10 Famous Car Racers Of All Time

The epitome of single-seat car racing –Formula one, that started way back in the 1920s needs no introduction. In car racing industry, Formula one car is the fastest-running car in the world and the Formula one driver are the reigning drivers on earth. To qualify for this supreme position, Formula one car racer has to acquire a valid super license issued by FIA, or the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile,  which is of the highest order on its own.

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Several car racers have achieved the feat in F1 racing but few of them have managed to grab billions of heart all over the world. Many has tried, but only a few succeeded. Those who did are the ones who created zenith points in F1 racing. We have listed top 10 F1 car racers of all time:

1. Michael Schumacher

Official Formula one website cited the brilliant and charismatic Michael Schumacher as “statistically the greatest driver the sport has ever seen.” A seven-time world champion who is now retired, Michael Schumacher holds many records like highest number of championships, fastest laps, pole positions, race victories and maximum races won in a single season. He is the only racer in entire F1 history to stay in top 3 in every race of the season in 2002 and got Laureus World Sportsman of the year twice in his name. He met with an unfortunate accident in 2013 while skiing but is quoted to recovering from the same.

2. Alain Prost

Popularly nicknamed as “The Professor”, Alain Prost won Formula one championship at a stretch for four times. From 1987 to 2001, he holds a record for most Grand Prix victories in racing history and so managed to grab The World Sports Award of the Century in 1999. He is best known for his carefully planned and relaxed style, behind the wheels. Go green was in his blood which was evident from the way he shunned F1 stereotypes by saving fuel and equipment. He was a pro who knew how to be friendly with your car and its equipment to utilise the racing car at its best.

3. Ayrton Senna

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The Brazilian racing driver won three world championships and is ranked world’s third most successful driver in winning a race. Known for his exceptional speed in one lap, he holds the record for most of the pole positions starting from 1989 to 2006. This phenomenally talented driver dominated winning in wet weather conditions. His tough competition with Alain Prost always remains in the air in the motorsport world. Sadly he was killed in a world Formula one championship event (the last one to die in F1 racing) but is still regarded as part of the greatest influential drivers of his era and is a true inspiration for all the racers.

4. Jim Clark

The famous British F1 driver holds a record of two world championships in 1963 and 1965. He excelled in other races too like Indianapolis 500 and touring car racing.  His remarkable style of racing ahead creating a long distance gap from his competitors is well known to all. He is also known for his traces left behind of holding the highest number of Grand Prix races and pole positions of his time. His untimely death ceased the series of his winning but he still remains as one of the famous F1 drivers of all time.

5. Jackie Stewart

Famous by his nickname “Flying scot”, this F1 racer from Scotland started playing on tracks from 1965 and bagged three World Drivers’ Championships. He holds the record for most wins in his 19 years long career as a British F1 car racer. He later served as an announcer as well as the host in various car racing shows and also took a stand for the safety standards in F1 car racing and took some meaningful steps. He was ranked fifth amongst the top 50 F1 racers of all time by a leading journal.

6. Fernando Alonso

The third youngest Formula One driver in F1 history, Fernando Alonso broke the long-reigning rule (5 consecutive years) of Michael Schumacher on the track. He is the youngest racer who won the pole position in 2003 Grand Prix. He was acknowledged with Prince of Asturias award in 2005 and is the youngest racer to win double champion in 2006. He won two consecutive seasons of Formula One Worlds’ Driver Championship in 2005 and 2006. His career got a halt due to some controversies in mid-years but he embarked his journey back and is now the driver with the sixth highest number of Grand Prix wins.

7. Juan Manuel Fangio

A wizard in the F1 world, Juan Manuel Fangio is regarded as one of the best drivers in the racing sports industry. He was an expert with racing cars, for he dominated on the title of F1 World Championships when the safety standards were not strong and driving a racing car was like racing in a truck. He grabbed five World Championship titles and was a ruling king in the first decade of F1 racing. A member of Hall of Fame, Fangio is the only Argentina based driver who won Argentine Grand Prix, that too not just one but four times. He is indeed a legendary racer who inspired many young racers of the current era.

8. Lewis Hamilton

The first British racer who grabbed consecutive F1 titles and who is ranked third amongst all-time race winners in racing world, Lewis Hamilton is the youngest driver amidst all to seize a contract in Formula One. He secured the title of Formula One World Championship three times, has set numerous other records in his name and so has been conferred with the title of BBC Sports Personality of the year in 2014. He is the only racer in entire sports history who has won at least one race in each of the season he has competed so far and the battle is still on for him.

9. Mario Andretti

The synonym of speed for all Americans, Mario Andretti enjoys a long career in racing world and grabbed 109 career wins on major circuits. He won races in several world car racing events (F1, NASCAR, Indy Car and World Sportscar Championship) and is the only person to be tagged as United States driver of the year in three different decades (1967, 1978 and 1984). No American driver achieved the feat of winning Formula One after Andretti’s win at 1978 Dutch Grand Prix. This Italian-American car racer managed to win the hearts of many of the historians and critics. A pro in car racing, Mario Andretti is a household name known all over the world.

10. Sebastian Vettel

The new Schumacher of the current era, Sebastian Vettel is well known for his concentration, driving style and his team work with the engineers behind the scene. This German racer is four times Formula One World Champion and the youngest driver to win a championship at the early age of 23.  This was not enough and his championship was further followed up by youngest double, triple and quadruple champion in Formula One. He is a champion who holds many other records as the youngest racer to win and is ranked fourth amongst all-time race winners in racing history.

It is true that these people has carved their names in the history of F1 racing and will stay there for a long time. Racers all over the world take inspiration from them.