Max Verstappen, a name you can’t ignore when it comes to Formula 1. One of the most successful drivers on the current grid. With four Drivers’ Championship titles, 63 wins, 113 podiums, and 40 pole positions achieved in 211 Grands Prix.

Verstappen’s first-ever Grand Prix start, racing for Toro Rosso in 2015, made him the youngest competitor at just 17 years old. In the next race, the Dutchman broke another record by scoring his first points, becoming the youngest point scorer in the history of Formula 1. In 2016, after being promoted to Red Bull, the 18-year-old Verstappen secured his first podium and won his first race. Making him not only the youngest podium-sitter but also the youngest Formula 1 Grand Prix winner.

Amazing statistics, aren’t they? One thing about Formula 1 is that your teammate is, in many ways, your biggest rival. They’re the only driver on the grid with the same machinery, providing an equal basis for comparison. And when we look at all the records, which only prove Max Verstappen’s talent, being his teammate is not for everyone. It can be a real challenge for young rising stars and even experienced drivers.

In recent years, there has been a lot of talk about the second seat at Red Bull. Drivers have been swapped mid-season because they didn’t meet the team’s expectations, which has led to Verstappen having many teammates throughout his Formula 1 career.

Which one was the best match? Let’s take a look at them all below.

Carlos Sainz (2015 – 2016)

Verstappen’s first-ever Formula 1 teammate in 2015 and the first few races of 2016 was Carlos Sainz, making them an all-rookie lineup at Toro Rosso. Sainz had a 10-9 advantage in head-to-head qualifying results, but in terms of race results, Verstappen’s performance was generally better. This pairing was highly competitive and, in some ways, even toxic.

Daniel Ricciardo (2016 – 2018)

After Verstappen’s promotion to Red Bull, his new teammate was Daniel Ricciardo. Together, they formed a very strong lineup, and as Verstappen became more confident in the new car, their results became increasingly close. Ricciardo finished ahead of Verstappen in both 2016 and 2017. However, in 2018, Verstappen stepped up, defeating Ricciardo 14-5 in qualifying, scoring more points overall, and finishing ahead in the Drivers’ Championship.

Pierre Gasly (2019)

After Ricciardo’s departure from Red Bull, Verstappen welcomed a new teammate: Pierre Gasly, who was promoted from the junior team. Gasly’s start with the team wasn’t smooth, as he crashed during pre-season testing and struggled in the races. Verstappen’s performance was so much stronger in comparison, that he even lapped the Frenchman during the Austrian Grand Prix, which ultimately became Gasly’s last race with the team.

Alex Albon (2019 – 2020)

Gasly’s spot was taken by Alex Albon. 2019 was Albon’s rookie season, so his promotion to the senior team was a big step up. Although the pairing showed potential at first, Albon struggled with the car and pressure, while Verstappen’s results continued to improve. In 2020, the head-to-head qualifying results were 17-0 in favour of Verstappen, and when it came to race results, Verstappen always finished ahead of Albon.

Sergio Perez (2021 – 2024)

After the disappointing results from the two young drivers, Red Bull’s next pick was an experienced one. As the team became more competitive, Sergio Perez played an important role in securing the Drivers’ titles for Max Verstappen and the Constructors’ titles for the whole team. His results were promising at first, and the two drivers seemed like an ideal pairing. However, in 2023, the Mexican began to struggle with the car, and by 2024, his form continued to decline. Even though Verstappen won the 2024 Drivers’ Championship, Perez finished the season in P8 with a 285-point gap to P1, making it the widest margin between teammates. This also cost Red Bull the Constructors’ Championship last season, and even though Perez had a contract for the next two years, the Austrian team found a way to part ways with him.

Liam Lawson (2025)

After Perez’s departure, talks about who would be Verstappen’s new teammate circulated the paddock. The seat ultimately went to Liam Lawson. The New Zealander had already completed 11 promising races with VCARB, meaning he wasn’t a rookie anymore. However, his results in the first two races of 2025 season were disappointing. He qualified P18, didn’t finish his race in Australia, and qualified P20 in both sessions in China, finishing P14 in the Sprint and P12 in the Grand Prix. These results, which meant no points, led Red Bull to make a drastic, and in some ways controversial decision to demote Lawson and promote Yuki Tsunoda.

Yuki Tsunoda (2025)

Yuki Tsunoda made his Formula 1 debut in 2021 with AlphaTauri. His racing craft has always been visible, and his name has been linked with the second Red Bull seat on multiple occasions. He seemed like a strong contender at the end of last season, however, his time has only come now at his home Grand Prix in Japan.

Tsunoda aimed high from the start. His best finishing position in Bahrain – 9th place – marked the first time since last year’s race in Las Vegas, when Perez finished 10th, that the second Red Bull seat scored any points. The Japanese driver has also been doing well in qualifying. Even with some team errors, he has made it into Q3 in the last three races.

It is notable that Tsunoda is still trying to figure things out and is getting comfortable with the RB21. Even though he is not competitive with Verstappen, his results aren’t necessarily bad so far, and it seems like Red Bull may have finally chosen the right fit.

Is Tsunoda the one to break the curse of the second Red Bull seat? Only time will tell, and we are excited to see what’s ahead.