Formula One is all about the most talented drivers in the world going wheel to wheel all over the globe. Over the past few years, Max Verstappen has dominated the sport with clinical performances, but how does he compare to the greats? We looked through the history books and found the ten best F1 drivers of all time.
Certain names stand tall when looking at the F1 drivers with the most wins under their belts. However, the number of races in a calendar year has grown, which means race wins are not a fair metric when looking at the drivers from the past. The inaugural Formula One season had seven races and it wasn’t until 2016 that we had over 20 in one campaign.
To create our list of the best F1 drivers, we looked at the impact of each driver on the sport, the number of world championship wins, and whether they were successful outside of the series. Below are ten names we feel deserve recognition, which inevitably means we missed a couple of superstars. If you disagree with our order, reach out via social channels and let us know!
10. Graham Hill
Starting our list of the ten best F1 drivers with a name like Graham Hill seems unfair. “Mr Monaco” won two Formula One World Championships in 1962 and 1968. However, his legacy extends further than F1 as Hill became the first and only man to win the illustrious Motorsport Triple Crown. He won the Indianapolis 500 in 1966 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1972. Graham Hill remains the only driver in history to accomplish a Triple Crown.
Hill made his F1 debut in 1958 after studying engineering and joining Lotus as a mechanic. He used his degree to tremendous effect, spearheading development and setting multiple records along the way. Hill won the Monaco Grand Prix five times, a record that stood for 24 years. He also thrived in all levels of motorsport, including the British Saloon Car Championship, Indy Car, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
While it will go down in history that Graham Hill won two Formula World Championships, it could have been more. He lost the 1964 title by one point to John Surtees and finished as a runner-up in 1963 and 65 to Jim Clark. Many will argue that other drivers had a better career in Formula One but nobody can dispute his racing talent and Triple Crown. Hill deserves his spot on our list of the best F1 Drivers and his son, Damon, proved it was in the blood when he won a World Championship in 1996.
9. Jackie Stewart
The Flying Scot was a legend of motor racing, having won three Formula One world titles. Jackie Stewart was the former record holder for most wins in F1 and podium finishes. Stewart was destined for greatness and made headlines in his Formula Three debut. He established a 25-second lead in two laps and was offered an F1 seat with Cooper. However, Stewart turned the job down to gain experience, something the drivers nowadays would not entertain.
His F1 career was legendary, picking up 27 race wins, 43 podiums, and three championships between 1969 and 73. During his career, he competed in many racing formats, including almost winning the Indy 500 on his first attempt. However, the constant travel took its toll on the world champ. He had this to say about the life of a race car driver in 2023:
“We don’t make the money that is made today and to make proper money, you had to do a lot of races. It wasn’t just the question of Formula 1, nobody did Formula 1 so I was doing Can-Am, Indianapolis, Touring Cars, GT Cars, and everything you can think of on a global basis and most of my friends were dying as it went along. In fact, Helen, my wife, counted 57 friends that had died that holidayed with, travelled with and, of course, raced with.” – Jackie Stewart
Stewart was a force to be reckoned with on track, but his most valuable contribution was the increased safety standards he promoted. He was vocal about the lack of crash barriers, marshals, and seat belts, forcing tracks to modernise and improve safety standards for drivers. We lost some of the best F1 drivers because of the unsafe conditions in which they competed. Thanks to Jackie Stewart, a great deal of them could entertain us with wheel-to-wheel racing for a while longer.
8. Jim Clark
Most of the names on our list of the 10 best F1 drivers have enjoyed lengthy careers. However, some drivers were not so lucky in that regard. Jim Clark was a British racing driver for Lotus between 1960 and 1968. Clark had natural talent, capturing attention thanks to his performances in sports car races. Lotus gave him the chance at Les Mans in 1959 and he came second in class in a Lotus Elite.
This got him a chance in Formula Junior, which he won ahead of John Surtees. When behind the wheel of a Lotus, Clark had a serious pace. He won the World Championship in 1963 and could have won more if not for reliability issues. The best year of his career came in 1965 when everything he touched turned to gold. He won the world championship in Formula One, French Formula Two, the Tasman Series, and British Formula Two. He remains the only driver to win multiple championships and the F1 title in a single season.
Unfortunately, his meteoric career came to an end in 1968, while leading the Driver’s Championship. He died at the Hockenheimring in the Formula Two race. Clark was a racing driver with a phenomenal talent for speed. He won three Tasman Series, two World Championships, and several other disciplines. He also held the record for most F1 wins until 1973 and the most pole positions until 1989. Who knows how much more Clark would have achieved if there had been better safety standards in the 60s?
