It has been one of the most hotly debated topics in motorsport, but nevertheless Autosport Magazine have added a new perspective to the question, “Who is the best F1 Driver in history?”
The magazine polled 217 world championship drivers including Michael Schumacher, statistically the most successful F1 driver in history, Jose Froilan Gonzalez, the earliest surviving grand prix winner, Paul Pietsch, at 98 the oldest living driver, and reigning world champion Jenson Button.
When the votes were counted, it was Ayron Senna who came out on top, ahead of Juan Manuel Fangio, Stirling Moss and Nigel Mansell. Unsurprisingly Jim Clark was the top placed Brit in 5th place, with modern greats such as Michael Schumacher in 2nd, Fernando Alonso in 9th place and Lewis Hamilton in 17th.
Each driver was asked to name their top 10 ‘greatest’ F1 drivers, and left the definition of ‘greatest’ open to interpretation.
The voters had a combined total of 9194 starts and 270 wins between them, and included starters from all but 10 world championship grands prix.
Could this be the definitive view that will finally settle all the arguments?
You can take a look at the top-40 drivers on Autosport’s microsite and read a more comprehensive feature on the poll within this week’s Autosport Magazine.
Written By
Try These Next
Stories we think you'll enjoy
BTCC, Snetterton: Transmission’s Top 20
The BTCC's third racing weekend of the year took us to Snetterton, which not only boasts the longest circuit on the calendar...
This is just not right. The most “Len Bias” surely as we will never truly know what Senna may have accomplished, but regardless Shumacher would’ve still eclipsed all his efforts. Senna was great but never dominant the way Shumacher has been. With Senna, there were rivals that could and would challenge him for the championship almost all the time. With Shumi, that was not the case. Only his teammate Rubens Barrichelo was able to challenge him until Alonso and Renault FINALLY got it right and beat him his last 2 years. Senna was a great Driver but Schumacher made Ferrari what it is today. They were lost for so long and once Schumacher came on board, things changed really quickly and Ross Brawn had his fair share in that as well. I’d say at Shumacher/Brawn – 65/35% split.
This is just not right. The most “Len Bias” surely as we will never truly know what Senna may have accomplished, but regardless Shumacher would’ve still eclipsed all his efforts. Senna was great but never dominant the way Shumacher has been. With Senna, there were rivals that could and would challenge him for the championship almost all the time. With Shumi, that was not the case. Only his teammate Rubens Barrichelo was able to challenge him until Alonso and Renault FINALLY got it right and beat him his last 2 years. Senna was a great Driver but Schumacher made Ferrari what it is today. They were lost for so long and once Schumacher came on board, things changed really quickly and Ross Brawn had his fair share in that as well. I’d say at Shumacher/Brawn – 65/35% split.
no one could challenge schumacher? the man had the poorest oposition in like the last century…..what a nerve the voters are respectable drivers as you can see including schumi himself…..im so sick and tired of you i know everthing guys…..ROB so i have to ask you a question:did you won any world championship,if not please shut up
no one could challenge schumacher? the man had the poorest oposition in like the last century…..what a nerve the voters are respectable drivers as you can see including schumi himself…..im so sick and tired of you i know everthing guys…..ROB so i have to ask you a question:did you won any world championship,if not please shut up
I can see the perspective from both sides, Schumacher is the ‘most successful’ F1 driver of all time but he was supported by some great teams/designers/engineers. He will have plenty of tough opposition in 2010, so let’s see how he manages, but he’s been up against plenty of great drivers in his career (Senna, Hakkinen, Alonso) so it wouldn’t be fair to state that he had little opposition.
I suspect this debate would differ depending on which generation you grew up in – I watched every one of Senna’s F1 races and he was never anything by stunning – he was able to intimidate every other driver on the grid and achieve things that other greats (including Prost) just couldn’t emulate.
There are plenty of drivers in that Top-40 list that I might consider greatest, for reasons other than how many races they won. Fangio was winning championships after starting off quite late in life and his ratio of wins-vs-starts was outstanding – bear in mind he achieved this as a balding middle-aged bloke..
Jim Clark was tragically taken from us at Hockenheim, but he was another that could have gone on to win multiple championships in the right team.
I would narrow down the list of 40 and single out those drivers that changed the face of Formula 1 by their outstanding talent and success.
I won’t try and create a definitive list, but you’d have to include in that (shorter) list;
– Senna
– Schumacher
– Stewart
– Moss
– Fangio
– Clark…
I can see the perspective from both sides, Schumacher is the ‘most successful’ F1 driver of all time but he was supported by some great teams/designers/engineers. He will have plenty of tough opposition in 2010, so let’s see how he manages, but he’s been up against plenty of great drivers in his career (Senna, Hakkinen, Alonso) so it wouldn’t be fair to state that he had little opposition.
I suspect this debate would differ depending on which generation you grew up in – I watched every one of Senna’s F1 races and he was never anything by stunning – he was able to intimidate every other driver on the grid and achieve things that other greats (including Prost) just couldn’t emulate.
There are plenty of drivers in that Top-40 list that I might consider greatest, for reasons other than how many races they won. Fangio was winning championships after starting off quite late in life and his ratio of wins-vs-starts was outstanding – bear in mind he achieved this as a balding middle-aged bloke..
Jim Clark was tragically taken from us at Hockenheim, but he was another that could have gone on to win multiple championships in the right team.
I would narrow down the list of 40 and single out those drivers that changed the face of Formula 1 by their outstanding talent and success.
I won’t try and create a definitive list, but you’d have to include in that (shorter) list;
– Senna
– Schumacher
– Stewart
– Moss
– Fangio
– Clark…