Perez Holds 2026's Largest Teammate Race Pace Gap Ahead of Verstappen

Max Verstappen holds a commanding 0.542-second per-lap race advantage over Red Bull teammate Isack Hadjar through the opening rounds of 2026, yet he does not top this particular chart. Data from the first half reveal that Cadillac's Sergio Perez has opened the widest intra-team gap on the grid, outpacing Valtteri Bottas by an average of 0.737 seconds across the four grands prix both have finished.

Why it matters:

Teammate comparisons remain the purest benchmark in Formula 1, offering direct insight into driver performance with identical machinery. The scale of these gaps challenges pre-season expectations and highlights how adaptation and consistency are shaping the championship picture as the season moves through August.

The details:

• Cadillac: Perez leads Bottas 3-1 with a 0.737s average gap, though reliability issues have limited head-to-heads to four races.
• Red Bull: Verstappen dominates Hadjar 5-1 with a 0.542s margin, confirming his decisive Sunday edge despite Hadjar's stronger Saturdays.
• Mercedes: Kimi Antonelli holds a surprising 0.412s advantage over George Russell, having been quicker in eight of ten measurable races.
• Alpine: Pierre Gasly leads Franco Colapinto 9-1 with a 0.459s average gap.
• Ferrari: Charles Leclerc sits ahead of Lewis Hamilton 5-2 on raw race pace by 0.180s, even as Hamilton maintains a superior points haul and title challenge.
• Aston Martin: Lance Stroll edges Fernando Alonso on pace, but the sample is just three races due to frequent retirements.

The big picture:

While Verstappen's advantage generates headlines, the sheer magnitude of Perez's margin over a former race winner underscores Cadillac's internal imbalance. Conversely, Racing Bulls and Audi show remarkably tight lineups with gaps under 0.05s, suggesting closely matched partnerships. As the season enters its decisive phase, these first-half trends offer crucial insight into which driver pairings are stable and which face mounting internal pressure.