22 May,2011 07:20 AM IST | | Kunal Shah
Sunday MiD DAY analyses how top teams' drivers have performed this season compared to their teammates
There are two main competitors that every driver faces in Formula One, first is himself and second is his teammate. Though philosophical, the statement is true since it is your teammate alone who has exactly the same machinery to beat you. F1 is a team sport, every team fields two cars and drivers in each race and while you compete with the others on the grid, your teammate is your best yardstick.
F1 has witnessed intense battles between teammates (Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso in 2007) and has also seen one support the other (Felipe Massa gifting Fernando Alonso victory at the 2010 German Grand Prix).
With nearly a fifth of the 2011 season over, let us take a look at the fortunes of the top teams and how one teammate fared over the other.
Red Bullu00a0- Webber/ Vettel
Reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel is in the form of his life and Mark Webber has been unable to challenge Vettel's supremacy this year. Webber has driven around his KERS troubles and produced brilliant races that saw him charging from the bottom of the grid onto the podium, but victory has eluded him thus far. As compared to Vettel's dominance, Webber's performance can only be labelled as lacklustre.
>>u00a0Vettel 4 - 0 Webber (Qualifying)
>>u00a0Vettel 93 - 55 Webber (Drivers' points)
McLarenu00a0- Hamilton/Button
Lewis Hamilton has scored one victory this season while Jenson Button has scored none. But that doesn't reflect the difference in their performances. Hamilton and Button have matched each other for pace in qualifying as well as in the races.u00a0 Turkey saw both drivers race wheel to wheel showing that there is little speed difference between the two.
>> Hamilton 3 - 1 Button (Qualifying)
>> Hamilton 59 - 46 Button (Drivers' points)
Ferrariu00a0- Alonso/Massa
Pre-season, there was talk that the Pirellis would suit Felipe Massa and it seems that they have. Massa managed to finish ahead of his twin World Champion team-mate Fernando Alonso in Malaysia and China. On the other hand, Alonso has qualified isn the 5th spot for all Grands Prix this year and managed Ferrari's only podium in 2011 in Turkey.
>> Alonso 4 - 0 Massa (Qualifying)
>> Alonso 41 - 24 Massa (Drivers' points)
Mercedesu00a0- Rosberg/Schumacher
The first four GPs have not gone as per plan foru00a0 seven-time F1 World Champion Michael Schumacher. He has been comprehensively out-paced and out-qualified by teammate Nico Rosberg and has been unable to break into Q3 of qualifying at three out of the four GPs. Rosberg has consistently appeared in the top 5 in qualifying and races.
>> Rosberg 4 - 0 Schumacher (Qualifying)
>> Rosberg 20 - 6 Schumacher (Drivers' points)
Force India - Sutil/Di Resta
Adrian Sutil has found a tough match in rookie Paul di Resta and that is a good sign for the team. Paul has had a slight edge over Sutil though they are matched for pace. Paul di Resta's 8th place in qualifying in the Chinese GP is the team's best starting position yet in the 2011 season.
>> Di Resta 3 - 1 Sutil (Qly)
>> Di Resta 2 - 2 Sutil (Drivers' points)
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