Formula 1 2022: Review of key team fights so far as George Russell keeps Lewis Hamilton in the lead

New vehicles, new title contenders – and new team battles.

It’s been the first half of an epic 2022 season with plenty of steering wheel action between rival teams and drivers, but the final stick in F1 is beating your teammate, someone who could matter to the end. contract period.

There have been some impressive – and somewhat surprising – benchmarks set by drivers so far this year, as the comparisons below show when we round up all the significant numbers and results from 11 rounds.

Note: Grid penalties are discounted when calculating qualifying head-to-head performance, while race day scores are absent if both team cars fail to finish or at least one vehicle fails to start.

Red Bull: Max Verstappen vs Sergio Perez

QUALIFYING
Verstappen 9-2 Perez
Best result: Verstappen 1, Perez 1
Poland: Verstappen 3-1 Perez

SPRAY TARGET
Verstappen 2-0 Perez

RACE DAY
Verstappen 7-3 Perez
Best result: Verstappen 1, Perez 1
Win: Verstappen 6-1 Perez
Podium: Verstappen 8-6 Perez
Score: Verstappen 208-151 Perez

WHAT IS THE STORY?
The chair next to Max Verstappen has become a cup of poison in recent years and the Dutchman continues the fine record of dominating his team-mates so far – although Sergio Perez is enjoying the campaign The latter is much more competitive with Red Bull.

The new cars for 2022 seemed to suit Perez and he got his first pole this year and helped Monaco win their first. However, Verstappen has been in superb form throughout the first half of his title fight.

Ferrari: Charles Leclerc vs Carlos Sainz

QUALIFYING
Leclerc 9-2 Sainz
Best result: Leclerc 1st, Sainz 1st
Poland: Leclerc 6-1 Sainz

SPRAY TARGET
Leclerc 2-0 Sainz

RACE DAY
Leclerc 6-4 Sainz
Best result: Leclerc 1st, Sainz 1st
Win: Leclerc 3-1 Sainz
Podium: Leclerc 5-6 Sainz
Score: Leclerc 170-133 Sainz

WHAT IS THE STORY?
After being so evenly matched last year, the Charles Leclerc vs Carlos Sainz battle has been eagerly awaited in 2022 – especially with the added bonus of Ferrari’s car becoming a rival up front.

But Leclerc has been by far the faster driver in the red so far this season, and while both have had reliability and strategy issues, Monegasque is perhaps the less fortunate of the bunch. two.

Sainz has been comfortable with F1-75 lately, as evidenced by his pole and win at Silverstone, but only past Leclerc via a penalty in Canada, and in the British GP rain.

Mercedes: Lewis Hamilton vs George Russell

QUALIFYING
Hamilton 5-6 Russell
Best result: Hamilton 4th, Russell 4th
Appears in Q3: Hamilton 9-9 Russell

SPRAY TARGET
Hamilton 0-2 Russell

RACE DAY
Hamilton 4-7 Russell
Best result: Hamilton 3rd, Russell 3rd
Podium: Hamilton 4-3 Russell
Score: Hamilton 109-128 Russell

WHAT IS THE STORY?
George Russell certainly has the toughest task on the grid this year when he joins the Mercedes team alongside Lewis Hamilton – and he has handled the predicament wonderfully in the midst of an underperforming car.

Russell was ahead of Hamilton in quality confrontations – despite both crashing in Austria – while F1’s Mr Saturday previously excelled on Sunday. Hamilton has had more bad luck, mostly with Safety Cars, and will be floating with a string of three vertical platforms.

“I wouldn’t say it’s difficult,” Hamilton said. “It’s been very pleasant,” Hamilton said, working “incredibly well” with Russell. “I really think, whether I’m here or not, he has all the qualities to help move this team forward into the future and lead them to success.”

Can Russell maintain this and become the first driver to beat Hamilton for more than a season since Nico Rosberg?

McLaren: Lando Norris vs Daniel Ricciardo

QUALIFYING
Norris 9-2 Ricciardo
Best result: Norris 3rd, Ricciardo 6th
Starting in the third quarter: Norris 5-4 Ricciardo

SPRAY TARGET
Norris 2-0 Ricciardo

RACE DAY
Norris 8-3 Ricciardo
Best result: Norris 3rd, Ricciardo 6th
Tee podium: Norris 1-0 Ricciardo
Score: Norris 64-17 Ricciardo

WHAT IS THE STORY?
Looks like 2021 isn’t just going to be a steady year for Daniel Ricciardo. The Australian driver, an eight-time race winner, is dominated again by Lando Norris as we reach the halfway point of Year Two at McLaren, with Lando fiercely opposed in a lap and distance. race.

McLaren’s car has not been quite as competitive as expected, but Norris has excelled at winning a podium and finishing many times in the top 10. While he has a contract until 2023 and insists he will stay, Ricciardo must be very worried about the future of his McLaren.

Alpine: Fernando Alonso vs Esteban Ocon

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After their confrontation in Saudi Arabia delighted the fans, Rachel Brookes caught up with the Alpine pair.

