It doesn’t get much faster than Formula 1. Formula 1 cars are advanced vehicles with cutting-edge aerodynamics and turbocharged engines that can reach 60 mph in under two seconds.
And because of that, Formula 1 drivers are among the best drivers in the world, possessing lightning-fast reflexes, ultra-sharp focus, strategic racing prowess, and the ability to operate under constant pressure.
Formula 1 has seen its fair share of unforgettable F1 drivers since it started in 1950 – some more celebrated than others!
So why not run through them?
Below we’ve listed the top Formula 1 drivers of all time.
View the list below, and don’t forget to check out Formula 1 FanDuel sports picks!
Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton has won 7 championships, putting him side-by-side with Michael Schumacher as the greatest Formula 1 driver of all time. He’s currently the best in the world, known for his aggressive style.
Needless to say, Hamilton is always a favourite when it comes to the latest sports betting odds for the Grand Prix.
Hamilton began his racing career at a young age and quickly rose to make his Formula 1 debut in 2007 with the McLaren team. He won his first World Championship the year after, becoming the youngest winning driver ever.
He followed that up with another championship win in 2014; the rest is history.
Michael Schumacher
Like Hamilton, Michael Schumacher has won 7 championships. He made his Formula 1 debut in 1991 before winning his first World Championship in 1994, following it up with a second win in 1995.
Schumacher is best known for driving for Ferrari, which he joined in 1996. With Ferrari, he won his third World Championship in 2000, then won five more championships, including two in a row – an achievement that has not been repeated since.
Schumacher was fast and aggressive on the race track and will forever be remembered as one of the best, if not the best, F1 drivers ever.
Sebastian Vettel
Sebastian Vettel drove for BMW, Red Bull, and Ferrari during his career, earning four championships. In 2010, he became the youngest driver to win a Grand Prix before winning four titles in a row with Red Bull Racing from 2010 to 2013.
Vettel was a fast F1 driver known for consistently leading and dominating races from the front. Like Schumacher, Vettel hails from Germany and is considered one of the best Formula 1 drivers ever to grace the circuit.
Alain Prost
Hailing from France as France’s only world champion, Alain Prost is a four-time-winning Formula 1 driver with 51 wins out of 199 races started. His racing prowess dates way back to when he started go-karting at 14 before he joined team McLaren in 1980 as a promising young driver.
Prost’s F1 career kicked off when he joined Renault; however, when he started winning races, which put his name on the map.
Despite getting fired from Ferrari—an event that wasn’t without media drama—his legacy as one of Formula 1’s all-time greats is still felt decades later.
Aryton Senna
Aryton Senna was known for his focus and ability to push cars to the limit regarding speed. He is best remembered for his skilful overtaking manoeuvres at the 1993 European Grand Prix, where he went from fifth to first in the first lap.
Senna won 3 championships during his Formula 1 career in 1988, 1990, and 1991. Before that, he won his first ever Grand Prix in 1985, making him a household name among F1 enthusiasts.
He is still widely regarded as one of the greatest drivers in the sport’s history and easily the best F1 driver out of Brazil.
Jackie Stewart
Jackie Stewart won 3 championships during his F1 career, which started with his BRM debut in 1965. He won his first Grand Prix that same year and earned his three World Championship titles in 1969, 1971, and 1973.
Stewart was a Scottish driver who was superb at reading other drivers and making strategic manoeuvres to get out in front. He was knighted for his racing efforts, which saw him win 27 of the 99 Grand Prix he competed for.
Max Verstappen
Max Verstappen is perhaps Lewis Hamilton’s greatest threat at the moment. His controversial win at the 2021 French Grand Prix was memorable, to say the least, but proved Verstappen as a formidable opponent on the race track, some even comparing his driving style to Senna and Schumacher.
So far, Verstappen has claimed two championships and 36 wins out of the 164 Grand Prix races he’s started. It’s also early days for Verstappen, so the talented Dutch driver still has much more to offer Red Bull Racing Team and future Formula 1 events to come.
Conclusion
And that finishes up our list of the top Formula 1 drivers of all time! These drivers have won the Grand Championship multiple times and are considered some of the best F1 drivers in Formula 1 history.
Click here to subscribe to our print edition!
Related Articles