Team or driver: which comes first in F1 debate

Formula 1 teams have over a thousand employees each, and their drivers race for the Constructors' Championship while also hoping to win the Drivers' title, which many see as more valuable. Only one driver per season can win it, so teammates fight for victory, a tension that resurfaced at the Mexico City Grand Prix weekend.

Fans also vary in their loyalty, with some putting the team first and others the driver. Drivers who have spent their whole careers with one team, such as Charles Leclerc at Ferrari, Max Verstappen at Red Bull and Lando Norris at McLaren, often become the focus of fan support, particularly through social media.

The sport has widely followed, though unofficial, expectations. If a championship is on the line, drivers are expected to play the team game, and if the Constructors' title is at stake, both drivers should maximise results even if that means limiting fights with each other.