The best formula one driver in the history of the competition is a long debate and will never put it to an end. However, today compile the list of 10 Most Successful F1 Drivers based on the Grand Pix Wins.
The ranking is based on the following factors
- Total Career wins
- World Championship wins
- Grand Prix Wins
based on that, the most successful F1 drivers are:
Summery of Most Successful F1 Drivers
Based on the criteria of Overall Career wins, Lewis Hamilton tops the list of the most successful F1 drivers. The rankings are:
- Lewis Hamilton – 103 wins
- Michael Schumacher – 91 wins
- Sebastian Vettel – 53 wins
- Alain Prost – 51 wins
- Ayrton Senna – 41 wins
- Fernando Alonso – 32 wins
- Nigel Mansell – 31 wins
- Jackie Stewart – 27 wins
- Niki Lauda – 25 wins
- Jim Clark – 25 wins
1). Lewis Hamilton – 103 wins
- First race: 2007 Australian Grand Prix
- World Championships: 7 (2008, 2014-15, 2017-20)
- Number of races: 289
- Number of wins: 103
- Career points: 4180.5
- Number of pole positions: 103
In terms of career wins, World championship wins, career points, Pole positions, he remained at the top in all of them. Lewis Hamilton is the best and most successful F1 drivers, that graced the f1 circuit.
The Brit has taken wins in 30 different countries. He won a race in every season he’s competed in and is currently tied on world championships with Michael Schumacher. Although, he 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. Thirteen years later he’s secured six more titles and is hunting for an eighth.
2). Michael Schumacher – 91 wins
- First race: 1991 Belgian Grand Prix
- World Championships: 7 (1994-95, 2000-04)
- Number of races: 308
- Number of wins: 91
- Career points: 1566
- Number of pole positions: 68
When you say best F1 driver, Michael Schumacher’s name pops up in mind. He was until the rise of Hamilton, the face of domination in Formula 1.
Michael Schumacher remains an all-time great as he won seven world championships, 91 races and smashed every record there was to smash. Out of 7 world championships, five of them were congestive.
Schumacher changed the game in F1 with his combination of dedication, passion, and, raw talent. In his career, he was the one who was always favored to win the world championship. In 308 races during his F1 time, Schumacher has 91 wins, 155 podiums, and 68 pole positions.
3). Sebastian Vettel – 53 wins
- First race: 2007 United States Grand Prix
- World Championships: 4 (2010-13)
- Number of races: 279
- Number of wins: 53
- Career points: 3061
- Number of pole positions: 57
Sebastian Vettel rose to the occasion from his debut season. In 2007, he made his debut at the United States Grand Prix. In his first three years, he took nine podiums and five wins.
His luck merged with his talent and what came next surprise the world. Over the next four years, he became the face of F1, winning four consecutive world championships and becoming the youngest world champion in the process.
In the same time span, he also secured most pole positions in a season, most lap led in a season, consecutive wins, most grad slams, and most wins from pole position in a season.
His move to Red Bull backfired at him and his downfall came on top. He went from nine consecutive wins in the final nine races of the 2013 season to not winning a single race until 2015.
Since the 2013 season, he’s only taken 14 wins. However, his form in Formula 1 isn’t what it once was, there was a time when Sebastian Vettel was virtually unbeatable.
4). Alain Prost – 51 wins
- First race: 1980 Argentinian Grand Prix
- World Championships: 4 (1985-86, 1989, 1993)
- Number of races: 199
- Number of wins: 51
- Career points: 768.5
- Number of pole positions: 33
The Legend of the Race, The phenom of the race track, Alain Prost was the first-ever driver who secured 4 world championship wins. His bitter feud against Ayrton Senna is still remembered today.
Prost’s first world championship came in the year 1985. His precision and composed driving in tuff tracks helped him to achieve all the success. In 1987 he beat Jackie Stewart’s record of 27 wins and a year later McLaren won 15 out of 16 races across the season. Which is a testament to both Prost and Senna’s skill.
Prost remained at the top of his game until his retirement, taking his fourth and final title for Williams at 38 years old.
5). Ayrton Senna – 41 wins
- First race: 1984 Brazilian Grand Prix
- World Championships: 3 (1988, 1990-91)
- Number of races: 161
- Number of wins: 41
- Career points: 610
- Number of pole positions: 65
A benchmark of raw talent and charisma, Ayrton Senna remains the most profitable racer in F1. He died in a car crash in 1994 Race was left his fan on hurt ranching grief.
