Who is the best F1 driver of all time?
It’s funny you should ask…
In this blog, our team of experts have ranked the 12 best F1 drivers of all time. With famous faces and modern icons on the list, will your favourite make our top 12?
If you’re after some F1 memorabilia related to your top F1 driver, make sure to check out our GP mystery boxes!
The 12 Best F1 Drivers of All Time - Ranked!
Who is the best F1 driver then? Our Company Director, Matt Cole, says:
“I personally think Lewis Hamilton is the best ever - my brother and I have always loved watching him race!
“I was growing up and was getting into the sport when he challenged for the WDC on his debut season and I knew then he was going to be great!”
Will this list of the best F1 drivers leave you surprised?
1. Lewis Hamilton
With 105 wins under his belt, is it any surprise that Lewis Hamilton is on this list?
His first win was at the 2007 Canadian Grand Prix and he has won seven World Championships:
- 2014
- 2015
- 2017
- 2018
- 2019
- 2020
Almost all of his wins have been with Mercedes - are they the best F1 team of all time?
2. Michael Schumacher
Of course, Michael Schumacher is on this list!
He’s definitely one of the best F1 drivers of all time.
Like Hamilton, he has won seven World Championships:
- 1994
- 1995
- 2000
- 2001
- 2002
- 2003
- 2004
He is best known for his time at Ferrari but his first two titles were at Benetton!
3. Max Verstappen
As son of former F1 driver Jos, Max Verstappen is on our list of F1 drivers thanks to his 61 wins.
In 2015, he became the youngest Grand Prix driver ever and has three World Championships under his belt!
Since then, his career has continued to shoot up. His first win was at the Spanish GP - maybe because Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton crashed their F1 cars during the first lap…
4. Sebastian Vettel
Sebastian Vettel has won 53 races!
He holds a number of records for F1, but when the regulations changed in 2014, things quickly changed…
For example, he had nine consecutive wins in the 2013 season but then didn't feature again on the top step until Malaysia during the 2015 season.
5. Alain Prost
F1 driver Alain Prost became France’s first World Champion in 1985!
He went on to win four World Championships and has 51 wins to his name.
Unfortunately though, he is best known for his infamous feud against Ayrton Senna.
6. Ayrton Senna
Speaking of Senna, he’s next up on our list of the best F1 drivers of all time.
He has 41 wins and 3 World Championships.
During the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, Senna unfortunately lost his life due to an accident - the third race of the 1994 season.
Australian newbie Roland Ratsenberger also had a fatal accident during this race.
7. Fernando Alonso
Fernando Alonso’s reputation procedes him!
Known as a very aggressive and fearless racer, it has worked in his favour as he’s won 2 World Championships and 32 overall wins.
He’s raced for some of the best teams in the world, such as:
- Minardi
- Renault
- McLaren
- Ferrari
- Alpine
- Aston Martin
Like the look of his helmet? Why not check out our Top 10 F1 Helmets blog?
8. Nigel Mansell
Known as one of the most ‘unlucky’ drivers in F1, Nigel Mansell still has 31 wins and a World Championship.
He was known for having issues with reliability, lots of retirements, and even chicken pox!
Plus, he was second in three World Championships… so close yet so far.
9. Jackie Stewart
Is there a bigger F1 icon than Jackie Stewart?
He has won 28 races and 3 World Championships but that’s not all we have to celebrate about our Jackie!
He was one of the first drivers to advocate for improved safety standards - such as the F1 halo, safety barriers, and full-face helmets.
10. Niki Lauda
Niki Lauda has won 25 races and three World Championships.
He is the only driver to have won a championship for both McLaren and Ferrari!
Even after he retired from racing, he was still essential to F1 as a senior position for numerous teams, such as:
- Ferrari
- Jaguar
- Mercedes
11. Jim Clark
With 25 wins and 2 World Championships under his belt, Jim Clark’s focus was purely on winning.
Unfortunately, he passed away during a Formula Two accident in 1968.
He died at just 32 years old! At the time of his death, he held numerous accolades, including the most won Grand Prix races and more pole positions than any other driver.
12. Juan Manuel Fangio
Concluding our best F1 drivers of all time list is Juan Manuel Fangio.
He has won 24 races and 5 World Championships!
Fangio is the only Argentinian driver to have won the Argentinian Grand Prix (one of the old F1 tracks) and World Championships.
Become One of the Best F1 Drivers of All Time with Our F1 Memorabilia!
So, that’s our list of the top F1 drivers, but who will win the 2024 season?
Will Max add to his list of achievements or will Lando finally take the victory?
No matter who lifts the trophy, you can support your favourite driver with one of our mystery GP boxes.
We have three-monthly, six-monthly, and annual subscriptions - there’s never been a simpler way to grow your collection of F1 merch!
