F1 rivalries
In Formula 1, rivalries are not just part of the sport, they are at the heart of many legendary races. The rivals of yesterday and today have left their mark on the history of motorsport and have repeatedly provided thrilling duels on the track. We look at the 8 most intense, thrilling and enduring rivalries that continue to drive the Formula 1 universe to the top.
TOP 8: Alonso vs. Vettel
The rivalry between Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel was one of the more subtle yet fiercely intense duels in Formula 1 history. It was not an open war, not a loud test of strength - it was a quiet contest between two of the best minds in motorsport who constantly challenged each other. Their confrontation was a game of tactics, technique and perfect timing.
It began in 2010, when Vettel, the young German star, became world champion with a surprise victory in the Red Bull, beating Fernando Alonso in the Ferrari, who had been leading the standings for most of the year. In a dramatic season finale in Abu Dhabi, Alonso fought fiercely, but a tactical error and an unexpected performance from Vettel cost him the title. The disappointment was palpable as the Spaniard shuffled into the pit area after the race, completely drained and shocked. It was the first moment when it became clear that this rivalry would be deeply engrained in the minds of both drivers.
David versus Goliath - but who was who?
Red Bull dominated technically. The RB7, RB8 and RB9 - aerodynamic masterpieces designed by Adrian Newey. And Vettel? He drove them like clockwork. Precise, flawless, built for qualifying pace. Many shouted: ‘Just because of the car!’ But Alonso, who struggled with a clearly inferior Ferrari, kept Vettel in the title race through sheer force of will - particularly impressively in 2012. Seven races in a row on the podium. Race after race, Alonso squeezed everything out of the car - a gladiator battling against the windmills of technology. The highlight of this feud was the 2012 Brazilian GP, the dramatic season finale. Vettel was spun on the first lap, was far behind - but miraculously he drove back to 6th place, enough for the title. Alonso, beaten once again, sat silently in the cockpit for a second time - a scene straight out of a Shakespearean drama. Close again. But not enough. Their rivalry was never characterized by open hostility, but by a cold, almost analytical competition. Both respected each other, but the resentment and disappointment were always palpable. Alonso, who always exuded the maturity and experience of a two-time world champion, could never really shake off the feeling that Vettel, when he won the title in 2010 and 2012, was only reliant on the superior technology of his Red Bull. On the other hand, Vettel often took it upon himself to defend his success, which put him in the spotlight as one of the greatest talents of his generation.
In the end, what remains is a duel between two exceptional drivers, which may never have been a real explosion, but it was a constant, nerve-wracking tension - like two chess masters testing, provoking and challenging each other with every move. And although it never came to blows, it was still intense. Because what stood between Alonso and Vettel was more than just a title. It was the question: who was the true king of this generation?
Photo: AI generated
TOP 7: Hamilton vs. Alonso
When Lewis Hamilton joined Formula 1 in 2007, nobody expected the rookie to challenge the reigning double world champion Fernando Alonso so quickly - especially not in the same team. McLaren thought that in Alonso they had put a sure-fire title winner and leading driver in the car. Instead, the team ended up with a powder keg that became more charged with every race.
Hamilton, only 22 years old at the time, drove like a natural from the very first moment - fearless, fast, ice-cold in a duel. And Alonso, who had prepared himself to be treated as number one, was suddenly confronted with an unexpected opponent: a team-mate who not only challenged him but was also regularly equal - if not superior - to him on the track.
The tensions started early, but the moment that stuck in his mind came at the 2007 Hungarian GP, when Alonso deliberately blocked Hamilton in the pit lane during qualifying to sabotage his last fast lap. An act of pure frustration openly displayed. McLaren was in turmoil - team boss Ron Dennis could no longer mediate, only react. Alonso was penalized, the stable war had officially broken out.
Two lions in one cage
It wasn't a fight between a rookie and a veteran. It was a clash between two superstars - both driven by a deep belief in being the best. Alonso, who has been celebrated for years for his aggressive, almost nervous driving style, came up against a Hamilton. The Brit countered every provocation not with words, but on the track - with overtaking maneuvers that amazed the entire paddock.
But the true madness of this rivalry lay in how much it destroyed the team that should have carried it. McLaren descended into internal chaos - both drivers never missed an opportunity to undermine each other in public. The end? A disaster for everyone: Kimi Räikkönen snatched the title - because the two rivals fought each other so much that they both lost.
After leaving McLaren, their careers scattered - Alonso went back to Renault, Hamilton stayed and later became a legend. But the sting was deep. Even years later, you could still feel the tension between the two in interviews or at podium celebrations. The light jibes, the pointed remarks - they were never completely forgotten.
