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10 Best Formula 1 Drivers of All Time

The blood rush that followers get from looking out at drivers swish through the tune as they compete with each other. Racing drivers have nerves of steel, as they hazard their lives and let the world around them flip into a blur at the same time as racing to the finish line, or as they smash their motors into the partitions of each other. It is this fearlessness that attracts so many human beings to them

The best F1 driver in history is a debate that has and will continue to, rage as long as Formula 1 exists, but we look at who the best drivers are statistically.

1. Lewis Hamilton

Photo by Tomás Evaristo on

Formula One Championship Wins: 6

Total Career Wins: 84

Overall Podium Finish: 151

Total Career Points: 3431

First race: 2007 Australian Grand Prix

World Championships: 7 (2008, 2014-15, 2017-20)

Number of races: 308

Number of wins: 103

Number of pole positions: 103

Career points: 4381.5 

Without any doubt, the Best Formula 1 Driver from the UK, Lewis Hamilton deserves the top 10 places in our list of the Best F1 drivers of all time. This British driver currently races for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport at Formula One.

He now has 98 race victories along with 171 podium finishes under his name. Besides the Mercedes team, he also previously raced for Manor Motorsport, ASM Formule 3, and ART Grand Prix.

He helped the Mercedes team to win the Formula One World Constructors’ Championship seven times consecutively since 2014. Besides, he achieved the Formula One World Drivers’ Championship seven times as of 2022.

He also bagged the DHL Fastest Lap Award five times till now. Hamilton received both the Auto Sport International Racing Driver Award and the Auto Sports British Competition Driver of the Year award seven times each.

In terms of career wins and total career points, Lewis Hamilton is the best Formula 1 driver to have ever graced a circuit. The Brit has taken wins in 30 different countries, won a race in almost every season he’s competed in and is currently tied on world championships with Michael Schumacher, having narrowly missed out on taking an eighth world title in 2021 to Max Verstappen.

Hamilton holds many of Formula 1’s records, and with a contract that runs to the end of 2023, he looks to be able to push even further ahead on many of them. 

While he missed becoming champion in his first season by a single point, he became the (then) youngest world champion the following year. Fourteen years later he’s secured six more titles and is hunting for an eighth. 

He still prevailing races and broke records, so it may also appear a little untimely to be venerating Lewis. On the extraordinary hand, he’s nonetheless prevailing races and breaking records.

2. Ayrton Senna 

Petersen Automotive Museum, Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Senna racing cart. Photo by Humberto Portillo  on

Formula One Championship Wins: 3

Total Career Wins: 41

Overall Podium Finish: 80

Total Career Points: 620

First race: 1984 Brazilian Grand Prix

World Championships: 3 (1988, 1990-91)

Number of races: 161

Number of wins: 41

Number of pole positions: 65

Career points: 610

One of motorsport’s most legendary figures, Ayrton Senna remains the benchmark for raw talent and charisma.

His depth of commitment to a lap and his constant desire to push the boundaries for more has meant that Senna has a special place in the hearts of many motorsport fans. His three titles give a sense of what could have been having he did not die at the San Marino Grand Prix in 1994. A combination of natural speed and restless ambition gave Senna an edge rarely seen.

Such is his legacy that even nearly thirty years after his death, Senna’s cars and how he won his greatest F1 title are still talked about.

All-time Greatest Formula1 Driver, faster than any other driver of the ’90s, Ayrton Senna da Silva was a former Brazilian formula racing champion. Senna made his professional debut in 1984 at the Brazilian Grand Prix, where he qualified as the 17th. In 1985, he participated in his 2nd race in the Portuguese Grand Prix where he achieved his first World Championship point.

Senna first won the title of Formula One World Championship for Drivers in the 39th season of FIA F1 motor racing in 1988. After that, in the 41st season of FIA F1 motor racing in 1990, he won the same for the second time.

Senna won the World Championship for the 3rd time in FIA F1 racing and became the youngest three-time world champion in 1991. Senna won the last race of his racing career in the 1993 Australian Grand Prix. 

