Best F1 Rivalries: Top 5 Greatest Rivalries In Formula 1

The earlier Formula 1 era was mainly famous for its biggest rivalries between the drivers. The rivalries often became the bigger talking point than the actual racing itself. From old friends battling each other to teammates pushing each other on the track, and even team bosses tearing their hair over feuding teammates, rivalries define Formula 1 without a doubt.

Since the 1950 world championship, Formula 1 has had a fair share of rivalries between the drivers. Some of those have been fought out fair and square, while others managed to generate sizable controversy. Many of them have been briefly discussed while some have lived on for a long time as well. With all these fights or rivalries, Formula 1 Fans never got bored for one second!

So, here's presenting planet F1's top five rivalries-

Nelson Piquet vs. Nigel Mansell

Mansell was one of Britain's most talented car racers. But his prickly nature often landed him in trouble with his teammates. Mansell was not ready to let go of the 1986 title of the champion to anyone. He decided he would prove a tough nut to crack for Piquet on the race track. However, the Brazilian man, Piquet, answered by refusing to share the technical data with this teammate. Unfortunately, that plan also failed, and Prost claimed the 1986 title. This feud between Nelson Piquet and Nigel Mansell continued to grow even the following season, resulting in Piquet leaving the Williams championship at the end of 1987.

James Hunt and Niki Lauda

Formula 1 fan would never forget this rivalry from 1976. After all, this one was the reason that Hollywood got inspired to make a masterpiece like ‘Rush.' The Formula 1 resident playboy, aka James Hunt and Niki Lauda, never got into any literal rivalry. The season in McLaren took a turn when Lauda faced a near-death accident at the German Grand Pix. That resulted in Hunt taking the victories during Lauda's absence. No wonder ‘Rush' became a box office hit!

Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel

In early 2010, when Red Bull Racing hit its stride, the feud between Mark Webber, an experienced racer, and Sebastian Vettel, F1's next big thing, didn't take long to come out in the open.

The first real battle took place in Turkey in 2010. That time the two drivers collided while approaching turn 12 in Istanbul. As this pair did not work in sync, it seemed as if Vettel was squeezed through a gap. While the commentators were blaming Vettel, he swirled his finger by his head, implying Webber was insane. Next, at the Malaysian Grand Prix, things got heated, resulting in Webber retiring from the sport at the end of the season.

Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg

Hamilton and Rosberg came through the karting ranks together in the turbo-hybrid era, which Mercedes solely dominated. However, the relationship soon turned sour. In 2016 things really heated up between these two. When Rosberg pushed Hamilton on a race, landing him into the grass, the latter fought back, and the process left two Mercedes vehicles severely compromised. The season finished with Rosberg winning the title. Later that year, Rosberg announced his retirement saying he had accomplished his dream, which was enough for him.  

Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost

Prost expected a less tumultuous season after 1988, but it wasn't going to happen. At Imola, Prost was shocked and furious with an incident. The pair of Prost and Aryton Senna had agreed whoever led off the line wouldn't challenge the position. Prost took Senna into the first corner when the race started, but the latter reclaimed the position later in the lap, leaving Prost furious. Later Senna denied the existence of any such agreement. The cracks between the pair became all the more apparent as a result!

Conclusion:

The rivalry between teammates or competitors is not a new thing. A healthy rivalry will always help you progress in life, whereas an obsessive can ruin one's lifetime achievements. Therefore, one needs to be very careful, while involved in such cases.