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 qualifying in Japan? Here is the complete overview of all internal duels.
Max Verstappen is still unbeaten in the duel with Sergio Perez. In 2024, Verstappen has finished ahead of his teammate every qualifying session, as he did again in China. The average difference has risen to 0.280s. Esteban Ocon (5-0), Alexander Albon (4-0) and Valtteri Bottas (4-0) are also still unbeaten this season.
Who is ahead in the F1 qualifying duels?
The biggest average difference can be found at Williams. Albon not only finished ahead of Logan Sargeant in every qualifying session but did so by an average margin of 0.486s. The American did himself no favours by spinning around in the final run in Q1. As a result, Sargeant's fastest time in Q1 was almost a second slower than Albon's.
At Ferrari, the duel is a lot more exciting. Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz are tied and the average difference is nowhere else so small. So far, Sainz has qualified just slightly better than his teammate on average. Even at Mercedes and McLaren, the difference between the two teammates is less than two-tenths.
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