3. Michael Schumacher 

micSchumacheracher museum cologne.  Greatest Formula 1 Driver. Photo by Martin King on

Formula One Championship Wins: 7

Total Career Wins: 91

Overall Podium Finish: 155

Total Career Points: 1566

First race: 1991 Belgian Grand Prix

World Championships: 7 (1994-95, 2000-04)

Number of races: 308

Number of wins: 91

Number of pole positions: 68

Career points: 1566

When considering the best F1 driver, Michael Schumacher immediately springs to mind. He was, until the rise of Hamilton, the face of domination in Formula 1.

Seven titles five of them consecutive, a seemingly insurmountable number of wins, and unrelenting competitiveness Schumacher changed the game in F1 with his combination of dedication, passion, and, of course, raw talent.

While he took two titles with Benetton, he’s far more well-known for his time with Ferrari. Michael joined the team in 1996 and, after some highs and lows in the following years, the combination struck gold in 2000. What followed in the next five years were five world titles, 48 wins, and a record book that had Michael Schumacher’s name in almost every field.

His second stint in F1 wasn’t as successful as his first, yielding a single podium to add to his collection. However, his 91 wins, 155 pod, mums, and 68 pole positions still put him high up in any statistical analysis

The world’s first billionaire athlete Michael Schumacher is a retired German F1 racing driver. In his debut race, the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix, he finished 7th. In the 1992 Belgian Grand Prix, he got his first Drivers’ Championship title.

Undoubtedly, Michael is one of the greatest Formula 1 drivers of all time. Schumacher suffered a serious cerebral injury in 2013 while skiing and was in a coma from December 2013 until June 2014.

4. Fernando Alonso

Spa Francorchamps Grand Prix F1, Route du Circuit, Stavelot, Belgium.  Fernando Alonso at Spa Francorchamps F1 Track. Photo by Glen Wheeler on

First race: 2001 Australian Grand Prix

World Championships: 2 (2005-06)

Number of races: 356

Number of wins: 32

Number of pole positions: 22

Career points: 2045

What may be said about Fernando Alonso? A talented, charismatic driving force from the off, Alonso has long gone on to be one of the sport’s elder statesmen.

He started his interest in karting when his father, an amateur go-karter and mineshaft mechanic, build Fernando and his sister Lorena a go-kart so he had a hobby to share with his children. While Lorena wasn’t interested, Fernando shined under all circumstances, including racing in the rain on slick tires as the family couldn’t afford wet weather alternatives.

These experiences shaped his early career and eventually led him to take a seat with Minardi in 2001. After a year of bringing up the rear of the pack, Alonso went on to join Renault and in 2005, he made history.

Breaking Michael Schumacher’s streak of five world championships in a row, Alonso became the youngest driver to ever win the championship. The next year, he became the youngest to score back-to-back championships.

While Fernando’s career had its highs, it also had its lows. A stint at McLaren saw him struggle to battle rookie Lewis Hamilton and on three occasions he came within a whisker of winning a third championship with Ferrari.

When he raced for a McLaren team on the downturn in 2015 – 2018, it looked as if his Formula 1 career was going to end unceremoniously. He left the sport in 2018 and went on to win Le Mans on two occasions.

Then in 2021, Alonso made a shock return to the sport, at the team he had his greatest success Alpine, the team formerly known as Renault. The greatest moment of his comeback so far came at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix, when holding off a much faster Lewis Hamilton on fresher tires allowed teammate Esteban Ocon to record the re-branded team’s very first win. It’s not over for Alonso just yet.

5. Jackie Stewart

  Jackie Stewart, Goodwood, Leicester, United Kingdom.   Photo by Sam Pearce-Warrilow  on

First race: 1965 South African Grand Prix

World Championships: 3 (1969, 1971, 1973)

Number of races: 99

Number of wins: 27

Number of pole positions: 17

Career points: 360

Being Scotlands Greatest formula 1 driver, Jackie Stewart’s first race 1965 south African grand prize for 3 championships; in 1969,1971, and 1973 wide variety of wins 27 wide variety of pole positions 17 every other Scottish legends to take to the formula 1 grid.

 Jackie Stewart stays a key determinant in the grid and one that’s hard to leave out generally kitted out in placing Stewart tartan as a born racer. Stewart spent his teenage years staring at his father race motorbikes even as his older brother jimmy competed in the 1953 British Grand Prix. Jackie would go on to make his system 1 debut in 1965 and his performances have been tremendous as a rookie he scored 5 podiums which include a maiden win in Italy ending 3rd in the championship when he moved to matra in 1968.

