Michele Alboreto vs Danny Sullivan

1983·

Michele Alboreto out-qualified Danny Sullivan 13–2 at Tyrrell in 1983, but Danny Sullivan won the races 8–7. Grid slots, finishes, points and retirements compared.

Michele AlboretoDanny Sullivan

13Qualifying2

15 shared races

7Race day8

15 shared races

10Points2

in shared races, as awarded at the time

43Points (today’s rules)21

in shared races, rescored 25-18-15…

Wins: 1/0
Podiums: 1/0
Poles: 0/0
Retirements: 8/8
Best finish: P1/P5
Avg. grid: 15.5/20.7

Race by race

Round-by-round comparison of Michele Alboreto and Danny Sullivan
R	Grand Prix	Grid	Michele Alboreto	Danny Sullivan	Points
1	1Brazilian Grand Prix	11/21	Engine	P10	0 / 0
2	2United States Grand Prix West	7/9	P9	P8	0 / 0
3	3French Grand Prix	15/24	P8	Clutch	0 / 0
4	4San Marino Grand Prix	13/22	Collision	Collision	0 / 0
5	5Monaco Grand Prix	11/20	Collision	P5▲	0 / 2
6	6Belgian Grand Prix	17/23	P14▼	P12	0 / 0
7	7Detroit Grand Prix	6/16	P1▲	Electrical	9 / 0
8	8Canadian Grand Prix	17/22	P8	Disqualified	0 / 0
9	9British Grand Prix	16/23	P13▼	P14▼	0 / 0
10	10German Grand Prix	16/21	Fuel pump	P12	0 / 0
11	11Austrian Grand Prix	18/23	Collision	Collision	0 / 0
12	12Dutch Grand Prix	18/26	P6	Engine	1 / 0
13	13Italian Grand Prix	24/22	Clutch	Fuel system	0 / 0
14	14European Grand Prix	26/20	Engine	Oil leak	0 / 0
15	15South African Grand Prix	18/19	Engine	P7	0 / 0
	Average finish		P8.4	P9.7

How to read this table

The driver ahead in a round is shown in bold, the other in grey. Grid shows Michele Alboreto / Danny Sullivan.
P1 a win,P3 a podium,DNF a retirement.
▲ a finish at least 4 places better than that driver’s own average finish this season (see the average row), ▼ at least 4places worse. Retirements are not counted in the average.

Michele Alboreto’s career Danny Sullivan’s career Tyrrell 1983 season All teammate battles

How these numbers are calculated

Only races both drivers started are counted. Entries that did not qualify, did not pre-qualify or were withdrawn are excluded, as are cars that never left the grid or the garage, and the Indianapolis 500 of 1950–1960.
Until the mid-1960s drivers could share a car during a race. Each driver is compared from the car they started (which sets their grid position), with the best result of any car they drove and the points from all of them, as officially credited.
Qualifying is compared on grid position rather than session times. Session-by-session qualifying data only exists from 1994, while grid position is recorded for over 99% of entries right back to 1950 — including every race of the 1950s, 60s and 70s.
On race day the driver classified ahead takes the round. If neither was classified, the one who completed more laps is credited; if both retired on the same lap it is scored as a tie and excluded from the tally.
Points are those awarded at the time and include sprint races from 2021. Where the season used an older system, a second points row rescores every round under the current system so seasons from different eras can be compared.
These are points scored in the races both drivers started, not their season totals: races either missed, or contested alongside a different teammate, are left out. Up to 1990 even full-season totals differ from the championship standings, because only a driver’s best results counted towards the title. In 1988 Alain Prost outscored Ayrton Senna 105 to 94 and still lost the championship. Theseason page has the final standings.