Formula 1 is one of the world’s fastest sports, and that means only the fastest, most daring drivers in the world have a chance to etch their names into the sport’s history books. Since the sport’s beginnings in 1950, some F1 drivers have seen such success on the track that they’ve become household names around the world.
Wondering which racers made the biggest impact and shattered the most records in F1 history? Here’s our list of the best F1 drivers of all time.
Don’t forget: You can watch the current generation of F1 drivers, including Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, racing to cement their legacy on DIRECTV!
The 10 Best F1 Drivers of All Time
So, which F1 drivers are considered the best of all time? Here’s our list of the top 10 drivers in Formula 1 history.
Lewis Hamilton (2007 – Present)
Teams: Mercedes, McLaren, Ferrari
Titles: 7 (Tied for Most All-Time)
Wins: 105
Podiums: 202
Total Career Points: 4,965
Lewis Hamilton is undisputedly the best F1 driver to ever get behind the wheel. He has a record-tying seven titles, rivaled only by the legendary Michael Schumacher (second on our list). Hamilton left Mercedes to join Ferrari ahead of the 2025 season and he earned a sizeable raise for doing so, becoming the second highest-paid driver in Formula 1.
Hamilton also holds the records for most wins, pole positions, podium finishes and championship points of all time. He’s also been credited with boosting the sport’s popularity around the world and served as an executive producer on Brad Pitt’s 2025 film F1.
Michael Schumacher (1991-2006, 2010-2012)
Teams: Jordan, Benetton, Ferrari, Mercedes
Titles: 7 (Tied for Most All-Time)
Wins: 91
Podiums: 155
Total Career Points: 1,566
Only one other driver can hold a candle to Hamilton’s seven titles, and that’s none other than Michael Schumacher, one of Formula 1’s most legendary and iconic drivers of all time. Until Hamilton showed up on the grid, he dominated the sport, winning two titles in 1994 and 1995 and then five consecutive titles between 2000 and 2004 with Ferrari. In 2010, he mounted an unsuccessful comeback attempt driving for Mercedes, but he’s still one of the greatest F1 drivers to ever hit the track.
Max Verstappen (2015 – Present)
Teams: Toro Rossa (AlphaTauri), Red Bull Racing
Titles: 4
Wins: 65
Podiums: 117
Total Career Points: 3,160.5
Schumacher is well-known for his dominant, five-consecutive-title run, but there’s another modern driver who’s tight on his heels: Max Verstappen, Red Bull’s Dutch racing prodigy, who has won each of the last four F1 championships. He’s the youngest Grand Prix winner ever, and he holds records for most wins in a season (19 in 2023), most consecutive wins and most consecutive pole positions.
Early in his F1 career, Verstappen ignited a mild rivalry with Hamilton by overtaking him on the final lap of the last race of the 2021 season to win this first title, and he’s put on a dominating show ever since.
Sebastian Vettel (2007 – 2022)
Teams: BMW Sauber, Toro Rosso, Red Bull, Ferrari, Aston Martin
Titles: 4
Wins: 53
Podiums: 122
Total Career Points: 3,098
Before Max Verstappen, there was another young driver for Red Bull who posted four consecutive titles: Sebastian Vettel. Vettel was a dominant force on the track and dethroned Lewis Hamilton as the youngest world champion ever at 23. Vettel’s trajectory mirrors Verstappen’s in many ways, and the two racers together have been a major factor in Red Bull’s strong performance over the past decade.
Alain Prost (1980 – 1993)
Teams: McLaren, Renault, Ferrari, Williams
Titles: 4
Wins: 51
Podiums: 106
Total Career Points: 768.5
Alain Prost was the first French driver to win a world championship when he took his first title in 1985, and he went on to become a dominant force known for his race intelligence and longevity. Prost developed a bitter rivalry with teammate Ayrton Senna, who at one point accused of intentionally ramming his car into Prost’s during the 1990 Japanese Grand Prix.