Stewart took a step up ending second in the standings before turning into driver champion the following year his cross to Tyrell in 1970 moreover proved fruitful as he took the title in his 2nd season with the crew scoring six victories in his last formulation 1 season Stewart would bow out in style, a hard-fought first half of the season in which Stewart and Emerson Fittipaldi shared the wins in the first six races Stewart maintained the structure and took the championship.

Upon Jackie Stewart retiring from the sport his legacy in motorsport grew exponentially having considered buddies in the paddock, inclusive of the aforementioned Clark lose their lives, he focussed on making racing safer he pressed for mandatory seat belts and full-face helmets and led boycotts of volatile races regardless of his success motorsport is a higher area thanks to his efforts.

6. Alain Prost

Here’s Alain Prost’s Renault on the  Silverstone Circuit, Towcester, United Kingdom in the UK running demonstration laps ahead of the 2017 Formula 1 Grand Prix.   Photo by Tim Carey on

First race: 1980 Argentinian Grand Prix

World Championships: 4 (1985-86, 1989, 1993)

Number of races: 199

Number of wins: 51

Number of pole positions: 33

Career points: 768.5

Despite registering 4 World Championships and large than 50 wins, Alain Prost’s success wants to have been even greater. His select out has cropped up in the memories of drivers we’ve already told, due to the truth Prost used to be continuously at the front of the grid.

Post commenced go-karting at age 14 when he placed the workout in the direction of a family holiday. His F1 occupation commenced at McLaren in 1980 with a disappointing campaign, on the one-of-a-kind hand, it kicked into existence when he signed for Renault.

Again took his first few wins in 1981 and completed 4th in the drivers’ championship in 1982. But his career took a giant step in 1983 when he pushed Brabham’s Nelson Piquet all the way and carried out indoors two elements of the title win.

Alain Prost’s meticulous trend that allowed him to go up against Ayrton Senna the bitter feud that he is extremely good remembered. His secret weapon used to be as quick as brainpower, as gorgeous as speed, and he possessed a natural precision in his the that allowed Prost to strengthen to be France’s first world champion in 1985.

In 1987 he beat Jackie Stewart’s file of 27 wins and 12 months later McLaren won 15 out of sixteen races at some point in the season, which is a testament to each Prost and Senna’s skill. Prost remained at the top of his sport until his retirement, taking his fourth and ultimate title for Williams at 38 years old.

7. Sebastian Vettel

Sebastian at the 2021 Qatar Grand Prix. Photo by Rifad Lafir  on

First race: 2007 United States Grand Prix

World Championships: 4 (2010-13)

Number of races: 298

Number of wins: 53

Number of pole positions: 57

Career points: 3099

Sebastian Vettel started his karting profession aged eight and used to be impressive, sufficient to be promoted to the Red Bull Junior Tea aged eleven. He made his debut in 2007 as a stand-in for Robert Kubica after his massive Canadian Grand Prix crash halfway through the season. After a quality eight-place finish, he was as soon delivered into the Toro Rosso crew to alternate Scott Speed and narrowly ignored out on an ancient podium at the Chinese Grand Prix.

But Vettel’s documents beckoned for the younger German. At the Italian Grand Prix, aged 21 years and seventy-four days, Vettel grew to be the youngest driver to take the pole role after a moist qualifying session. He backed this up with an improbable maiden win, becoming the youngest driver to win a Formula 1 Grand Prix.

Sebastian was as soon as quickly fast-tracked to the senior Red Bull Racing team, ending as runner-up to Brawn GP’s Jenson Button in 2009. But Red Bull dominated come to the turn of the decade, and Vettel pushed the crew to four consecutive championships. His drivers’ titles didn’t come barring struggle, however. Sebastian had an infamously difficult relationship with teammate Mark Webber, but Vettel’s penalties spoke for themselves.

After the move to hybrid cars, Vettel moved to Ferrari in 2015 and cherished a few title battles with Lewis Hamilton, then again the Mercedes proved too advantageous at some point in the turbo-hybrid era.