What makes this rivalry so special is the fact that it was based purely on talent. No political game, no long careers full of old scores - just two riders colliding in their absolute prime. It was like the meeting of two stars: bright, dangerous - and unable to survive in the same system in the long term.
TOP 6: Vettel vs. Webber
It was not a rivalry of glances, a glint in the eye and unspoken demarcation. Sebastian Vettel, the young, ambitious star with the talent of a driver of the century, against Mark Webber, the experienced fighter who had waited a long time for his big chance. Two men in the same car, but on completely different paths in life - one on his way to becoming a legend, the other constantly in search of recognition.
In the beginning, they were still half a team. In 2009, when Vettel joined Red Bull, it seemed as if Webber would still be able to control him. But it soon became clear that Vettel was more than just a new colleague - he was the future. And Red Bull, led by Helmut Marko's clear focus, made no secret of who their golden child was.
The high point of their rivalry was undoubtedly the 2010 season, in which Red Bull had realistic title ambitions for the first time. Both drivers delivered thrilling races - but the atmosphere had long been poisoned.
Multi-21: The fracture that never healed
However, the image that is etched in the memory is not from 2010, but from the race in Malaysia in 2013 - the legendary ‘Multi-21’ fiasco. Webber is leading, the race is practically decided, and the team radios clear instructions: ‘Multi-21’ - code for: Vettel stays behind Webber. But Vettel deliberately decides against it.
With ice-cold determination, he overtakes his team-mate, even though the team had decided to freeze positions. Webber is stunned. When he steps onto the podium after the race, his face is one big stone of rage.
The scene was like a silent earthquake. Not only because it showed how ruthless Vettel could be at crucial moments, but also because it revealed the final break-up of an already fragile team structure. It was the moment when not only Webber but also many spectators realized: There was only room for one king in this team.
Webber was never the fastest, never the most spectacular driver - but he was honest, straightforward, hard-working and loyal to the team. And that was precisely his biggest flaw in the duel with Vettel, who was prepared to do anything to win. The rivalry was an inner rift.
A rift that never fully healed. When Webber left Formula 1 at the end of 2013, it seemed like a departure without a real farewell. Without reconciliation.
And so this rivalry remains a faint echo - an example of how even in a team that wins everything, a cold front can rage between two drivers.
Photo: AI generated
TOP 5: Hamilton vs. Rosberg
This rivalry was like a silent storm rumbling beneath the surface before it hit Formula 1 with full force in 2016. It was no ordinary duel. It was a friendship that broke under the pressure of success - a fratricidal war.
Their journey together began early. Even as teenagers, they shared hotel rooms in the karting scene, laughed, dreamed - and both wanted to reach the top. But when they were reunited at Mercedes in 2013, it was clear that there would be no room for two alpha males. Hamilton, who was already world champion, quickly made it clear that he was the boss in the ring. Rosberg? The ‘nice guy’, the intelligent one, the team player - but underneath the smile, things were simmering.
When friends turn into enemies
The highlight of their rivalry was undoubtedly the 2016 season - a year full of mind games, tactics and looks that could kill. There had already been a lot of trouble before that: Monaco 2015, when Rosberg allegedly deliberately triggered a yellow flag in qualifying. Spa 2014, where Rosberg destroyed Hamilton's tyres. But in 2016, everything escalated. The moment that burned itself into the collective Formula 1 memory was the start of the 2016 Spanish GP. Hamilton - on pole - is caught off guard at the start, Rosberg takes the lead. But Rosberg's engine is in the wrong mode, Hamilton is faster, attacks - and Rosberg closes the door. Too late. Both fly off. Two Mercedes in the gravel.
That was no longer a coincidence. This was war. And Mercedes knew: this was going to be dangerous. This was followed by stable order discussions, radio bans and a world championship battle that felt like a thriller. Hamilton caught up, won race after race - but Rosberg, now with razor-sharp consistency, pulled through. At the season finale in Abu Dhabi, Hamilton tried everything - even artificially blocking the field behind him to deny Rosberg third place and thus the title. But Rosberg held out. World champion. At last. And then - retirement. Immediately. Like a warrior who knew he had to retire at the pinnacle.
This rivalry was psychological - like a game of chess in which every move decided friendship, respect and career. Rosberg had not only beaten Hamilton - he had proved to himself that he could do it. And Hamilton? He lost this war - only to come back stronger. After that, he became a legend. But 2016 remains the year in which Lewis Hamilton broke with Nico Rosberg. And that's what makes their rivalry so special: it was personal. Painful. Real.
Top 4 Formula 1 rivals
That was the top 8 to 5 — are you curious to find out who the top 4 Formula 1 rivals are? Then click here for part two!
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