His three titles give a sense of what could have been happened if 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.
His rivalry with Alain Prost is counted as the best rivalry in F1. In a total of 161 races, He took 41 wins, 65 pole positions, and 3 world championship medals.
6). Fernando Alonso – 32 wins
- First race: 2001 Australian Grand Prix
- World Championships: 2 (2005-06)
- Number of races: 334
- Number of wins: 32
- Career points: 1982
- Number of pole positions: 22
One of the youngest Racers who won a world championship series in a sheer matter of time. A double world champion and winner of 32 GPs, could have won maybe five titles if only the dice had fallen more favorably, and Alonso had chosen for whom he raced and when a little more astutely.
The Spaniard spent three years in Formula 1 before scoring the first of his two consecutive crowns. His second title was a 13-point lead over the great Michael Schumacher, though this is where Alonso’s good fortune seemed to run out.
His move to McLaren in 2007 and again in 2015 ruined was proven to be the bad one, so does his move to Ferrari. In the last 8 years, the best he offered was the 4th position in the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2021.
Despite the terrible luck that Alonso has exhibited in Formula 1 he’s still taken 32 wins, 22 pole positions, and 23 fastest laps
7). Nigel Mansell – 31 wins
- First race: 1980 Austrian Grand Prix
- World Championships: 1 (1992)
- Number of races: 187
- Number of wins: 31
- Career points: 482
- Number of pole positions: 32
A driver with Bad luck interpreting throughout in his carer. Nigel Mansell’s F1 career was seemed to be Unlucky. Although he won 1 world championship series in 1992.
Apart from that, he always manages to lose the series with the minimum margin. He managed to finish in second place in the championship three times, missing out on the title by two points in 1986.
Moreover, he was the first driver who took 12 retirements in a single season due to technical glitches. His 1988 season consisted of two second-place finishes, two races missed due to chickenpox, and 12 retirements.
8). Jackie Stewart – 27 wins
- First race: 1965 South African Grand Prix
- World Championships: 3 (1969, 1971, 1973)
- Number of races: 99
- Number of wins: 27
- Career points: 360
- Number of pole positions: 17
Jackie Stewert rais to the surface of Formula One after the demise of Jim Clark. He made his debut in 1965, and from that moment, he refused to give up.
At the end of his F1 career, In 99 races, He acquired 17 pole positions, won 27 Grand Prix, and had 3 world championships under his belt. He dominated the track in the late 60s and early 70s. Jackie Stewart was one of the first drivers to prove that racers can, and should, strive for better safety standards.
Stewart was a key pioneer in the introduction of full-face helmets, seatbelts, traveling medical units, safety barriers, runoff areas, and more.
9). Niki Lauda – 25 wins
- First race: 1971 Austrian Grand Prix
- World Championships: 3 (1975, 1977, 1984)
- Number of races: 171
- Number of wins: 25
- Career points: 420.5
- Number of pole positions: 24
A racer who entered into F1 through his money but stay in the competition on his talent. With three seasons in F1, he joined Ferrari in 1974.
Later in the year 1975, with 5 Grand Prix wins, he won the world championship. However, 1976 came with bad luck as the infamous Nurburgring crash happened. He suffered a third-degree burn on his face and head. His career seems like an ending, but he has other plans. And he starts planning for the greatest comebacks in the history of the sport.
He took his second title in 1977 and retired two years later, only to return with McLaren in 1982. That yielded a third crown in 1984, after an epic contest with Alain Prost, before Lauda retired for good at the end of 1985.
10). Jim Clark – 25 wins
- First race: 1960 Dutch Grand Prix
- World Championships: 2 (1963, 1965)
- Number of races: 72
- Number of wins: 25
- Career points: 274
- Number of pole positions: 33
Clark back in his time was considered as the symbol of victory. In mere 72 races, he won 25 Grand Prix events, set 33 pole positions, and won World Championship on two different occasions, 1963 and 1965.
It will be nothing wrong to say that, From 1962-to 1965 the Scottish arguably remained unbeaten. The only championship he lost in this tenure was mainly due to mechanical issues.
