Charles LECLERC vs George RUSSELL
Did our AI pick the right driver?
Every prediction we publish ranks the full grid. For each round we take the driver we placed higher of these two, then check who actually finished higher.
A round is only scored when both drivers appear in the predicted order and both are classified in the result: a retirement is nobody's call. Published predictions are never edited afterwards.
The rivalry
Across 17 shared race weekends this season, George Russell holds a narrow edge over Charles Leclerc. In direct comparisons, Russell leads the race head-to-head 7 to 6, the qualifying duel 10 to 7, and the sprint battles 4 to 1. In the standings, Russell has compiled 238 points with three wins, eight podiums, two DNFs, an average qualifying position of 3.47, and an average race finish of 5 for Mercedes. Leclerc has registered 215 points for Ferrari with one win, five podiums, two DNFs, an average qualifying position of 4.29, and an average finish of 4.73. Their close contest has featured sharp on-track friction, most notably at Zandvoort, where Leclerc executed an aggressive pass on Russell that caused contact and aerodynamic floor damage to the Mercedes, resulting in an inconclusive stewards' review that deemed it a racing incident. Mercedes developmental upgrades helped reinforce Russell's Saturday single-lap leverage, whereas Leclerc's marginally superior average race finish has kept the performance delta between them tightly contested.
Round by round
2026 seasonCommon questions
Who is faster in qualifying, Charles LECLERC or George RUSSELL?
George RUSSELL leads Charles LECLERC 10–7 in qualifying head-to-head this season, counting only sessions where both drivers set a time.
Who has finished ahead more often, Charles LECLERC or George RUSSELL?
George RUSSELL has finished ahead of Charles LECLERC 7–6 this season, counting only races where both drivers were classified.