Can you guess who might be the best drivers in F1 of all time?
When we say the ultimate F1 Legends, we are 100% sure that you instantly think about Lewis Hamilton or Michael Schumacher. But besides these two, there are a couple of others who deserve appreciation too.
Ranking the best ones is a challenging task, but with the expertise of professionals and the Urban Cars team’s collective opinion, we accomplished it with great success. But don’t expect to see only familiar names, because there is no definitive answer, and that’s mostly because the sport itself has changed quite a lot since the 1950s, when it started.
But without further introduction, let’s see the ultimate F1 legends, the best drivers of all time.
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Ultimate F1 legends: Jim Clark
We decided to start the top of ultimate F1 legends with Jim Clark, whose star burned unfortunately too soon; he was only 32 years old when he died in a car crash while competing in a Formula 2 race in Germany.
When the sport’s regulations permitted 1.5-liter engines, he won the championships in 1963 and 1965. However, when they converted to larger 3.0-liter engines, Australia’s Brabham-Repco team caught Lotus off guard. A new Ford-Cosworth engine, the DFV, made its debut at Lotus in 1967 and quickly became the engine of choice for Formula One.
He never had the opportunity to take advantage of it since, unfortunately, he passed away soon after. His 25 victories and 33 pole positions at the time of his passing ranked him as the sport’s greatest and had he lived longer, he would have undoubtedly added to those totals as well as his driver’s titles. Even if it might not seem like enough at this point, he is clearly one of the best drivers in Formula One.
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Ultimate F1 legends: Jackie Stewart
We’re curious how many of our readers know about Jackie Stewart! Raise your hands so we can see you! He made his F1 debut in 1965 with the BRM team, partnering two-time world champion Graham Hill (the father of 1996 champion Damon), despite offers from several other teams, including the top Lotus team. He quickly caught up, taking first place in a race during his first season.
Besides being a huge influence for this sport, Stewart was also known for being so careful and safe while driving because, at that time, Formula 1 was way more dangerous than it is now. He insisted on making the racing cars more safe, and he succeeded.
Unfortunately, even if he was among the best drivers, he was unable to save his teammate, Francois Cevert, who passed away during the 1973 US Grand Prix’s practice sessions. Soon after this tragedy, Jackie Stewart decided to retire, missing the chance to win the prize for himself.
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Ultimate F1 legends: Mika Hakkinen
Moving on to the next champion of Formula 1, who is the one and only Mika Hakkinen; with him bringing home two of Finland’s four Formula One victories, the Baltic nation has produced more champions per capita than any other country in the world. Wow!
Hakkinen earned the nickname “the Flying Finn” and was known for his distinctive driving style, which was well adapted to slick roads and originated from Finland’s unusual approach to driving instruction.
Michael Schumacher acknowledged that, despite the Finn’s 2001 retirement from competition, Hakkinen was his hardest opponent, or, in other words, one of the ultimate F1 legends!
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Ultimate F1 legends: Sebastian Vettel
Vettel began his F1 career in 2007 and won five victories and nine podiums in his first three years of competition, but this was nothing compared to what was to come. After winning four straight titles and becoming the youngest world champion, he ascended to fame over the next four years as the face of Formula One.
Unfortunately for Vettel, Red Bull (and him) failed to adapt to the 2014 regulatory revisions, and the team rapidly dropped back through the pack. He won nine straight races in the last nine races of the 2013 season before going without a victory until 2015. Since then, he has ‘only’ claimed 14 victories. He retired in 2022, at the end of the season.
If you’re a fan of this sport and you’re enjoying reading about all these ultimate F1 legends then we have a book suggestion for you! Of course, it’s not mandatory to buy it but it costs just $19.59 on Amazon and it’s worthwhile in your bookcase. The Formula 1 Drive to Survive Unofficial Companion is a 192-page book that goes perfectly with the Netflix series. Give the show a try if you haven’t already!
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Ultimate F1 legends: Lewis Hamilton
Whether you like him or not, Sir Lewis Hamilton is arguably the least disputed best driver of F1. From a statistical perspective, he is tied with Schumacher for the most driver championships, with seven. He also has the most podium finishes (197), pole positions (104), second-fastest laps (65), and most wins (103), with the fourth-highest winning percentage (31%).
Although he just missed winning the title in his debut season, he went on to become the youngest world champion in history the following year. After fourteen years, he has six additional titles under his belt and is now after an eighth.
We’re 100% sure we will hear a lot of him this year too!
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Ultimate F1 legends: Fernando Alonso
Fernando Alonso is a two-time world champion who is known for being a determined and brave racer. However, his career is more remembered for what went wrong than for the two wins he took home. After three years in Formula 1, the Spaniard won the first of his two straight titles, leading Kimi Raikkonen by a comfortable 21 points.
The next year, he won his second title with a commanding 13-point lead over the legendary Michael Schumacher; nonetheless, this was the last instance of Alonso’s good fortune. Alonso has had poor luck in Formula 1, yet he has still won 32 races, claimed 22 pole positions, recorded 23 fastest laps, and is a huge fan favorite.
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Ultimate F1 legends: Michael Schumacher
Last but not least is the one and only Michael Schumacher, one of the seven-time world champions. In the 2000s, he was the dominant power in the sport. However, he won his first two championships when racing for Benetton in the middle of the 1990s, and the German proved to be a fierce rival and an expert in rainy conditions.
Due to his rigorous physical regimen and ability to deliver moments when they mattered, Schumacher became a pioneer in the sport, elevating the level of athleticism among Formula One drivers.
Unfortunately, the most depressing aspect of Schumacher’s tale emerged after he retired. After collapsing in a skiing accident in 2013, he had a traumatic brain injury, from which he is still healing. Not much information has been made public concerning his health.
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