The world of Formula 1 has seen its fair share of talented drivers, and the list of World Championship winners is a testament to their skill and dedication. Let’s take a walk down memory lane and look at the winners from the past few years: Max Verstappen from the Netherlands, who has been on a roll with Red Bull, took home the championship in 2024, 2023, 2022, and 2021. Before him, Lewis Hamilton from the UK, driving for Mercedes, won the championship in 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2015, and 2014.
The list goes on, with notable winners including Sebastian Vettel, who won four championships with Red Bull from 2010 to 2013, and Fernando Alonso, who took home two championships with Renault in 2005 and 2006. We also have Michael Schumacher, who won an impressive seven championships with Benetton and Ferrari between 1994 and 2004. Lewis Hamilton has matched this record, winning seven championships with McLaren and Mercedes between 2008 and 2020.
The early years of the championship saw legendary drivers like Juan Manuel Fangio, who won five championships with Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, and Maserati between 1951 and 1957. Other notable drivers include Alain Prost, who won four championships with McLaren and Williams between 1985 and 1993, and Jack Brabham, who won three championships with Cooper and Brabham between 1959 and 1966.
Breaking Down the Numbers
When we look at the total number of championships won by each driver, we see some impressive records. Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton are tied for first place with seven championships each. Juan Manuel Fangio comes in third with five championships, followed by Alain Prost and Sebastian Vettel with four each. Max Verstappen has also joined this group, winning four championships between 2021 and 2024.
The list of drivers with three championships includes Jack Brabham, Jackie Stewart, Niki Lauda, Nelson Piquet, and Ayrton Senna. We also have several drivers who have won two championships, such as Alberto Ascari, Jim Clark, Graham Hill, Emerson Fittipaldi, Mika Häkkinen, and Fernando Alonso.
A Look at the One-Time Winners
Finally, we have the drivers who have won the championship only once. This list includes Nino Farina, Mike Hawthorn, Phil Hill, John Surtees, Denny Hulme, Jochen Rindt, James Hunt, Mario Andretti, Jody Scheckter, Alan Jones, Keke Rosberg, Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill, Jacques Villeneuve, Kimi Räikkönen, Jenson Button, and Nico Rosberg.
Here is the full list of one-time winners:
- Nino Farina (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)
- Kimi Räikkönen (2007)
- Jenson Button (2009)
- Nico Rosberg (2016)
As we can see, the list of Formula 1 World Championship winners is a long and impressive one, with drivers from all over the world competing at the highest level.