It’s never easy to identify the ideal driver lineup for F1. The dynamic between drivers No. 1 and No. 2 shouldn’t exist from the start of the race. When this occurs, it indicates that one of the two drivers isn’t getting the most out of the vehicle.
The two drivers shouldn’t be so competitive with one another that they continue falling over one another, but you also don’t want it to happen.
Any F1 team would want to have two drivers that are somewhat competitive with one another. But yet cooperate for the good of the team. This encourages the group to go on and makes the most of the equipment.
In far too many instances in the history of F1, there have been tensions among colleagues. Why? Because an F1 driver is a competitive beast at the end of the day. He simply cannot stand by and let his teammates dominate him.
It does seem like quite a few teams on the current F1 grid have found the sweet spot in terms of what they seek in a driver pairing. Despite this, there are still specific teams whose lineups might either be difficult to manage or just result in a complete collapse.
In this segment, we’ll list the top three driver combinations that might end up being a volatile team in F1.
1. Alpine F1 (Esteban Ocon-Pierre Gasly)
Two of the best athletes to come out of France in recent years are Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly. The two drivers will be partnered together at Alpine for the next Formula One season, giving the French team an all-French lineup.
Let’s break this down into three sections before we make any judgments about how this will turn out. Prior to being partners, they had a connection, and the stakes were high.
2. Aston Martin (Fernando Alonso-Lance Stroll)
Fernando Alonso would have another target in Lance Stroll if he is upset by Esteban Ocon’s steadfast defense on the track despite the fact that they were teammates.
Stroll unquestionably falls short of Ocon in terms of driving calibre. But Stroll makes Ocon appear like Alonso’s closest friend regarding tenacious defense against teammates.
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3. Mercedes (Lewis Hamilton-George Russell)
It is unlikely that the Mercedes drivers will clash during the 2023 F1 season. In 2022, there was a close bond between the two drivers, and George Russell treated Lewis Hamilton with a great deal of respect.
