TOP 7 best Formula 1 drivers of all time

Ayrton Senna leads the ranking, although he is followed by world class drivers.

Listing the best Formula 1 drivers is not as simple as you think. That's because with each generation of motorists we have several highlights, who left their legacies in the sport.

There are those who believe that Ayrton Senna is the best of all time, while others have no doubt that Schumacher owes this title. But what about Lewis Hamilton, who also stands out with 7 world titles?

Today, we made a ranking of the 7 best Formula 1 drivers, even knowing that this is quite a challenge. Check it out below!

1.  Ayrton Senna

Ayrton Senna was elected the best driver of all time by Autosport Magazine and decorated three times world champion in 88, 90 and 91. The Formula 1 giant drove for Toleman, Lotus, McLaren and Williams.

Due to his brilliant trajectory in F1, Ayrton Senna influenced many drivers of the younger generations, such as Lewis Hamilton.

The driver, unfortunately, had his career cut short after an accident that killed him at the San Marino GP in 1994. At the time, entering his last lap, Senna lost control of his car on the Tamburello curve, so that the vehicle at 200 km/h hit the concrete wall.

2.  Michael Schumacher

Seven-time champion, Michael Schumacher is considered the driver with the most titles in Formula 1. His career began in 1991 when the German appeared with Mercedes. But his first world victory only came in 1994.

The German pilot, 7 times world champion, has a series of titles, ranging from fastest laps to the most races won in a single season. By the way, in 2004 alone, the driver managed to win 13 races out of the 19 he participated.

Off the slopes, Schumacher is also highly respected, having already been elected a UNESCO ambassador, in addition to getting involved with humanitarian causes. Incidentally, the pilot has already made millionaire donations to charity.

3.  Lewis Hamilton

British driver, Lewis Hamilton is, alongside Schumacher, the only one who has 7 world titles. By the way, Hamilton is a young driver who has not yet retired, which does not surprise us with the fact that he will soon be considered the greatest driver of all time.

Between 2014 and 2020, the driver won 6 titles, breaking pole position records, even surpassing Schumacher in the number of podiums.

4.  Juan Manuel Fangio

The highest percentage of victories in Formula 1 is an achievement of Juan Manuel Fangio, an Argentine driver from the 30s. According to the history of the sport, Fangio made his debut in the category Road Tourism in 1938 with a Ford V8.

Of all the races he participated, the driver won 46,15% of the time. In addition, in the 50s, Fangio was five-time champion, accumulating 5 world titles. Such a record was only broken 47 years later by Michael Schumacher.

It is also worth mentioning that the Argentine driver, throughout his brilliant career, won 29 pole positions and 35 podiums.

5.  Jim Clark

Driving his entire racing career for Lotus, Jim Clark got a brief stint in the sports category. However, the short duration of his career was enough to place him among the best Formula 1 drivers.

The British driver was twice world champion in the 1963 and 1965 seasons. Altogether, he drove in 73 races with a percentage of 34,24% victories.

Clark became known as a very versatile pilot, since it competed in several categories, such as NASCAR, touring cars and endurance racing. The Scottish racing driver died aged 32 when his car collided with a tree at a Formula 2 race in Germany.

6.  Alain Prost

Senna's great rival, Alain Prost, was a four-time Formula 1 world champion. In his entire career, the Frenchman won 51 awards, even receiving, in 1999, the title World Sports Award of the Century.

His first race was at the 1980 Argentine GP, and his last at the 1993 Australian GP. During the years of activity, the French driver obtained 33 pole positions and 106 podiums.

7. Niki Lauda

Three-time champion in 1975, 1977 and 1984, Niki Lauda is undoubtedly one of the best Formula 1 drivers of all time. In 1976, the Austrian pilot suffered a serious accident in Germany, which left several burns on his body as sequels.

Contradicting all medical opinion at the time, Lauda returned in the same season, losing the world title to James Hunt, his great rival. Incidentally, this rivalry between motorists was very well represented in the film Rush – On the Edge of Emotion.

Throughout his career, Niki Lauda has won 24 pole positions and 25 wins. The legend died aged 70 from kidney problems.

So, what would be your TOP 7 of the best Formula 1 drivers? Is there any driver you think deserves to be on this list? If you liked this content, then share it with friends on the networks and until next time.