match-up: two extremely skilled, race-winning drivers who’ve gone up towards the very best within the enterprise. Plus, with Colton Herta ready within the wings, Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez know their comeback might show short-lived in the event that they fail to carry out.
Which Cadillac driver will beat his group mate within the championship?
Sergio Perez (34%)
Whole Voters: 32
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