By Every car enthusiast lives and breathes F1; the cacophony of the hybrid V6 is something you could never forget. F1 has a long history of mind-boggling cars and over-the-top drivers. But who is the greatest driver to ever live? Is it Hamilton Or Schumacher or maybe Ayrton Senna? In this blog, we will take a look at the careers of F1 legends and try to comprehensively compile a list of the greatest F1 drivers of all time. So, without any further ado, let’s get straight to it.
Best Drivers To Ever Grace The Sport
Who is the greatest F1 driver in history? This is an ongoing debate, and to put a halt to it, we have decided to rank F1 drivers on the basis of the number of races they won throughout their careers.
10. Nikki Lauda
Lauda was an Austrian F1 driver who was one of the greatest F1 drivers in history. He was the perfect mixture of a driver and an engineer. When he first joined Ferrari in 1974, Ferrari wasn’t very competitive, but Nikki worked with Ferrari engineers to make the car good enough to compete and to win the 1974 driver’s and constructor’s championship. After Nikki retired, he joined the Mercedes F1 team as a non-executive chairman.
Championships Won – 3
Races Won – 25
9. Jackie Stewart
Jackie Stewart is a British F1 world champion and one of the most influential personalities in the sport of F1. You see, in the ’60s, there weren’t many rules regarding a driver’s safety. Jackie was the first racer to raise concerns regarding driver safety and being a 3-time world champion, he was heard loud and clear. His role was instrumental in making rules that ensured the driver’s safety. He was truly an amazing champion and one of the greatest F1 champions ever.
Championships Won- 3
Races Won- 27
8. Nigel Mansell
If there was a list of the most unlucky drivers in F1 history, Nigel would receive the number 1 position without any doubt. Throughout his career, he was plagued by reliability and engineering issues. However, that didn’t stop him from becoming a world champion and one of the greatest F1 drivers ever. But, he still remains one of the biggest ‘what ifs’ in the sport of F1.
Championships Won – 1
Races Won – 31
7. Fernando Alonso
If longevity was a person, it would be Fernando Alonso. Having made his official debut in 2001, Fernando is one of the most experienced and greatest F1 drivers of all time. He is a 2-time world champion who was able to stop the dominance of one of F1’s legends, Michael Schumacher. His overtake of Micahel at 200 miles per hour in one of the best F1 tracks ever, Suzuka, was the stuff of legends. When he first arrived on the scene, hopes weren’t very high, but he proved critics wrong after he won the 2005 and 2006 F1 World Championships.
Championships Won – 2
Races Won – 32
6. Ayrton Senna
If you ask any F1 fan who is the greatest F1 driver of all time, chances are they will name Ayrton Senna. He was a legend of the sport and was one of the best human beings ever. He was a Brazillian who had a whole nation behind him. His bizarre driving technique allowed him to win 3 world championships. The only reason why he is on the 6th spot in our list of greatest F1 drivers is that his career was cut short due to a tragic accident on 1st May 1994, which claimed his life and left the F1 world in shock.
Championships Won – 3
Races Won – 41
5. Alain Prost
Alain Marie Pascal Prost is a French race driver who was the arch-nemesis of the aforementioned Ayrton Senna. Throughout his career, he went wheel to wheel with a whole host of F1 legends and came out on top more often than not. After the death of Ayrton Senna, Prost remained on the top of the F1 world and retired on top. He is a 4-time world champion who is revered as one of the greatest F1 drivers in the history of the sport.
Championships Won – 4
Races Won – 51
4. Max Verstappen
The current defending F1 world champion and one of the greatest F1 drivers in the world, Max Verstappen, is the embodiment of speed and passion. He is the youngest-ever driver and race winner in the history of F1 and made his debut when he was only 17 years old and won his first Grand Prix the next year. His Father, Jos Verstappen is also a F1 legend. He holds the record for the most wins in a single season. In the 2023 season, he won 19 races out of 22.
Championships Won – 3
Races Won – 61
3. Sebastian Vettel
Another product of Redbull Racing, Sebastian is a 4-time world champion and one of the greatest F1 drivers ever. He is one of the 4 drivers who have won 4 F1 championships in a row. His F1 career began in 2007 with the BMW Saiber F1 team, and later went to Redbull Torro Rosso. Later, in 2008, he won his first race and became the youngest F1 Grand Prix winner at the time. He is also the only driver to win the Indian GP, which was included in the season calendar for 3 years in a row.
Championships Won – 4
Races Won – 53
2. Michael Schumacher
Now, this might be a controversial pick for the number 2 position in our list of the best F1 drivers of all time. But as we mentioned at the beginning of the blog, this list is based on the number of races won by each driver and in those regards, Schumacher comes second. The name Schumacher means speed, no matter what language you speak. This is a name every car enthusiast has heard and respected. He was untouchable during his time at the top, and his record speaks for itself. He was truly one of the greatest F1 drivers in the history of the sport.
Championships Won – 7
Races Won – 100
1. Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton is a British F1 driver who is considered one of the greatest F1 drivers by many and tops our list. Sir Lewis Hamilton is the definition of competitive nature and the will to win. He is a once-in-a-lifetime talent, and his accolades are proof of it. Many racers don’t even end on the podium in their debut season, but Hamilton is different. In his debut F1 season in 2007, he raced with Mclaren and lost the world championship by only a single point. However, in the next season, he got his redemption when he won the world championship against Ferrari by 1 point. It is not easy to become a youngster in one of the hardest sports in the world and win a championship in your second season.
Championships Won – 7
Races Won – 105
Our Take On The Matter
F1 is one extraordinary sport and the most technologically advanced sport in the world. The drivers are driving cars that are like fighter planes on the ground. So, it’s no surprise that F1 has some of the best drivers in the world, and these are the best F1 drivers ever. We tried to make this list as objective as possible, hope we did it justice. Make sure to drop a comment and let us know who your favourite F1 driver of all time is.
Faq
Which is the most successful team in the history of F1?
Ferrari and McLaren are the most successful teams in the history of the sport.
Which is the best car in F1?
Redbull’s RB19 is the best car in F1 history. It won 21 out of the 22 races held in the 2023 F1 season.
Which is the governing body of F1?
FIA or Federation Internationale de l'Automobile is the governing body of F1.
Who has the most pole positions in the history of F1?
Lewis Hamilton has the most numbers of pole positions at 104.
