The 10 Best Team-Mate Combinations Ever Seen In Formula 1

1. Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost

Yes, Senna and Prost were included in the previous list, but as much as they clashed behind the scenes, it was still a formidable, dominant and often unstoppable driver pairing. They were team-mates at McLaren for two seasons in 1988 and 1989, each taking a title and winning 25 races between them.

2. Jim Clark and Graham Hill

Both British drivers had enjoyed plenty of success in F1 – Clark had two titles, Hill one - by the time they were paired up at Lotus in 1967. Clark was third in the standings but a tough year saw Hill in seventh. Sadly they were partnered for just one race in 1968 before Clark lost his life after a crash in a F2 race at the Hockenheimring. Hill went on to take an emotional second title.

3. Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton

Like Senna and Prost, this was featured on the worst team-mate list. But, think about what an incredible team Hamilton and Alonso would make now! The Spaniard was threatened by Hamilton, the young rookie impressing back in 2007, and his relationship with McLaren quickly soured. However, they still enjoyed lots of success and arguably remain the best F1 drivers in recent history.

Here’s another example of team-mates not getting along well, but having incredible talent and enjoying lots of success. It was the typical story at Williams in 1986 and 1987, with Piquet expecting to be number one in the team, but the younger driver putting up a tough fight.

Mansell beat Piquet to the runner-up spot in the 1986 standings, but Piquet then beat the Brit to the 1987 championship. Mansell remained at Williams while Piquet switched to Lotus.

5. Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello

Here, you have possibly the best F1 driver ever (and the most successful statistically) and undoubtedly one of the sport’s greatest number two drivers. Schumacher and Barrichello’s partnership at Ferrari from 2000 to 2005 was incredibly dominant and both were crucial to the team’s success – which includes five drivers’ and five constructors’ titles, as well as 58 wins.

6. Jackie Stewart and Francois Cervert

Stewart was already an F1 champion and an experienced driver when he first partnered Cervert at Tyrrell in 1970. The Frenchman was in his first F1 season at the time and Stewart took him on as his protégé.

Stewart won 15 races and two more titles during his time as Cervert’s team-mate. The youngster won his maiden F1 race at the 1971 United States Grand Prix and was regarded as a star of the future, a bright talent on course for title success. However, he sadly died after crashing during practice for the 1973 US GP.

7. Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss

Fangio had picked up two of his five F1 titles when he was team-mates with Moss in 1955 at Mercedes. The Argentine, who is regarded as a true legend in the sport, took four wins and the championship.

Meanwhile Moss, who remains one of the greatest drivers to never win an F1 title, took one victory and finished as runner-up. They were team-mates just once more, at the 1958 season opener in Argentina for Maserati – Fangio won, Moss was eighth.

8. Niki Lauda and Alain Prost

1984 was the 12th season Lauda had competed in and his penultimate year in F1, but he was still as quick as ever – as he proved by taking the title. Prost had proved himself as one to watch at Renault before moving to McLaren and they spent two seasons as team-mates, with the Frenchman taking the 1985 championship.

9. Jochen Rindt and Graham Hill

Another special Lotus partnership, Hill was edging towards the latter part of his F1 career when the team brought on Rindt, a young talent who had previously impressed at Cooper and Brabham. While 1969 wasn’t the best year for the team, Rindt took his maiden F1 victory at the US GP.

By that time, Hill was already a legend in F1, while Rindt was seen as a future champion. He did just that, winning the 1970 title. However, it was posthumously after a fatal accident at the Italian Grand Prix.

10. Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button

Their career paths and driving styles may be very different, but both have proved their talent by taking world championships. Hamilton and Button were paired at McLaren for three seasons between 2010 and 2012, claiming 18 wins between them.

Despite not taking titles at McLaren, it was a highly competitive partnership and they both got along very well. In fact, many were surprised that Button put up such a good fight, and he even scored more points during their three seasons together at McLaren, as well as finishing three places ahead of his team-mate in the 2011 championship.