3 F1 drivers known for dominating their teammates on track

A complimentary driver pairing is one of the most important elements for an F1 team to have a successful season on track. The two drivers work in tandem to get the maximum points for the team while racing against other rivals.

For a driver, his teammate is not just a benchmark, but also a rival on the track and another target to beat and finish ahead of. Although there have been legendary and successful driver pairings in the sport, some drivers are known for dominating their teammates in the same car.

Below is the list of three drivers who have gotten the better of their teammates on track throughout their careers:

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#1 Max Verstappen- Red Bull F1

Max Verstappen has been the dominant driver over the past four seasons as he has won three consecutive drivers' championships, and is on course for a four-peat. Ever since he joined the sport, aged 17, with Toro Rosso in 2015, the Dutch driver has displayed his excellent speed and has beaten every single teammate he has had.

During his almost season-and-a-half with Carlos Sainz in Toro Rosso in 2015 and 2016, Max Verstappen had the edge both in races and qualifying by the end of their time as teammates. When he joined Red Bull in the middle of 2016, he wasted no time in matching Daniel Ricciardo.

Although the Aussie finished ahead of him in 2016 and 2017 in the championship, the Dutchman had the upper hand when they were both equal till the end of 2018. But since 2019, Verstappen has been on a rampage and has gotten the better of Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, and Sergio Perez significantly whilst racing in the same car.

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#2 Fernando Alonso

Fernando Alonso is often known as 'the teammate killer' in F1 due to his reputation for destroying his teammates in equal machinery. The two-time world champion has only lost once to a teammate, Jenson Button in 2015, in the sport over a season.

But he was able to get the better of the Brit during their two seasons together on numerous occasions. F1 drivers such as Stoffel Vandoorne, Nelson Piquet Jr., and Giancarlo Fisichella struggled massively against the Spaniard in the same car. While Lewis Hamilton in 2007 was outraced by Alonso and could only match him in qualifying and finishing level on points.

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#3 Michael Schumacher

Michael Schumacherr's F1 career will always be divided into two halves as he decided to return to the sport after his retirement in 2010 for a three-year stint with Mercedes alongside Nico Rosberg. He was unable to get the better of his young countryman and was beaten fairly by the future world champion.

But in the first half of his career, starting from 1991-2006, the seven-time world champion was a machine and was never beaten by a teammate when he completed an entire season.

He notoriously held the record for never being out-qualified by his teammate for three years, 1992-1995. He decimated F1 drivers such as Rubens Barrichelo, Eddie Irvine, and Martin Brundle in the same car.