Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, the reigning world champion, dominates Formula 1. His success has elevated him to the fifth position among the sport’s all-time greats, with 48 victories, closing in on Alain Prost‘s 51 and Sebastian Vettel‘s 53 wins.

While this is also attributed to the dominant machinery underneath him in the last couple of years, he still showed exceptional pace. His teammate, Sergio Perez, in the same machinery, hasn’t come close to matching Verstappen’s stellar performance. Over the past three years, while Verstappen has clinched titles in each season and is on track for a third, Perez has struggled to make a mark. 

This ponders the question of whether a teammate in his nine-season career has ever outperformed Verstappen. Indeed, the answer is affirmative. Verstappen found himself surpassed by one of his teammates, Daniel Ricciardo.

In just his second season, Verstappen faced stiff competition, and Ricciardo managed to outshine the Dutchman across all subjects. This trend persisted into the following season, solidifying Ricciardo’s reputation as the toughest teammate Verstappen has encountered.

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Ranking all of Max Verstappen’s teammates based on performance

Throughout his career, Max Verstappen has partnered with five teammates, and it’s intriguing to explore how they stacked up against the Dutch sensation. Delve into the dynamics with these teammates and uncover how they fought against him.

5. Pierre Gasly (2019)

In 2019, Pierre Gasly took the wheel as Max Verstappen’s teammate after the sudden departure of the Australian driver, Daniel Ricciardo, from the Red Bull team. Gasly, a Super Formula sensation and F2 winner had only completed a single season in Formula 1, where he performed well against his former teammate, Brendon Hartley, at Toro Rosso.

However, the decision to bring in Gasly proved less than ideal for Red Bull, as Verstappen outshone him in every aspect, except for on-track crashes where Gasly had a slight advantage. Out of the 12 races they contested together, Verstappen convincingly outpaced Gasly in 11. Gasly’s only glimmer of success came from benefiting from Verstappen’s crash with Sebastian Vettel at Silverstone.

The disappointing partnership led to Gasly being demoted back to Toro Rosso midway through the season, allowing Alex Albon to take over. Meanwhile, Verstappen, despite facing tough competition from the dominant Mercedes pair, finished the season in third place in the standings. He had a stellar season, winning three races and securing his first pole position in Hungary.

4. Alex Albon (2019, 2020)

In 2019, after Gasly’s demotion, the speedy Alex Albon, hailed as one of the fastest drivers from the junior formulas, stepped up to partner Verstappen at Red Bull. Despite the team’s hopes for a strong partnership, it became evident that Verstappen would maintain a significant edge over the Thai driver.

Given that the car was tailored to Verstappen’s preferences, Albon faced an uphill battle to match the Dutchman’s pace. Even with an equal playing field, Verstappen consistently demonstrated superior speed, establishing himself as the primary point contributor for the team. In the nine races they contested together in 2019, Verstappen outpaced Albon in five, while Albon stepped in admirably to secure valuable points when Verstappen faced retirement.

The story continued into the 2020 season, where Verstappen asserted dominance over his teammate initially. In every aspect, whether it be qualifying, racing, or overall performance, Verstappen overshadowed Albon. Despite races where Verstappen retired, Albon never managed to finish ahead of him or outqualify him throughout the entire season. Verstappen outpaced Albon in a remarkable 12 out of the 17 races, and in the remaining five, Verstappen retired. The gap between the two teammates highlighted the clear hierarchy within the team.

3. Sergio Perez (2021-)

With Alex Albon falling short of Verstappen’s performance, Red Bull sought an external solution and opted for Sergio Perez as Albon’s replacement in 2021. Perez, a seasoned driver compared to Verstappen, brought hope for a competitive teammate dynamic. Initially, Perez displayed promise in the early races and was even hailed as Verstappen’s best teammate. 

However, as the season progressed, he played second fiddle in Verstappen’s pursuit of the championship against seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton. Verstappen controversially clinched the championship on the final lap in Abu Dhabi. Recognizing Perez’s contributions, the team extended his contract for another year. 

In the 2022 season, Perez had an opportunity to challenge both Max and Charles Leclerc for the title. Unfortunately, his fortunes took a downturn in Canada, and Verstappen emerged again as champion. This has been the story of this year, where Perez, after showing early promise of challenging Max, fell short of the expectations and is now nowhere near the Dutchman’s performance. 

Throughout their partnership, Verstappen has outpaced Sergio Perez in 50 out of the 60 races so far. Despite this, Perez holds a commendable third place in the teammate standings. Unlike his predecessors, Perez fought against Verstappen in several races, managing to outscore him when Max did not face retirement, showcasing his resilience and competitiveness.

2. Carlos Sainz (2015, 2016)

Max Verstappen debuted with Toro Rosso (now AlphaTauri) in 2015, entering the scene alongside fellow rookie and Red Bull academy driver Carlos Sainz. With both drivers being newcomers, there was an expectation of an even playing field, with some even assuming that Sainz, having more experience, would hold an advantage.

The initial race seemed to validate this expectation, as Sainz finished ninth and scored 2 points, while Verstappen managed 12th. However, in the very next race, Verstappen quickly shifted the momentum. Despite an intense battle in the early races, the Dutchman emerged as the dominant force in the teammate competition. In their debut season together, Verstappen accumulated 49 points, leaving Sainz with 18.

The following year, Verstappen’s meteoric rise led to his promotion to the Red Bull seat after just four races with Sainz. Verstappen’s swift ascent followed Daniil Kvyat‘s dip in form. In their 23 races as teammates, Verstappen outpaced Sainz 13 times and out-qualified him 12 times. With Sainz outperforming him in 10 races, their equal track time showcases the Spaniard’s prowess. However, in the overall season, Verstappen maintained the upper hand, marking Sainz as a formidable but not victorious teammate.

1. Daniel Ricciardo (2016-2018)

In 2016, Max Verstappen was swiftly promoted to the main Red Bull team, joining forces with established driver Daniel Ricciardo. Ricciardo, a multiple race winner, led many to question how Verstappen would stack up against the seasoned driver.

Verstappen, however, silenced the skeptics with a sensational win in his debut race for Red Bull in Spain, where he outpaced Ferrari cars. This triumph not only marked his entry into the upper echelons of Formula 1 but also bolstered Red Bull’s confidence. Despite a good relationship between the two drivers, there were a couple of on-track skirmishes during their time together.

In their first season as teammates, Ricciardo, with his experience, had the upper hand and outperformed Verstappen across all metrics. Nevertheless, Verstappen showcased his talent by outpacing Ricciardo in seven races and outqualifying him in six. Ricciardo maintained this advantage in 2017, being superior in all aspects. Throughout Verstappen’s nine years in the sport, Ricciardo remains the only driver to beat him.

Verstappen elevated his performance in 2018, going head-to-head with Ricciardo. He outscored the Australian over the season, outpacing him 16 times compared to Ricciardo’s 7. However, it’s important to note that many of these victories came as a result of Ricciardo suffering eight retirements. Anticipating a shift in team dynamics at Red Bull, Ricciardo decided to move on. Still, he remains the only driver to have defeated Max Verstappen when both were in equal machinery.

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