Ayrton Senna (1984 – 1994)
Teams: Toleman, Lotus, McLaren, Williams
Titles: 3
Wins: 41
Podiums: 80
Total Career Points: 660
The other half of the Alain Prost-Ayrton Senna rivalry, Senna is one of the most memorable personalities and best drivers Formula 1 has even seen. The Brazilian won three titles before his tragic death in a crash during the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.
Fernando Alonso (2001 – Present)
Teams: Minardi, Renault, McLaren, Ferrari, Alpine, Aston Martin
Titles: 2
Wins: 32
Podiums: 106
Total Career Points: 2,339
Fernando Alonso won back-to-back championships in 2005 and 2006 but had a tough stretch between 2007 and 2018, when he left F1. In 2021, the Spaniard made a surprise comeback, joining Alpine and seeing much more success than in his first stint. Now, he’s racing for Aston Martin as the oldest driver on the grid.
Nigel Mansell (1980 – 1995)
Teams: Lotus, Williams, McLaren, Ferrari
Titles: 1
Wins: 31
Podiums: 59
Total Career Points: 482
Like Fernando Alonso, Nigel Mansell was another driver who had all the potential to win but ran into a string of bad luck across his 15 seasons in Formula 1 and his vehicles never seemed to be quite at the level he needed them to be.
Nonetheless, he had serious grit and a no-quit attitude towards racing: He once broke his neck, was told he was almost paralyzed from the injury and advised to never race again – which he promptly ignored and went on to eventually win a title at age 39.
He also famously hopped out of his broken-down vehicle during the 1984 Dallas Grand Prix and attempted to physically push it down the track before collapsing due to the oppressive heat.
Jackie Stewart (1965 – 1973)
Teams: BRM, Matra, Tyrrell
Titles: 3
Wins: 27
Podiums: 43
Total Career Points: 360
Jackie Stewart won three titles during his F1 career, but he’s perhaps better known as one of the sport’s most prominent safety advocates. Stewart knew many other racers who were killed during races during his time, and his efforts to improve race conditions for the drivers led to the introduction of now-commonplace safety measures like full helmets, seatbelts, barriers and run-off zones.
He also held the record for most titles by a British driver until Lewis Hamilton tied and him in 2015 and later surpassed him.
Jim Clark (1960 – 1968)
Teams: Lotus
Titles: 2
Wins: 25
Podiums: 32
Total Career Points: 274
Jim Clark, a contemporary of Stewart’s, was one of the best drivers of F1’s early years. Debuting in the 1960 Dutch Grand Prix, Clark won two titles with Lotus, and posted two seasons where he absolutely dominated the first half of each season, setting a win record that would stand until 1984.
Clark was also a fixture across other motor sports, placing third in the Les Mans, winning the Indianapolis 500 and racing in NASCAR for a while. He was tragically killed during a 1968 Formula 2 race in Germany.
Other All-Time Top Formula 1 Drivers
These ten drivers are the best-of-the-best in Formula 1 history, but what about the best of the rest? Here’s ten more drivers who made a major impact on F1 throughout their careers.
Niki Lauda: 3 titles, 25 wins, 54 podiums – March, BRM, Ferrari, Brabham, McLaren
Juan Manuel Fangio: 5 titles, 24 wins, 35 podiums – Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Mercedes, Ferrari
Nelson Piquet: 3 titles, 23 wins, 60 podiums – Ensign, McLaren, Brabham, Williams, Lotus, Benetton
Nico Rosberg: 1 title, 23 wins, 57 podiums
Damon Hill: 1 title, 22 wins, 42 podiums
Kimi Räikkönen: 1 title, 21 wins, 103 podiums
Mika Häkkinen: 2 titles, 20 wins, 51 podiums
Graham Hill: 2 titles, 14 wins, 36 podiums
Jenson Button: 1 title, 15 wins, 50 podiums
Stirling Moss: no titles, 16 wins, 24 podiums
Watch Formula 1 on DIRECTV
The 2025 F1 season is full swing! Will one among the current crop of F1 drivers be the next to be added to this list? Watch as they work to climb the standings during the F1 2025 season on DIRECTV.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the best F1 drivers ever?
Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher and Max Verstappen are considered some of the best F1 drivers of all time.
When did Formula start?
Formula 1 started in 1950.
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