August 10, 2026 – Formula 1’s official account has published a mid-season snapshot of the qualifying battles within each team, revealing which drivers are currently winning the single-lap war in 2026.
Top of the list is Mercedes, where teenage sensation Kimi Antonelli has emerged as the clear “quali king.” The Italian leads teammate George Russell 7-4 in head-to-head qualifying results so far this season.
Elsewhere, the picture is mixed between veterans and rising stars:
- McLaren: Lando Norris holds a strong 7-4 advantage over Oscar Piastri.
- Ferrari: Charles Leclerc edges Lewis Hamilton by the narrowest of margins at 6-5.
- Red Bull: Max Verstappen continues to dominate, leading Isack Hadjar 8-3.
- Racing Bulls: Liam Lawson sits just ahead of Arvid Lindblad 6-5.
Further down the grid, the leaders are:
- Alpine – Pierre Gasly
- Haas – Ollie Bearman
- Audi – Nico Hülkenberg
- Williams – Carlos Sainz
- Aston Martin – Fernando Alonso
- Cadillac – Sergio Pérez
The graphics posted by @F1 highlight how closely contested some of these internal battles have become, particularly at Ferrari and Racing Bulls, while others (Mercedes, McLaren and Red Bull) show clearer gaps.
With the 2026 season now past the halfway mark, these qualifying scores offer an early indicator of who is extracting the most from the new-generation cars on Saturday afternoons. Antonelli’s advantage over Russell is already drawing attention as one of the more surprising storylines of the year.
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