Is being top student even worth all the exhaustion?

It is unkind, you're right, but how could I even set boundaries about this? He probably thinks its just friendly competition, and has no idea how obsessive this has become for me. His intelligence I respect, he clearly works hard, but I can't help but feel jealous rather than motivated. If I told him this, the conversation would probably end in us no longer being friends. Should I still talk to him about it?? (Sorry this has basically turned into friendship advice)

Communicate that youre feeling the stress of exams coming up and its manifesting in you comparing yourself to others. And the way to avoid this is by not sharing so much.
I think hell be understanding as long as youre tactful about how you address it. Jealousy is a normal emotion that everyone experiences, but what defines you is how you react to it. People respond best to "I" statements rather than "you" statements, so make sure you're saying "I am feeling stressed and a bit insecure when I hear about how others are doing, as while I am so happy for everyone, I have a bad habit of comparing myself etc" rather than "you make me feel stressed etc." He might even agree or feel the same way.

Help, I'm in Year 11 and a stressed anxious mess. Lately, the only thing anyone's been saying (teachers, parents and other students), is how little time there is before the real exams. We just had 2 weeks of mocks with 3.5-4 hours of exams a day, during which I almost burned out completely, and am now stuck trying to recover + study more in the 5/6 weeks there is left before GCSEs. I can't help but constantly compare myself to the top student in our year, my friend, and honestly its made our friendship tense and competitive. Every night before sleep, or when I get a test result back, all I can think of is that he did better, how it means I'm worthless,... etc. My parents are pretty strict, and pressure to achieve is high, but the hatred I have for myself is just so much worse than any other external pressure and I can't escape it. I'm slowly drowning in the need to be perfect, to be the best, and no matter what I seem to do, how focused in school or sleep lost, I can't beat him.
Another thing is that he doesn't even seem to have long-term goals, no career plan or desired university. How can I not be more motivated than him? Why does he keep winning? The self-doubt and constant stress makes me quieter around my friends; I'm drifting away and I can't really explain it to them because most don't really care about grades, results or future schools/unis. I'm always cancelling plans and not going to group meet-ups because it feels like an excuse not to study, which is stupid because half the time I spend 'studying' is just self-depreciatively talking about not doing the work. Not only am I not improving, but also becoming a worse friend.
My predicted GCSE grades are 9999999887 and it's not good enough. I hate 2nd place so much and it's crushing me, but I'm too proud to talk to my friends about it or ask them for help, but they probably wouldn't understand or worse, laugh about it. I have no coping strategy, already super busy with extracurriculars and sports, and no free time. Advice? Thoughts? Please?

I understand that you feel this way. As a graduated student i can relate your pain and the need perfom better. My advice ia that you need a mentor to guide you on your studies. Al though we do not know each other i can help you to overcome this.

Your own successes or even failures (not that it looks as though you have any) have absolutely nothing to do with anybody else.
One day, many years from now, you'll be at home either on your own, or with your partner, or partner and kids, and the people you went to school with won't even be a blip on your radar.
Your path through life has diddly squat to do with your friend's path through life. Nothing. Not an iota. What your friend does or doesn't do, what he plans to do or doesn't plan to do, does not affect your life at all. If he excells, great, good for him... but it doesn't affect you.
If he bombs, that's a shame, poor chap... but it doesn't affect you.
Focus on your own life, your own plans, your own path, and do the best you can for you.
That's it. That's all there is to it.

I see your point, but I can't help comparing myself. It's not logical, and it can't be reasoned with. Comparing myself doesn't make me feel better, or happier, but it's impossible not to. And what he gets or does affects me, as my parents expect me to be top of the class, which he is. Their disappointment makes me feel as if I should be disappointed too, so now before I even tell them my results, I'm not proud about them anymore. I try to distract myself with hobbies and extracurriculars to take up time which would otherwise be spent being paranoid. Paranoid about whether or not they will be proud. I'm waiting for the joy, the relief, while test grades inch closer to 100%, but they never quite get there. What can I do? Is there anything I can do, other than wait to finally feel satisfied with myself, like what you describe?

Have a sit down chat with your parents and explain that being compared to your friend is affecting your confidence and your happiness. Are they the types to listen to you?

No they would dismiss the problem and say I'm over-exaggerating, or that I should just 'spend more time with him' so that I can be 'just as good'. I try to avoid conversations with them anyways because it's exhausting to try to talk to them and explain my point of view. They are stubborn, and the conversation would likely be spun towards 'its your fault' which I honestly don't think I can take right now. It was worth asking anyway

I see your point, but I can't help comparing myself. It's not logical, and it can't be reasoned with. Comparing myself doesn't make me feel better, or happier, but it's impossible not to. And what he gets or does affects me, as my parents expect me to be top of the class, which he is. Their disappointment makes me feel as if I should be disappointed too, so now before I even tell them my results, I'm not proud about them anymore. I try to distract myself with hobbies and extracurriculars to take up time which would otherwise be spent being paranoid. Paranoid about whether or not they will be proud. I'm waiting for the joy, the relief, while test grades inch closer to 100%, but they never quite get there. What can I do? Is there anything I can do, other than wait to finally feel satisfied with myself, like what you describe?

BTW how'd u get so high grds, u r doing so well! Is english a subject which u got 9 in? PLZ GIVE TIPS I STRUGGLE WITH ENG 😭

I'm not fl_wer but I did get a 9 in English. What part of Literature or Language do you want help with or do you want help in general?

BTW how'd u get so high grds, u r doing so well! Is english a subject which u got 9 in? PLZ GIVE TIPS I STRUGGLE WITH ENG 😭

It seems that we're in the EXACT situation (except with different grades and major awards involved)

Yeh srry I should have made it clearer but like just overall structure of essays, how to come up with like grade 7+ analysis especially in Eng lang where text is not something u have come across and even eng lit with like how to write good responses, how many quotes to do for texts (i do AIC, ACC and Macbeth) and for poetry just how to revise in general cuz its confusing, like should i learn all poems, a few etc and for unseen poetry how to revise for tht.

Yeh srry I should have made it clearer but like just overall structure of essays, how to come up with like grade 7+ analysis especially in Eng lang where text is not something u have come across and even eng lit with like how to write good responses, how many quotes to do for texts (i do AIC, ACC and Macbeth) and for poetry just how to revise in general cuz its confusing, like should i learn all poems, a few etc and for unseen poetry how to revise for tht.