F1's Fiercest Battles, On & Off Track
Formula One isn't just about cars; it's long been a sport known for its intense clashes between drivers. The reason many of us tune in is not just for the car mechanics and expert precision of the drivers, but for the tension, drama, and explosive comments. From teammate clashes to close battles for championship glory, here are the 20 biggest driver rivalries in the history of F1.
1. Lewis Hamilton vs. Max Verstappen
Anyone who has watched season four of Drive to Survive knows how intense the rivalry between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton was, culminating in an intense 2021 World Championship battle. Max Verstappen finally broke Mercedes' winning streak, but fans were divided about whether or not it was a fair and square win.
2. Lewis Hamilton vs. Nico Rosberg
Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg grew up karting together before they began headlining the Mercedes lineup in 2013. The pair completely dominated F1, but their contrasting personalities and driving styles fueled an intense rivalry that ended with Rosberg's retirement from the sport just days after he won the championship title in 2016.
3. Alan Jones vs. Nelson Piquet
The rivalry between Alan Jones and Nelson Piquet defined F1 in the early 80s. Jones had just become World Champion in 1980 when Piquet was just getting started in the sport. The two had contrasting driving styles as well as personalities, and they weren't shy about openly disliking one another; however, the rivalry was short-lived as Piquet started dominating the sport and Jones retired.
4. René Arnoux vs. Alain Prost
The 1982 F1 season was characterized by the rivalry between René Arnoux and Alain Prost, two French drivers pitted against each other. The two both drove for Renault, but they were complete opposites in terms of driving style. The tension exploded at the French Grand Prix during which Arnoux refused to let Prost win, defying team orders.
5. Alan Jones vs. Carlos Reutemann
The rivalry between Alan Jones and Carlos Reutemann was one of the most bitter in-team rivalries when both were driving for Williams. It culminated in Reutemann refusing to let Jones through when he was leading the race, defying team orders. Jones was furious and refused to join him on the podium.
6. Sebastian Vettel vs. Mark Webber
The rivalry between Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber was a toxic feud that defined Red Bull Racing's glory years from ofrom2009 to 2013. The drivers collided at the 2010 Turkish Grand Prix, each blaming one another, and Vettel once ignored orders to hold position, passing Webber and taking the win.
7. Jim Clark vs. Graham Hill
The relationship between Jim Clark and Graham Hill was more of a rivalry between exceptionally skilled top drivers than a feud. Their duels on track throughout the 1960s were nothing short of legendary, coming close to each other for wins time and again.
Eric Koch for Anefo on Wikimedia
8. Fernando Alonso vs. Lewis Hamilton
Fernando Alonso was an experienced two-time world champion when Lewis Hamilton joined as his rookie teammate on McLaren, resulting in a disastrous season for the team. The relationship turned sour almost immediately as Alonso felt the team was favoring Hamilton. The clash reached its peak at the Hungarian Grand Prix when Alonso purposely held up Hamilton in qualifying.
9. Michael Schumacher vs. Damon Hill
Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill clashed repeatedly during the 1994 season. It culminated in a controversial collision at the Australian Grand Prix that decided the championship in Schumacher's favor.
10. Alain Prost vs. Nigel Mansell
Alain Prost, nicknamed "The Professor" for his calculated approach to driving, clashed harshly with Nigel Mansell's aggressive style. When both men drove for Ferrari, Mansell was almost driven to retirement as a result of the tension, instead opting to drive for Williams the next year, far away from Prost.
11. Gilles Villeneuve vs. Didier Pironi
The rivalry between Gilles Villeneuve and Didier Pironi was short-lived but went down in F1 history as one of the most intense. When both men drove for Ferrari in 1982, Villeneuve heeded orders to slow down to save fuel, but Pironi aggressively swooped in for the win.
12. Nigel Mansell vs. Nelson Piquet
When Nigel Mansell and Nelson Piquet both drove for Williams in the 1980s, the two had a bad habit of stealing points from each other, proving to be detrimental to either's chance of winning the championship. Piquet moved to Lotus in 1988, relieving some of the tension, but the two drivers continued hating each other.
13. James Hunt vs. Niki Lauda
James Hunt and Niki Lauda's rivalry was so intense and cinematic that it became a Hollywood movie. Hunt, a playboy Brit, and Lauda, a serious and calculated Austrian, battled both on and off the track. Hunt won the championship title in 1976, the year Lauda had a bad crash that permanently burned him, but Lauda went on to become the dominant driver, winning three world championship titles.
14. Michael Schumacher vs. Mika Hakkinen
Mika Hakkinen was arguably Michael Schumacher's biggest rival; the Finn's lightning-fast speed in his McLaren was Schumacher's biggest hurdle. In the end, Schumacher managed to respond, finally bringing home the championship title for Ferrari for the first time in 20 years.
15. Pierre Gasly vs. Yuki Tsunoda
Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda are famously best friends off-track, but that doesn't mean they're above the bitter rivalries the sport is known for. When both drivers drove for AlphaTauri, the two touched wheels several times, with Gasly repeatedly criticizing Tsunoda's aggressive and less refined driving. However, Tsunoda outperformed Gasly numerous times and is now considered the better driver.
16. Alain Prost vs. Ayrton Senna
Perhaps the most dramatic rivalry in the sport, Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna's feud lasted several years between 1988 and 1993. The two clashed repeatedly off and on track, including two famous, championship-deciding collisions at Suzuka in 1989 and 1990.
Fotopersbureau de Boer on Wikimedia
17. Lando Norris vs. Oscar Piastri
Just this year, the rivalry between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, two teammates on the dominant McLaren team, broke its head. Piastri, the rookie sensation, is currently the leading driver, outperforming his more experienced teammate, creating growing tensions.
18. Charles Leclerc vs. Max Verstappen
Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen grew up as close friends and rivals, racing together. Although Verstappen has since risen above Leclerc as the superior driver, when Leclerc first joined Ferrari, the competition between the two was fierce, the drama heightened by their background.
19. Mario Andretti vs. Ronnie Peterson
Mario Andretti and Ronnie Peterson's rivalry took place when they both drove for Lotus in the 1970s. The two were complete opposites in every way, but the competition between the two remained respectful. Both pushed the limits of their matching Lotuses, producing some of the most thrilling races of the era.
Rainer W. Schlegelmilch on Wikimedia
20. Lewis Hamilton vs. Sebastian Vettel
Lewis Hamilton and Sebastien Vettel were two of the biggest alpha drivers in the 2017-2018 season, their rivalry being stoked by ego and intense competitiveness. The two drivers were head-to-head for the championship, but Hamilton in his Mercedes eventually came out on top.
