Imagine stepping into the cockpit of a Formula 1 car, knowing your teammate is the four-time world champion Max Verstappen – a scenario that could make even the most seasoned drivers break a sweat. It's a predicament that's not just challenging; it's downright intimidating. But here's where it gets really fascinating: Verstappen's reign of supremacy over his Red Bull teammates has reached levels that defy belief, turning what should be a collaborative team effort into a one-sided showcase of his unparalleled talent.
For newcomers to the world of motorsport, let's clarify a key concept: in Formula 1, 'qualifying' is the session where drivers compete to set the fastest lap times, determining their starting positions for the race. It's a high-stakes battle, and outperforming your teammate in these sessions often highlights who has the edge. Now, picture being Verstappen's teammate – it's widely regarded as one of the toughest gigs in all of sports. Come next year, young talent Isack Hadjar will get his shot at trying to keep up with the Dutch speedster, and based on history, it's going to be an uphill climb.
Ever since Verstappen earned his promotion to Red Bull's top team ahead of the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix, he's consistently outshone everyone sharing the garage with him. It kicked off with Daniel Ricciardo, the Aussie who, to give him credit, started strong and initially posted better qualifying results than Verstappen. But as the seasons progressed, the tide turned decisively in the Dutchman's favor.
Looking back, after Ricciardo's early edge in the 2016-2018 period – where he out-qualified Verstappen 11 times to 6 overall, including winning three of the first four qualifiers in 2017 – things shifted dramatically. In the remaining 37 Grand Prix weekends they raced together, Verstappen clinched the better grid spot a whopping 27 times. That's right, the part most people miss is how Ricciardo's initial dominance gave way to Verstappen's unstoppable ascent within the same team.
Ricciardo's departure at the end of 2018 marked a new era, and that's when the statistics become absolutely jaw-dropping. From 2019 onward, the 28-year-old Verstappen has taken part in 152 qualifying sessions (not counting sprint events, which are shorter races that don't affect the main grid). Incredibly, he's come out on top against his teammates 140 times, losing only 12. To put that in perspective, that's like flipping a coin and getting heads nearly 92% of the time – a feat that would make any statistician do a double-take.
This year, it was a flawless 24-0 sweep for Verstappen in qualifying battles against Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda. Last season, in 2024, he dominated Sergio Perez 23-1, with the sole 'blemish' coming at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. As a result, Verstappen heads into 2026 on an unbroken streak of 31 Grand Prix qualifying sessions without a single defeat from a teammate. Good luck to Isack Hadjar – you're going to need it!
But here's where it gets controversial: Is this sheer dominance purely a testament to Verstappen's raw skill and relentless drive, or does it hint at something more, like preferential treatment from the team? Some fans argue that Red Bull's engineering might subtly favor their superstar, while others point to Verstappen's mental toughness as the key factor. And this is the part most people miss – even stalwarts like Perez, who stuck around for four seasons, couldn't keep pace, raising questions about whether teammates are unfairly set up for failure. What do you think? Does this streak prove Verstappen is untouchable, or is it time for a shift in how teams balance resources? Share your take in the comments – do you agree this is a sign of genius, or does it spark concerns about fairness in F1?
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