Vettel currently moved to the newly-branded Aston Martin F1 team, recording the team’s first podium in Azerbaijan in 2021, and narrowly missing out at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

8. Max Verstappen

    Nürburgring Grand-Prix Strecke, Nürburg, Deutschland. Photo by Sebastian stam on

First race: 2015 Australian Grand Prix

World championships: 2 (2021, 2022)

Number of races: 161

Number of wins: 34

Number of pole positions: 17

Career points: 1973.5

Max Verstappen son of former Formula 1 driver Jos, spent truly  12 months in auto racing before making his F1 debut, while he received grips with the single-seaters in the Florida winter series, his junior career is magnificently remembered for his 2014 European Formula 3 campaign and when he finished third in the championship behind Tom Blomqvist and title-winner Esteban Ocon. 

This single season, in which Max took 10 wins from 32 races, inclusive of six consecutive wins, was sufficient to earn him the cross-up to F1, taking a seat at Red Bull’s sister team Toro Rosso for 2015 and turning him into the youngest-ever grand Prix driver.

His inaugural F1 season again had some success in middle-of-the-pack equipment 10 points paying finishes from 19 races however, it was in his second season that truly announced his entry in F1. 

Verstappen was promoted to Red Bull in 2016, winning his debut race with the team in Spain after the two leading Mercedes crashes on the first lap. 

From then on, Verstappen has been one of the best drivers in Formula One, particularly showing off his skills in wet conditions. But 2021 was the year for the Dutchman. He overcame Lewis Hamilton to win his maiden Formula One world championship on the last lap of the season’s final race. An exceptionally talented driver who will be moving up this list in the future. 

Verstappen was promoted to Red Bull in 2016, winning his debut race with the team in Spain after the two leading Mercedes crashes on the first lap. 

From then on, Verstappen has been one of the best drivers in Formula One, particularly showing off his skills in wet conditions. But 2021 was the year for the Dutchman. He overcame Lewis Hamilton to win his maiden Formula 1 world championship in the last race.

9. Niki Lauda

  Circuit de Charade, Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France. Photo by Nicolas Peyrol on

First race: 1971 Austrian Grand Prix

World Championships: 3 (1975, 1977, 1984)

Number of races: 171

Number of wins: 25

Number of pole positions: 24

Career points: 420.5

Niki entered Formula 1 as a pay driver albeit no person can gainsay that, while his mazuma availed him mostly entering F1, it’s his perspicacity that kept him there. With three seasons in F1 beneath his belt, Lauda joined Ferrari for the 1974 season and secured two actual wins and fourth position in the Championship 1974.

Lauda had often set the tempo but suffered a setback, or so they essentially thought. In 1975 Lauda took 5, for the most part, wins and the first of his three world designations, but it’s his 1976 season and the infamous Nurburgring crash that’s his most famous.

Lauda bounced again from a life-threatening crash at the Nurburgring to miss out on the title through one point to James Hunt. He took his 2nd title in 1977 and retired two years later, solely to return with McLaren in 1982. That yielded a 1/3 crown in 1984, after an epic contest with Alain Prost, before Lauda retired for correct at the quit of 1985.

While he proved his talent on the track, he later grew to become recognized for his business sense of it. He worked in managerial positions for Ferrari and Jaguar, though he’s most usual for his part in Mercedes.

Niki was instrumental in bringing Lewis Hamilton to Mercedes for the 2013 season and worked with the crew till he passed away in 2019.

10. Jim Clark 

    Scottish Borders, Duns, UK. Photo by Martin King on

First race: 1960 Dutch Grand Prix

World Championships: 2 (1963, 1965)

Number of races: 72

Number of wins: 25

Number of pole positions: 33

Career points: 274

Jim Clark shunned the limelight and was solely concerned about winning. From 1962-1965, the Scottish ace was arguably solely beaten in the world title when he encountered mechanical troubles, and at the time of his demise in 1968  tragically for the duration of an F2 race at Hockenheim, he held the record for the most race wins.

An unrivaled talent, Clark was only eight miles clear of the nearest competitor in the torrential rain at Spa in 1963, highlighting the bravery of a driver racing in the most hazardous moment of motorsport’s history.