QUALIFYING
Alonso 7-4 Ocon
Best result: Alonso 2nd, Ocon 5th
Appears in Q3: Alonso 9-5 Ocon

SPRAY TARGET
Alonso 1-1 Ocon

RACE DAY
Alonso 3-8 Ocon
Best result: 5th Alonso, 5th Ocon
Finishing Points: Alonso 7-8 Ocon
Score: Alonso 29-52 Ocon

WHAT IS THE STORY?
Alpine has provided one of the more competitive and engaging teamfights this season, with Fernando Alonso generally showing faster pace, but having more bad luck on Sunday than Esteban Ocon, who continues to advance. set in F1.

Both drivers have consistently placed in the top 10 this season, and with Alpine and McLaren locked in points, their form will be key to who takes fourth place in the championship.

Alfa Romeo: Valtteri Bottas vs Zhou Guanyu

QUALIFYING
Bottas 8-3 Zhou
Best result: 5th Bottas, 9th Zhou
Appears in Q3: Bottas 5-2 Zhou

SPRAY TARGET
Bottas 2-0 Zhou

RACE DAY
Bottas 9-1 Zhou
Best result: 5th Bottas, 8th Zhou
End Score: Bottas 7-2 Zhou
Score: Bottas 46-5 Zhou

WHAT IS THE STORY?
A driver coming into 2022 from a match with Hamilton at Mercedes while a driver entering the sport as a rookie is always likely to be out of place, and Valtteri Bottas has dominated at Alfa Romeo So far, managing a few fines resulted in a much improved car.

Zhou Guanyu has shown signs of form lately, most impressively getting through to the 8th qualifying round at the British GP before his terrifying collision. The Chinese driver could certainly do with some more points with Alfa Romeo’s pace.

Haas: Kevin Magnussen vs Mick Schumacher

QUALIFYING
Magnussen 9-2 Schumacher
Best result: Magnussen 5th, Schumacher 6th
Starting in the third quarter: Magnussen 6-3 Schumacher

SPRAY TARGET
Magnussen 2-0 Schumacher

RACE DAY
Magnussen 4-6 Schumacher
Best result: Magnussen 5th, Schumacher 6th
Finishing point: Magnussen 5-2 Schumacher
Score: Magnussen 22-12 Schumacher

WHAT IS THE STORY?
Just drafted a few weeks before the season kicks off, Kevin Magnussen marked his return with a bang with a stunning fifth finish at the Bahrain GP. The Dane was a much better gauge for Mick Schumacher after he went up against Nikita Mazepin as a rookie, and Mick – who even as a child was already a more successful qualifying racer – set out to find see his feet in recent weeks.

His first F1 point came at Silverstone before a F1 best finish in sixth at the Austrian GP.

AlphaTauri: Pierre Gasly vs Yuki Tsunoda

QUALIFYING
Gasly 7-3 Tsunoda
Best result: 6th Gasly, 8th Tsunoda
Appears in Q3: The spirited Tsunoda 4-2

SPRAY TARGET
Gasly 1-1 Tsunoda

RACE DAY
Gasly 5-5 Tsunoda
Best result: Gasly 5th, Tsunoda 7th
Ending point: 3-3 The spirited Tsunoda
Score: Gasly 16-11 Tsunoda

WHAT IS THE STORY?
It’s been tough for AlphaTauri so far this season with Red Bull’s sister outfit sliding down the midfield area – but at least Yuki Tsunoda seems to have improved from his rookie campaign.

Tsunoda has been much closer to Gasly this season and while the Frenchman has had remarkable results, Tsunoda could have earned himself another year with the team.

Aston Martin: Lance Stroll vs Sebastian Vettel / Nico Hulkenberg

QUALIFYING
Vettel 7-2 Stroll / Hulkenberg 1-1 Stroll
Best result: Vettel 9th, Stroll 10th, Hulkenberg 17th
Q3 appearances: Vettel 2/9, Stroll 1/11, Hulkenberg 0/2

SPRAY TARGET
Vettel 1-1 Stroll

RACE DAY
Vettel 5-4 Stroll / Hulkenberg 1-1 Stroll
Best result: Vettel 6th, Stroll 10th, Hulkenberg 12th
Ending Points: Vettel 4/9, Stroll 3/11, Hulkenberg 0/2
Spot: Vettel 15-3 Stroll (nine legs) / Stroll 0-0 Hulkenberg (two legs)

WHAT IS THE STORY?
Although he missed the first two races of the season with Covid-19, Sebastian Vettel was Aston Martin’s faster driver this year on Saturday and Sunday, with an outstanding sixth at the Azerbaijan GP of him and the typical result of the year.

Stroll has never beaten a teammate in a qualifying season – and the drought doesn’t look like it’ll end in 2022.

Williams: Alex Albon vs Nicholas Latifi

QUALIFYING
Albon 8-2 Latifi
Best result: 12th Albon, 10th Latifi
Coming in Q3: Albon 0-1 Latifi

SPRAY TARGET
Albon 2-0 Latifi

RACE DAY
Albon 8-3 Latifi
Best result: Albon 9th, Latifi 12th
End point: Albon 2-0 Latifi
Score: Albon 3-0 Latifi

WHAT IS THE STORY?
Alex Albon was brought in to replace Russell as Williams’ team leader – although he was actually less experienced than his teammate – and has done brilliantly so far, finishing in Australia and Miami.

Nicholas Latifi’s consolation is that he was the only Williams driver to take the car to Q3, in wet conditions at Silverstone.