Among hundreds or maybe thousands of aspirants, only 20 drivers get to race in one of the most prestigious racing events, Formula 1 (F1). F1 is a highly competitive profession with intriguing sports odds that attract huge numbers of fans.
Undoubtedly, Formula 1 is iconic and has a rich history. Till the last race, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2022, there have been 772 F1 drivers from 40 nationalities who have raced at least once in one of the 1,079 Grand Prix races. The first Grand Prix was the 1950 British Grand Prix. However, only 34 drivers have claimed the highest achievement of becoming the World Champion.
The following are top F1 racers and World Champions who wrote new chapters and mark their glory forever.
Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton probably the most complete driver in F1 history. He currently drives for Mercedes Petronas, and is still winning races. His first race was the Australian Grand Prix in 2007; since then, Lewis hasn’t looked back and became a World Champion seven times, a joint world record.
Lewis Hamilton holds the record for the most wins, pole positions, and podium finishes. These records were held for decades, and nobody thought that they could ever be broken. Also, he became World Champion for six consecutive years from 2014 to 2020. In 2021, he lost the Grand Prix to Max Verstappen.
Michael Schumacher
If there’s one name that everyone who watches F1 knows, it is Michael Schumacher. He’s undoubtedly a living legend in sports, and he has impacted many lives and inspired many drivers. For many, he’s the greatest of all time because of what he achieved. Schumacher debuted in the Belgian Grand Prix in 1991 and dominated the mid-90s and early 2000s.
The first World Championship for Schumacher came in 1994 after a close contention with Williams Damon Hill. He won again the next season, battling hard against Damon Hill. However, Schumacher’s career had a fair share of controversies. In 1997, he was disqualified for the entire season.
Ferrari produced some impressive machines, and Schumacher knew how to extract the maximum out of them. So he did and won five consecutive World Championships from 2000 to 2004. His best season probably came in 2004 when he won 12 races out of 13 and gave fans a treat for a lifetime.
Sebastian Vettel
Four-time world champion and the youngest racer to win an F1 Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel is one of the greatest racers. Vettel has taken retirement and has said his final goodbyes.
He made his debut in 2007 with Toro Rosso and fast-tracked his career to the Red Bull team. Vettel won all his championships consecutively with Red Bull from 2010 to 2013. However, he always had a troublesome relationship with his co-driver, Mark Webber.
After the introduction of hybrid cars in F1, Vettel moved to Ferrari, where he won a few races too. He has 53 total career wins and 57 podiums. In a shocking turn of events, Vettel signed with Aston Martin and gave them their first-ever podium in Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2021.
Alain Prost
He deserved more appreciation because his record doesn’t do justice to his performances. Alain started his career in 1980 with McLaren, though it was disappointing. But his fate changed after signing up with Renault, where he won two straight championships in 1985 and 1986.
He was consistently at the front of the grid and has 51 wins and 33 podiums in his career. For an athlete, it is pride to retire at their peak. Alain in his last season with Williams Racing won seven races and lifted the World Championship before retiring. Indeed, a sign of true legend.
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