Top 5 teammate rivalries in Formula 1

Your teammate is your first rival in F1There is an old saying in Formula 1; first driver you want to beat is your teammate. And, trust us, all the drivers, current or retired, take this notion pretty seriously.Formula 1 has an unwritten decree that a driver, first and foremost, must beat his main rival: his so called ‘mate’ in the team.During the course of last year and a half, we have seen a great degree of tension between World Champion Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes partner Nico Rosberg. Of course, both are young, energetic and full of fire; to win every race and titles, but both have the same car and both race under one roof. Hence, there is always an aerie friction between the two; day in day out.But, this type of tension between colleagues is nothing new to the sport, even if they are paid millions of dollars every year. However, some drivers put winning first, at any ethical cost, whatsoever. So, let us ignite our minds again, with a list we have carved, of the best teammate rivalries of all time in Formula 1.

#5 Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber

Main Reason for the Rivalry being Special: Vettel’s dominance over Webber over the years.

This German-Aussie pairing for Red Bull from 2009 to 2013 always exploded with tension. The pair seemed happy at first, when Vettel had initially joined the senior Bull team, but the tussle started as soon as Red Bull created a rocket ship of a car. And, the 2010 Turkish Grand Prix was the epicenter for the issues.

The pair clashed whilst trying to fight for the lead at Istanbul Park, and the German, because of the accident, had to subsequently retire from the race. The result of the accident was that Red Bull lost a sure one and two, and this made the team’s hierarchy pretty angry.

Another prime example of the tension between the Aussie and Vettel was at the 2013 Malaysian Grand Prix. This was the venue of the infamous Multi-21 saga. And, because of this Webber’s always believed, he was getting second hand treatment from the team. But, the incident really shook Webber up and it might have acted as a catalyst in his decision to call it a day at the end of that season.

However, many paddock insiders believed that Webber was always under pressure because of Vettel’s continuous title wins (4 in total) in the same car. The German also made sure that the team ran around him, thus creating the difference.

#4 Nigel Mansell and Nelson Piquet

Reason for the Rivalry being Special: Piquet believing Mansell would just be another push over.

When a double World Champion joins a team, it is believed that he would be given all the required preference, because he would deserve it anyway. However, when his teammate gets a good run at him, all hell breaks loose.

That’s what happened in 1986 when Brazilian star Piquet joined Williams, on multimillion dollar salary, to partner the Brit Nigel Mansell. It was expected that the Honda powered Williams would be a good car to win a championship in and Piquet’s name was already being carved to be engraved on the year’s title. However, Mansell had other plans, and challenged the Brazilian tooth and nail.

Thus created the problem that the Brazilian always believed Mansell was preferred by the team because he was British. The tension between the two drivers intensified and that led to name-callings. Piquet once called Mansell ‘an uneducated blockhead’, to which the former Champion replied: Piquet is just a vile man.

The pair, let us say hated each other, and that did effect their on track demeanor in 1986, which allowed Alain Prost in a McLaren to take the title right under the nose of both the Williams drivers. The following year in 87, both still teammates, it was all the same, however because of Mansell’s accident at the Japanese Grand Prix, a title showdown was robbed from us as Piquet became a third time world champion that season.

Both Piquet and Mansell were great drivers, legends of the sport, but they couldn’t stand each other, at least not in one team.

#3 Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello

The swap at the 2002 Austrian Grand Prix

Reason for the rivalry being Special: Schumacher’s control over Ferrari and Rubens.

It was always difficult to beat Schumacher and when the German was in a red car, it was even more difficult. The time Barrichello joined the Maestro at Scuderia in 2000, the double world champion was trophy-less for 4 years. However, as soon as the Brazilian shifted boats from the Stewart team, he and Schumacher were gifted with a very quick car, 5 years in a row. And, Schumacher made the most of that, by winning five titles on the trot.

But, the time wasn’t as smooth as one would have liked. Barichello was always, very clearly, hard done by the team as the Scuderia always took the star’s side. Of course, Barrichello never had the ‘ultimate pace or brains of Schumacher. But, we understand that how difficult was the situation for the Brazilian, when right in front of his eyes his colleague took home 5 titles, in the same car he was driving. ‘Rubinho’ was always portrayed as the perfect number 2 of Schumacher, which did not amuse the Brazilian.

The biggest highlight of this professional feud showcased itself in Austria 2002, where Barrichello was told to move over and let Schumacher pass for the race lead. The call was made well before the chequered flag was dropped, albeit in a very frantic way by team boss Jean Todt. Barrichello made sure he gave up the place dramatically on the finishing line of the final lap.

