Formula 1 is the most popular form of motorsport, watched by tens of millions every race weekend, worldwide. Fans are attracted to the speed, and drivers are required to have exceptional reactions, endurance and ability to compete at the very top. With fans unable to jump behind the wheel, they rely on video games such as F1 2020, Formula X, Rally and Drive, while Multiplier Mayhem, mentions Gameseek.co.uk.
The sport has produced many household names and fan favourites.
Michael Schumacher
Schumacher is often considered the GOAT. Schumacher remains popular, even among those who do not follow motorsport and it’s obvious why. Seven championship titles, 91 victories, 68 pole positions… he broke almost every record in the book during his time in Formula 1. He retired in 2006, only to return with Mercedes in 2010 before again retiring in 2012. Schumacher the suffered a serious head injury from a skiing accident in December 2013 and his condition remains unknown to this day.
Ayrton Senna
Senna is perhaps considered by some the second best driver after Schumacher. Senna won the Formula 1 drivers’ championship titles in 1988, 1990 and 1991. The Brazilian was known for his spectacular driving and propensity to take risks. Ayrton had the reputation of being one of the best drivers who managed to master the car in the most adverse weather conditions and for this skill, he was given the nickname “Rain Man”. Senna suffered a fatal accident during the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix robbing the sport of a multiple world champion in the prime of his career.
Lewis Hamilton
Statistically Lewis Hamilton is the greatest Formula 1 driver of all-time, but you will often meet motorsport fans who don’t agree, even though the numbers are more than enough to prove them wrong. Seven titles, 98 wins, 100 pole positions. As the reigning drivers’ champion, he continues to break record after record and there seems to be no stopping the Briton possibly claiming his eighth title this year…
Niki Lauda
Lauda may not have the most titles, wins or poles, but the Austrian cannot be left of such a list. He was the leading driver of 1974 Ferrari team and won his first world title in 1975. In 1976, however, his progress was interrupted by a crash at the infamous Nürburgring. Nikki suffered horrible burns to his body, head, throat and lungs. But surprisingly, after only two and a half months in hospital, he was driving again, fighting for the 1976 world title which he was in contention for until the final race of the season in Japan, losing out to James Hunt by only one point. To prove his worth, he returned in 1977 to win his second title before retiring in 1979.
Lauda returned to Formula 1 in 1982 and went on to win another title in 1984 driving for McLaren. After this, he ended his active professional career in 1985 and returned as a consultant to the Ferrari team and then Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1, where he was a shareholder and played a key management role in their current success, including recruiting Lewis Hamilton, prior to his passing in 2019.
Fernando Alonso
Alonso is known for his tactical literacy and pure speed. He won two titles with Renault in 2005 and 2006, and has raced for the biggest names in the sport, from Ferrari to McLaren. Whilst Alonso failed in his bid to become a three-time champion, he remains one of the most respected drivers on the grid, now driving for Alpine (formerly Renault) and his flexibility to jump in a car and compete at the top remains unparalleled.
Sebastian Vettel
Vettel won four world titles with Red Bull between 2010 and 2013. Sebastian takes a cautious and calculated approach to racing, which hasn’t helped his popularity, but there is no denying he remains one of the very best. His time with Ferrari was disappointing and failed to bring the success he and the team expected. He now drives for Aston Martin and returned to the podium in second place in the 2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Jenson Button
Button has had a mixed career. He spent a lot of his career at the back of the field in uncompetitive machinery, but once he was given a car capable of competing at the front, he quickly took advantage and won the 2009 championship with Brawn GP, in what can only be described as a fairytale. After Brawn GP was bought by Mercedes in 2010, Button left to join McLaren as the reigning world champion. Though successful with the Woking based team, his time there brought with it many wins, but no further world title success.
Kimi Räikkönen
Mr ‘Ice-man’. The coolest character on the grid has always been Räikkönen’s title, but he did also win the 2007 world drivers’ championship by a single point over Hamilton and Alonso in one of the closest seasons of racing in Formula 1’s history. Although he hasn’t tasted title success since, he remains an F1 driver with Alfa Romeo and with a career stretching across 335 races – the most of any Formula 1 driver. Kimi has won 21 grands prix in his career, the last coming in the 2019 Italian Grand Prix during his final season at Ferrari.
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