7. Fernando Alonso
If you value career longevity and pure driving talent, Fernando Alonso is one of the best Formula One drivers ever. He began with Minardi in 2001 but had to wait until 2003 for a full race seat with Renault. Alonso won consecutive titles in 2005 and 06, taking the record for the youngest world champ, youngest race winner, and youngest pole position winner. He moved to McLaren and finished one point behind teammate Kimi Räikkönen in his debut season. Next came Ferrari and he was a three-time runner-up to Sebastian Vettel.
Fernando Alonso: “It was a scary moment and a scary crash” https://t.co/5kU1oM5YmV #SkyF1 #AusGP pic.twitter.com/gNqOeMMptb
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) March 20, 2016
Alonso is a serial winner and tasted success in multiple race classes. He is the only driver to win an F1 World Title and the World Endurance Championship. Plus, he is also a two-time 24 Hours of Le Mans winner and 24 Hours of Daytona champion in 2019. Alonso returned to F1 in 2021 and has looked phenomenal despite his age. The Spanish driver is just one of two on our list that is still active in the sport. That means if you want to bet on the next F1 world champion, this could be one of your last seasons to do so.
What makes Alonso special is his driving style. Whether it’s wringing the neck of a modern-day F1 car to squeeze out extra tenths or battling with people less than half his age, Fernando has done it all. You can tell from how other professionals have spoken about him that he is one of the best F1 drivers ever.
6. Niki Lauda
Niki Lauda is perhaps the most famous survivor of a horror crash in the sport. Lauda famously tried to boycott the 1976 German GP at the Nürburgring because of a lack of safety arrangements. The drivers opted against his precautions and Lauda paid the price. His car swerved off the track, hit an embankment, and burst into flames. Lauda was trapped in the car and suffered extensive burns and inhaled toxic gasses. The crash would have claimed his life had Arturo Merzario and a few other drivers not stopped at the scene.
The most remarkable aspect of the incident is that Niki Lauda returned to racing after missing two events. He would lose the title that year by one point to James Hunt, but the fact he was able or willing to set foot in an F1 car again is nothing short of incredible. Lauda won three world championships in his career. One in 1975 before the accident, one in 1977 the year after his famous crash, and one in 1984.
Lauda retired in 1979, following two unsuccessful years at Brabham. He returned in 1982 and was rewarded with another world title with McLaren. What makes his career so captivating is the civil rivalries he managed with other legendary drivers. He had a famous rivalry with British racing driver James Hunt and a captivating couple of years against Alain Prost after his first retirement. If you are searching for the best F1 drivers, you cannot overstate the impact Niki Lauda had on the sport.
5. Juan Manuel Fangio
Juan Manuel Fangio is the only current five-time world champion. We could not create a list of celebrating the best Formula One drivers without mentioning Fangio. His career began before F1’s inception with stock car racing. He made his debut in 1950 with the first F1 season and quickly became a history maker.
Fangio won five titles with four teams and became the driver with the highest winning percentage at 46.15%. He participated in 52 races, taking the chequered flag in 24 and finishing on the podium 35 times. Furthermore, Fangio holds the record for the highest pole position percentage of over 55%.
It’s impossible to simulate what Fangio went through when driving the first generation of F1 cars. Safety was not a consideration in the sport until several decades later and these drivers were competing on a knife edge. Somehow, with all the danger and chaos and a significantly shorter race calendar, Fangio was electric. He proved a good car was not the only deciding factor in a world champion and deserves a spot on any list celebrating the best F1 drivers, no matter the decade.
4. Alain Prost
Next on our list of the best F1 drivers of all time is Alain Prost. The Professor won four Formula One World Drivers’ Championships and was the previous record holder for most wins, fastest laps, and podiums in the sport. Prost’s career began with McLaren before a hasty switch to Renault in 1981. He missed out on the 1983 title with a turbo failure and was sacked by Renault for his comments. He rejoined McLaren in 1984 and lost to Niki Lauda by half a point.
Prost was in a league of his own in 85 and 86, winning consecutive F1 World Titles against the likes of Nelson Piquet and Nigel Mansell. He partnered with Ayrton Senna, and they dominated the 1988 calendar, winning every race except one. Things reached boiling point when the pair collided in the title-deciding race at Suzuka, not once, but twice. The tension between the two drivers forced Prost to move to Ferrari, where he was sacked once again for his comments.
I will always remember this day! 24 years ago I can’t believe. pic.twitter.com/r4kpPNPAsD
— Alain Prost (@Prost_official) May 1, 2018
With three World Championships under his belt, Prost could have hung up his gloves and moved on, but he didn’t. He returned to the grid with Williams and won a fourth title after some incredible contract negotiations. Prost ensured his deal meant Senna could not join the team, and the Williams was a sure thing for the title. He won by 26 points and retired at the end of the season after signing a two-year deal. The wily veteran forced Frank Williams to pay his two-year salary to allow Senna to join the team.