The “switch” made news, and Ferrari were panned because Schumacher did not really need to those extra points for the championship, at least so early in the season, which the Prancing Horses were sure to dominate anyway. And, Barrichello was robbed of a perfect race win, for which Ferrari was subsequently fined 1 Million Dollars (indirectly) by the FIA.

The rivalry and the bad taste between the two drivers stayed on. And, later in 2010, when a returning Schumacher was with Mercedes and Barrichello with Williams, it escalated even further as the German nearly drove his former teammate towards the pitwall during the Hungarian Grand Prix at speeds in excess of 300 kmph.

Schumacher insisted that he was only defending as hard as he could, but it was certain that the former champion was giving it all, and a bit more, to not let his friendly foe pass him.

#2 Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton

Reason for the rivalry being Special: Showed us the ugly side of a team’s equality program.

The 2007 Formula 1 World Championship was Kimi Raikkonen’s year of triumph. However, it is also well remembered for the McLaren-Ferrari Espionage Saga and the internal rivalry between Alonso and Hamilton.

Alonso, fresh after winning 2 titles with Renault, had joined the woking based squad to partner Hamilton, a young rookie at the time. As with the Piquet and Mansell feud, the team had created a very good car, and it was expected that Alonso was going to be the defacto number 1 of the team and get all the priority for the title challenge.

But, that wasn’t the case. Hamilton and Alonso were treated equally by the team, and that did not go down well with the Spaniard. The effect of all this was McLaren lost the drivers’ championship and the constructors’ at the court rooms because both the drivers were more interested in beating each other.

The bad blood between the two began in Monaco that year when Hamilton conveyed his unhappiness at not being allowed to make an overtaking move at, eventual race winner Alonso by McLaren for safety reasons. However, things got out of hands later in the season in Hungary when, first, Hamilton tried to ‘play with’ Alonso during qualifying by overtaking him, and in retaliation the Spaniard took matter in his own hands by blocking the youngster in the pit box during the final seconds of Q3. Subsequently, Alonso was docked places on the qualifying grid and he then demanded number one status from Ron Dennis, who declined.

On track, the Alonso and Hamilton pairing were very closely matched. However, the young McLaren protégé did have the edge, in some cases. But, Alonso was always the one with the cooler and the cleverer shoulder. Time has healed up the wounds. However, there is always a thing in the air when Alonso and Hamilton come face to face, on track.

#1 Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost

Reason for the rivalry being Special: World’s 2 best drivers in the same team.

It takes two to tango, and certainly in the case of Prost and Senna, it was true. This rivalry is by far the best of the lot, and by far the best ‘war’ Grand Prix racing history has ever seen. That’s because, the perpetrators of this rivalry were the 2 best drivers the world of Formula 1 has ever seen.

It all started in 1988 when Senna, a newbie at McLaren, tried to defend (at the Portuguese Grand Prix) from Prost, a 4-season veteran and championship winner at the team then, in a very definitive manner. Prost won that battle, but the war raged on and the bad feud between the two continued throughout the next 2 years and beyond. The problem escalated to extra heights when Senna, allegedly broke a gentlemen’s agreement with Prost about not overtaking during the first corner.

But, that wasn’t the end. Both the drivers regularly tested each other nerves as they were running mates, and when the 1989 championship deciding race came, whatever good was left in their relationship ended. The title was decided when Prost and Senna collided, and ultimately lost the race with each other at the Suzuka’s Casio Triangle corner when the Brazilian was about to overtake the Frenchman for the win and the championship.

This gave the Frenchman his third world title, but Senna was not amused. Many believed Prost did that on purpose and took the easier route to the title. However, a year later at the same circuit, Senna in revenge, bumped into Prost from behind, now with Ferrari at the first corner to win the title in the exact fashion, again many doubted Senna’s move.

Both drivers gave their everything, and beyond to win, and that’s what made this rivalry so fierce and legendary. Prost always maintained that after his retirement, and till Senna’s premature death in 1994, both legends used to talk about their rivalry and other things in a much more coherent manner. However, Prost agrees, their rivalry was always a thing to watch on and off track.

On the issue, Prost once wrote “Ayrton didn't want to beat me, he wanted to destroy me.” And, that said it all.

Honorable Mentions:

Mika Hakkinen vs David Coulthard

Fernando Alonso vs Felipe Massa

Alain Prost vs Nigel Mansell

Gilles Villeneuve v Didier Pironi