F1 2025 qualifying reveals growing gaps and rising tensions as rookies struggle and stars like Verstappen and Leclerc extend their dominance.
By mid-season 2025, qualifying sessions offer a precise snapshot of each team’s internal hierarchy.
The most one-sided duel is unquestionably between Max Verstappen and his teammates at Red Bull.
Whether facing Tsunoda or Lawson, the four-time world champion dominates outright, with average gaps close to nine-tenths of a second.
At Ferrari, Charles Leclerc clearly outpaces Lewis Hamilton, who still appears to be adjusting to life at the Scuderia.
McLaren sees a tighter contest, with Oscar Piastri slightly ahead on average gap, though the overall score remains close.
At Mercedes, George Russell affirms his role as team leader over young Kimi Antonelli.
At Aston Martin, Fernando Alonso leverages his experience to comfortably outperform Lance Stroll, with consistently notable gaps.
Among midfield teams like Alpine, Haas, and Sauber, the trend is also clear: experienced drivers generally maintain an edge over their younger teammates, sometimes by significant margins, as seen with Pierre Gasly or Esteban Ocon.
The closest matchups are found at Williams, where Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon are locked in a very even contest, and at Racing Bulls, where Isack Hadjar beats Lawson but narrowly trails Tsunoda.
These results clearly reflect the constant pressure in the paddock: every session is a chance to shine or lose ground against one’s teammate.
| Team | Drivers | Head-to-head | Average Gap | Median Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McLaren | Norris vs Piastri | 4 – 6 | Piastri ahead by 0.116s | Piastri ahead by 0.055s |
| Ferrari | Leclerc vs Hamilton | 8 – 2 | Leclerc ahead by 0.212s | Leclerc ahead by 0.220s |
| Red Bull | Verstappen vs Tsunoda | 7 – 0 | Verstappen ahead by 0.810s | Verstappen ahead by 0.739s |
| Verstappen vs Lawson | 3 – 0 | Verstappen ahead by 0.880s | Verstappen ahead by 0.813s | |
| Mercedes | Russell vs Antonelli | 8 – 2 | Russell ahead by 0.269s | Russell ahead by 0.380s |
| Aston Martin | Alonso vs Stroll | 9 – 1 | Alonso ahead by 0.356s | Alonso ahead by 0.188s |
| Alpine | Gasly vs Colapinto | 2 – 0 | Gasly ahead by 0.603s | Gasly ahead by 0.603s |
| Gasly vs Doohan | 6 – 2 | Gasly ahead by 0.367s | Gasly ahead by 0.460s | |
| Haas | Ocon vs Bearman | 7 – 3 | Ocon ahead by 0.226s | Ocon ahead by 0.142s |
| Racing Bulls | Lawson vs Hadjar | 1 – 6 | Hadjar ahead by 0.255s | Hadjar ahead by 0.206s |
| Tsunoda vs Hadjar | 2 – 1 | Tsunoda ahead by 0.197s | Tsunoda ahead by 0.197s | |
| Williams | Sainz vs Albon | 4 – 5 | Albon ahead by 0.150s | Albon ahead by 0.053s |
| Sauber | Hulkenberg vs Bortoleto | 6 – 4 | Hulkenberg ahead by 0.137s | Hulkenberg ahead by 0.042s |
- Discover More>Bearman eyes chaos in Monaco as grid penalty bites
- Following us on>Facebook and>Twitter