There is no doubt Alain Prost was a fiery and controversial figure. He rubbed several drivers the wrong way, including using dirty tactics to win. However, Prost remains one of the best F1 drivers of all time, whether you agree with his driving standards or not.
3. Michael Schumacher
For many racing fans, Michael Schumacher is the best F1 driver of all time. The seven-time World Champ was unstoppable at the turn of the century, picking up five consecutive titles. He won 91 races, took 155 podiums, and recorded 77 fastest laps. His career began in 1991 and those around him knew what a ferocious talent he was.
That ferocity was evident from the get-go as he made his debut for Jordan, but quickly pivoted to Benetton. It was the right move as he won his first world title with the team in 1994, following his collision with Damon Hill, the runner-up that season. He defended his title next year before moving to Ferrari to help the Scuderia outfit establish themselves at the top again. Schumacher alongside Jean Todt and Ross Brawn were untouchable from 2000 onwards. They established a level of dominance never seen in the sport.
On the day he turns 52, a flashback to one of the greatest days in the career of the great Michael Schumacher 🎬#KeepFightingMichael pic.twitter.com/eUXN0WvqTA
— Formula 1 (@F1) January 3, 2021
Schumacher won his seven championships and then retired in 2006. However, when Mercedes re-entered the sport in 2010, guess who stepped back into the limelight to dazzle us all again? Schumacher was a vital part of the Mercedes project and was invaluable in the development of the car. The groundwork he put in at the team allowed Lewis Hamilton to come in and write history with the silver arrows. Schumacher’s influence on the sport goes beyond just race wins. He was an inspiration or talking point for fans all over the globe.
Why Not First?
Michael Schumacher was a legend but falls short of the very best F1 drivers. If you watched him race, you would know why he made the podium and why he is not at the top spot. He was a dirty driver when he needed to be, including two collisions in the finale of a Formula One season. He crashed with Damon Hill in 1994 to win the title and tried to take out Jacques Villeneuve in 1997. The second incident received widespread condemnation, especially by the FIA who stripped him of all his points.
This is not the place to list all the incidents Schumacher was involved in. We are here to celebrate what they achieved in motorsport, and his career deserves celebrating. However, a new superstar emerged only a few years after his retirement.
2. Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton started karting at age six and quickly grabbed the attention of Ron Dennis. After moving up the ranks at McLaren, Hamilton made his debut in 2007. He won four races in his first season and secured second in the standings, one point behind winner Kimi Räikkönen. He went one better in the next campaign, taking the title in 2008 with a last-lap overtake on the final race of the season.
The Red Bull era began, and Hamilton was one of the most consistent threats during Sebastien Vettel’s domination of the sport. When the engine rules changed, Mercedes became the powerhouse and Hamilton alongside Rosberg won 51 of 59 races between 2014 and 2016. Their rivalry was historic, with Rosberg finally getting the better of the Brit in 2016 and retiring from the sport. Hamilton won the World Championships in 2014 and 2015 before a sensational four in a row to mark out 2020.
With 105 race wins, 202 podiums, and 104 pole positions, Lewis Hamilton is one of the best F1 drivers on track. Off the track, he helped garner a new interest in the sport, bringing in fans and campaigning for social change.
BREAKING: Lewis Hamilton to join Ferrari in 2025!#F1 @LewisHamilton @ScuderiaFerrari pic.twitter.com/M5QrB5pM8G
— Formula 1 (@F1) February 1, 2024
Better than Schumacher?
Lewis Hamilton is a better F1 driver than Michael Schumacher. A lot goes into a decision like this, but we tried to be as objective as possible. Sure, Hamilton had collisions with championship rivals like Max Verstappen, but nothing like the incidents Schumacher or Prost were involved in. He has always been gracious in defeat, quick to thank his team and a leader both on and off the track.
New fans of the sport feel forced into camps where you can only support one driver and you must hate the competition, but that is not the case. Without Prost, the impact of Senna would have been reduced. Without Schumacher, fantastic seasons involving Damon Hill and Mika Häkkinen would have been less special. And without Lewis Hamilton, the Sebastien Vettel and Max Verstappen domination would be less entertaining.
You need drivers to have close rivals, pushing each other beyond what many deem possible. The direct competition has led to some of the most exciting races and championships in history. Like it or not, Lewis Hamilton is responsible for a vast number of those moments since he joined in 2007. Plus, you can bet on F1 when Hamilton joins Ferrari in 2025.
