Over the last 75 years of Formula 1, there have been many drivers that have made their mark on the sport. As of the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix, there have been 781 drivers that have competed in the motorsport. However of the 781, there have been few that have made a larger impact. Looking at the amount of times these drivers have won a race, or how many championships they have under their belt, there are 10 drivers that stand out.
#10. Niki Lauda
Niki Lauda joined Formula 1 in 1971, but he started making his name in the sport when he became a part of the Ferrari line-up in 1974. In his second year with the team, he scored his first ever championship title. He would score his second championship in 1977. His third and final title came in 1984 before retiring for good after the next season. After his tenure as a driver, Lauda worked in the executive team of Ferrari, Jaguar, and eventually Mercedes – who he stayed with till his death in 2019. His impact on the sport ranges from his multiple championships, his 25 race wins, and his part in bringing Lewis Hamilton to Mercedes in 2013.
#9. Jackie Stewart
Apart from his three championship-winning seasons (1969, 1971, and 1973), as well as his 27 race wins, Jackie Stewart’s impact on Formula 1 is still a big part of the sport today. Given his success in the sport, Stewart became a key figure in advocating for better safety measures for drivers. This included full-face helmets, seatbelts, travelling medical units, safety barriers, runoff areas and more.
#8. Nigel Mansell
Nigel Mansell has only one championship title, coming at the end of his 12th full-time season in Formula 1. But ranks higher than Stewart and Lauda on our list thanks to his 31 race wins. His title came after a lot of struggles. Mansell finished in second place in the standings three times in his career. He also scored his first victory after five full-time seasons of going win-less. When he finally did secure his championship title in 1992, he became the fifth-oldest person to do so. Mansell was 39-years-old at the time.
#7. Fernando Alonso
One of the only active drivers on this list, Fernando Alonso has been a part of Formula 1 for more than two decades. Over that time, he has raced for some of the biggest teams on the grid. He’s also a back-to-back championship winner, scoring his two titles in 2005 and 2006. His first title came after only three seasons in the sport during his time with Renault team. Over his career, he’s scored a total of 32 race wins.
#6. Ayrton Senna
Ayrton Senna is one of the most famous Formula 1 drivers in the history of the sport. During his career, he scored three championship titles. The first one was in 1988 and then back-to-back in 1990 and 1991. He had also scored 41 wins until his untimely death at the San Marino Grand Prix in 1994. The Brazilian driver has been an inspiration to many, including Lewis Hamilton, and his skill is talked about till date.
#5. Alain Prost
One of the first drivers to achieve four championship wins, Alain Prost was a huge part of Formula 1. Since his first Grand Prix in Argentina during the 1980 season, Prost went on to score 51 race wins throughout his career. In 1985, he became the first French driver to become a F1 champion. His next three titles came in 1986, 1989, and 1993.
#4. Sebastian Vettel
One of the most recent retirees of Formula 1, Sebastian Vettel had a period in his career of being the best. When he scored his first title in 2010, he became the youngest driver in the world to do so. He would go on to win another three titles consecutively with the Red Bull team. Before he retired at the end of the 2022 season, Vettel had secured 53 race wins in total.
#3. Max Verstappen
The reigning champion of Formula 1 made his mark when he won his first Grand Prix in 2016 with the Red Bull team in Spain. In 2021, Max Verstappen became very competitive, scoring his first championship at the end of the season. Since then, he’s won another three titles and has a total of 65 race wins to his name.
#2. Michael Schumacher
Michael Schumacher is one of the most high-profile names of Formula 1. While he has 91 wins to his name, it’s his seven championship titles that sets him above most in this sport. He scored back-to-back titles in 1994 and 1995, and then four consecutive championships from 2000 to 2004. Schumacher also has 155 podiums and 68 pole positions as a part of his record.
#1. Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton is considered by many to be Greatest of All Time. The 40-year-old driver, like Schumacher, has seven titles to his name, but given his active status, he stands a chance on beating the German’s record. But what puts him at the top of our list is his 105 race wins, 104 poles and 202 podiums.
