List of Formula One World Drivers' Champions
The
Formula One World Drivers' Championship (WDC) is awarded by the
Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (
FIA) to the most successful
Formula One race car driver over a season, as determined by a
points system based on Grand Prix results. The Drivers' Championship was first awarded in
1950, to
Nino Farina. The first driver to win multiple Championships was
Alberto Ascari, in
1952 and
1953.
The FIA do not officially declare the Champion until the end of the season, but a driver is said to have "clinched" the Championship when no other driver can possibly obtain more points than them, even if they score the maximum in the remaining races of the season. The Drivers' Championship has been clinched in the final race of the season 23 times in the 56 seasons it has been awarded. The earliest in a season that the Drivers' Championship has been clinched was in
2002, when
Michael Schumacher secured the title with six races remaining.
Overall, twenty-eight different drivers have won the Championship, with
German Michael Schumacher holding the record for most titles, at seven. Schumacher also holds the record for most consecutive Drivers' Championships, winning five from
2000 to
2004. The current Drivers' Champion is
Fernando Alonso, who has become the youngest driver ever in having clinched the world title.
Notes
:
* - Indicates the team also won the
Constructors' Championship (awarded since
1958).# - Fangio shared the win of the
1951 French Grand Prix with
Luigi Fagioli.# - Fangio competed in the 1954
Argentine and
Belgian Grands Prix with
Maserati, then completed the season with
Mercedes.# - Fangio shared the win of the
1956 Argentine Grand Prix with
Luigi Musso.# - Fangio shared 2nd position in the 1956
Monaco and
Italian Grands Prix with
Peter Collins.# - Hill won the Championship at the
1961 Italian Grand Prix, where teammate
Wolfgang von Trips died after an accident in the race.# - Surtees became the first person to win World Championships on
motorcycles and cars, having previously won seven titles in both 350cc and 500cc.# - Rindt died during practice for the
1970 Italian Grand Prix, but his Championship was not confirmed until two rounds later, making him Formula One's first (and only) posthumous World Drivers' Champion.# - Andretti became Champion after teammate
Ronnie Peterson died following an operation due to a collision at the
1978 Italian Grand Prix.# -
Ayrton Senna won the
1989 Japanese Grand Prix, but was disqualified for cutting the
chicane after receiving a push-start from track-side marshalls.
McLaren appealed the decision but lost, handing Prost the title.# - Damon Hill is the son of Graham Hill, who won the Drivers' Championship in
1962 and
1968, making them the first father-son pair to both win Drivers' Championships.# -
Michael Schumacher was disqualified from the
1997 Championship from second, on 78 points.
| Driver | Total!Seasons |
|---|
| Michael Schumacher | 7 | 1994-1995, 2000-2004 |
| Juan Manuel Fangio | 5 | 1951, 1954-1957 |
| Alain Prost | 4 | 1985-1986, 1989, 1993 |
| Jack Brabham | 3 | 1959-1960, 1966 |
| Jackie Stewart | 1969, 1971, 1973 |
| Niki Lauda | 1975, 1977, 1984 |
| Nelson Piquet | 1981, 1983, 1987 |
| Ayrton Senna | 1988, 1990-1991 |
| Alberto Ascari | 2 | 1952-1953 |
| Jim Clark | 1963, 1965 |
| Graham Hill | 1962, 1968 |
| Emerson Fittipaldi | 1972, 1974 |
| Mika Häkkinen | 1998-1999 |
| Nino Farina | 1 | 1950 |
| Mike Hawthorn | 1958 |
| Phil Hill | 1961 |
| John Surtees | 1964 |
| Denny Hulme | 1967 |
| Jochen Rindt | 1970 |
| James Hunt | 1976 |
| Mario Andretti | 1978 |
| Jody Scheckter | 1979 |
| Alan Jones | 1980 |
| Keke Rosberg | 1982 |
| Nigel Mansell | 1992 |
| Damon Hill | 1996 |
| Jacques Villeneuve | 1997 |
| Fernando Alonso | 2005 |
Youngest Drivers' Champion
| Driver | Age | Season |
|---|
| 1 | Fernando Alonso | 24 years, 58 days | 2005 season |
|---|
| 2 | Emerson Fittipaldi | 25 years, 273 days | 1972 season |
|---|
| 3 | Michael Schumacher | 25 years, 314 days | 1994 season |
|---|
| 4 | Niki Lauda | 26 years, 197 days | 1975 season |
|---|
| 5 | Jacques Villeneuve | 26 years, 200 days | 1997 season |
|---|
| 6 | Jim Clark | 27 years, 188 days | 1963 season |
|---|
| 7 | Jochen Rindt | 28 years, 140 days | 1970 season (posthumously) |
|---|
| 8 | Ayrton Senna | 28 years, 223 days | 1988 season |
|---|
| 9 | James Hunt | 29 years, 56 days | 1976 season |
|---|
| 10 | Nelson Piquet | 29 years, 190 days | 1981 season |
|---|
| 11 | Mike Hawthorn | 29 years, 192 days | 1958 season |
|---|
| 12 | Jody Scheckter | 29 years, 223 days | 1979 season |
|---|
Oldest Drivers' Champion
| Driver | Age | Season |
|---|
| 1 | Juan Manuel Fangio | 46 years, 41 days | 1957 season |
|---|
| 2 | Nino Farina | 43 years, 308 days | 1950 season |
|---|
| 3 | Jack Brabham | 40 years, 155 days | 1966 season |
|---|
| 4 | Graham Hill | 39 years, 262 days | 1968 season |
|---|
| 5 | Nigel Mansell | 39 years, 8 days | 1992 season |
|---|
| 6 | Alain Prost | 38 years, 214 days | 1993 season |
|---|
| 7 | Mario Andretti | 38 years, 193 days | 1978 season |
|---|
| 8 | Damon Hill | 36 years, 26 days | 1996 season |
|---|
| 9 | Niki Lauda | 35 years, 242 days | 1984 season |
|---|
| 10 | Michael Schumacher | 35 years, 239 days | 2004 season |
|---|
| 11 | Alberto Ascari | 35 years, 89 days | 1953 season |
|---|
| 12 | Phil Hill | 34 years, 143 days | 1961 season |
|---|
| 13 | Jackie Stewart | 34 years, 90 days | 1973 season |
|---|
Most Drivers' Championships
*
Michael Schumacher - 7 (
1994-
1995,
2000-
2004)
Most consecutive Drivers' Championships
*
Michael Schumacher - 5 (
2000-
2004)
*
List of Formula One World Constructors' Champions*
List of Formula One World Championship pointscoring systems*
List of Formula One drivers*
GrandPrix.com - Grand Prix Encyclopedia*
Formula1.com - Hall of Fame*
ChicaneF1 - Drivers' Championships*
Formula 1 Championships