1. Ayrton Senna
There is no doubt in our mind that Ayrton Senna is the greatest Formula One driver of all time. He was an unstoppable force on the track, pushing cars beyond their limits on multiple occasions. He won 41 races across 162 starts, racking up 65 pole positions and three championships. The first came when he signed with McLaren to challenge teammate Alain Prost. In the first season, the duo won 15 of the 16 races and the Brazilian won the championship by three points in 1988.
In 1989, Alain Prost and Senna entered the penultimate race of the season as direct rivals. Prost had a 16-point gap but with a legitimate chance to defend his title. He won six races that season which was two more than Prost. Because of some crazy FIA rules, if the Brazilian won both remaining races, he would have won the World Championship regardless of where his teammate finished.
Senna caught up with Prost on lap 47 of 53. He lunged up the inside of the final corner and Prost saw him coming and turned for the corner early to cut him off. The two collided, skidding into the gravel and stalling. The Frenchman quickly left his car whereas Senna got the marshals to give him a push start. He recovered to win the race, keeping his hopes of consecutive championships alive. However, the stewards had other ideas. They disqualified Senna for missing the chicane and banned him when the team appealed the decision.
Two icons. Two championships. Two controversial collisions.
The tale of Ayrton Senna 🆚 Alain Prost – and their duels at Suzuka in 1998 and 1990 – are nothing short of legendary#F1 #JapaneseGP pic.twitter.com/c0Bg6SOPWM
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 1, 2024
The two teammates could not stand each other, which is part of the reason Prost moved to Ferrari the next year. When the duo returned to Japan in 1990, Senna was in pole position and his closest championship rival, Alain Prost, was in second. While it might sound like we have our tin foil hats on, there was an undeniable air of corruption around the FIA in these seasons. Senna qualified first which bizarrely put him off the racing line in Suzuka. Despite his complaints, the stewards upheld their decision for the pole sitter to start on the dirty side of the track.
Prost took the lead off the line, but it was to no one’s surprise that the two collided. The cars went skidding off into the gravel, forcing both drivers to retire. Many believe Senna was enacting his revenge for what happened last year, but the footage does not lie. Prost cuts across the Brazilian, trying to take the Apex as if the McLaren was not there. It was karma from a racing fan’s perspective as Senna won the title from this collision.
These incidents do not sum up the man, but they give you a glimpse of what it was like watching F1 back then. Everything was on the line, no move was too dangerous or dirty, an approach many of the best F1 drivers on our list encapsulate.
Death
Senna won his third title in 1991 and finished as a runner-up to Prost in 1993. He made history that year by winning the Monaco Grand Prix for a sixth time. However, when he moved to Williams in 1994, disaster struck. Ayrton Senna died at the San Marino Grand Prix at Imola while leading the race. It was already a bloody weekend with Rubens Barrichello breaking his nose and arm and Roland Ratzenberger passing away after his heavy impact with the wall.
Senna was driving just under 200mph when his car left the track, colliding with a concrete wall. Part of the car’s suspension was sent back through the cockpit, fatally wounding the F1 superstar. His death was a horrific moment for fans of the sport, but it served as an important message. The FIA finally smartened up with some safety features, ensuring his death was the last on track until Jules Bianchi in 2015.
Breaking records on the first try!
SENNA, starring Gabriel Leone and Kaya Scodelario, is now playing on Netflix. pic.twitter.com/bzfZ6WCjXg
— Netflix UK & Ireland (@NetflixUK) November 29, 2024
Senna also proved that F1 was no longer a sport for the elite. The Brazilian changed the perspective of fans around the world from thinking the sport was snobby. Instead, racing fans could see the best drivers in the world leave everything on track for our entertainment.
If we are talking pure racing ability, Ayrton Senna is the best Formula Driver ever. Considering the role a driver has off the track, Senna’s impact is unmeasurable. He inspired a huge number of drivers, including some that remain on the grid to this day. There is only one place for Senna on our list, right at the top.
Conclusion
Many racing fans will be furious that Max Verstappen has not made our list of the best F1 drivers. However, there is a good reason for that. While Verstappen has undeniable talent and an incredible understanding of the rules, he is too young to sit amongst the greats. Yes, he has four consecutive world titles, but that does not make you the best of all time.
The greats of the sport are ambassadors that champion competition and thrive under pressure. Max will only secure his place amongst the best if he continues to push himself to the limit. He must avoid the inevitable burnout that ended Vettel’s career on a damp squib and fight for his next world title. Finishing races 20 seconds ahead of the field is impressive, but that does not guarantee a spot on our list yet!
