In Formula 1, your teammate is your first competitor. When both drivers have equal machinery, the ultimate goal isn’t just to beat the field, but to beat the person across the garage. These fiercest intra-team battles have defined seasons and even shaped legacies. In some cases, they’ve even torn teams apart.
As McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri fight for the 2025 championship, they’ve joined a long list of teammates whose competition has hooked the F1 world. From legendary showdowns like Senna vs. Prost to modern clashes like Hamilton vs. Rosberg. Let’s take a closer look at four of the most iconic intra-team battles in Formula 1 history.
Ayrton Senna vs. Alain Prost: The Fiercest Intra-Team Battle in McLaren’s Golden Era (1988–1989)
There’s been a lot of rivalry in F1 over the years, but few of them have been as well-known as the intra-team battle between Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost. When they joined forces at McLaren in 1988, they created a superteam that dominated the grid, winning 15 out of 16 races. But behind the scenes, tensions were building.
Suzuka. More than just a circuit; an arena for some of F1’s most timeless, unforgettable moments
Surely, none rank higher than the skirmish between team mates Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna, and the crescendo of the 1989 title fight…#F1 #JapaneseGP pic.twitter.com/DB9qewb7ax
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 31, 2025
Senna, the fearless talent, and Prost, the calculating strategist, had completely different approaches to racing. Their on-track clashes, most famously the one at Suzuka 1989, became the defining moment of the era. Off track, the rivalry was fuelled by politics and accusations. Prost claimed that Honda was favouring Senna, while Senna said that the FIA was favouring Prost.
What started as a battle for points quickly became a personal fight for supremacy, with each driver determined to prove himself as the undisputed number one at McLaren. The Senna-Prost rivalry wasn’t just about who finished first. It became a clash of personalities, driving philosophies and national pride. This was the standard for all the intra-team battles that followed, showing how quickly mutual respect can turn into fierce competition.
Lewis Hamilton vs. Nico Rosberg: When Friendship Turns to Rivalry (2014–2016)
The battle between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg at Mercedes is one of the most dramatic in recent F1 history. What started as a competition between two drivers who had known each other since childhood quickly escalated into a tense and bitter fight for the world championship.
LAP 1/66: DRAMA!!
ROS goes past HAM
HAM spins, collides with ROS
Both Mercedes OUT!#SpanishGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/Hau7lzWwVW
— Formula 1 (@F1) May 15, 2016
From the moment Mercedes became the dominant force in the turbo-hybrid era, both drivers knew they were each other’s biggest obstacle. They had some memorable clashes over the years, like the first controversial collision at Spa in 2014 or the infamous first-lap crash in Barcelona in 2016.
Tensions were not just limited to the track. Behind the scenes, the rivalry strained relationships within the team and ultimately destroyed Hamilton and Rosberg’s friendship. Rosberg’s surprising retirement after winning the 2016 championship ended the battle, but the scars from one of F1’s fiercest intra-team battles remain a defining chapter in Mercedes’ F1 history.
Nelson Piquet vs. Nigel Mansell: Williams’ Bitter Intra-Team Battle (1986–1987)
At Williams in the late 1980s, the relationship between Nelson Piquet and Nigel Mansell was less of a collaboration and more of a cold war. Piquet, the two-time world champion, thought his experience and status meant he should be the team’s number one. Meanwhile, Mansell was determined to prove he was just as fast and just as worthy of the title.
.@Mansell_Nigel and Piquet, 1st and 2nd at the 1987 #BritishGP @SilverstoneUK in the FW11B #HappyBirthdayNigel pic.twitter.com/LtWYrwUaGL
— Atlassian Williams Racing (@WilliamsRacing) August 8, 2013
The rivalry between the two drivers was a major story in the 1986 and 1987 seasons. On track, they pushed each other to the limit. Off track, the rivalry was fuelled by a bit of psychological warfare, with Piquet taking swipes at Mansell in the media and even questioning his abilities.
In the end, their failure to cooperate hurt Williams. In 1986, while Piquet and Mansell were going head-to-head, Alain Prost snatched the title away. The Piquet-Mansell battle remains a classic example of how an intra-team battle can divide even the strongest teams.
Lewis Hamilton vs. Fernando Alonso: The Rookie vs. the Champion (McLaren, 2007)
The fight between Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso at McLaren in 2007 is one of the most infamous stories in F1 history. The reigning double world champion Alonso joined McLaren expecting to lead the team, but rookie Hamilton had other plans. From race one, Hamilton matched Alonso’s pace and didn’t seem to be slowing down.
#OnThisDay in 2007, Fernando won the #MalaysiaGP, with then-teammate @LewisHamilton in 2nd, making it a McLaren 1-2. pic.twitter.com/xMcFfvbuNp
— McLaren (@McLarenF1) April 8, 2016
What started as an internal rivalry turned into an open conflict. Tensions escalated at the Hungarian GP, where Alonso impeded Hamilton in the pits during qualifying. This resulted in Alonso getting a grid penalty and led to a rupture in team dynamics.
The drama didn’t stop there. Behind the scenes, Alonso reportedly threatened to expose McLaren’s role in the Spygate scandal. The result? McLaren lost both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships that year, and Alonso left the team after just one season.
Intra-team battles are an integral part of F1, but they can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, they push drivers to do their absolute best, often creating the most thrilling moments the sport has ever seen. But they can also tear teams apart, costing championships and leaving lasting scars.
