The Formula One World Drivers' Championship (WDC) is awarded by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) to the most successful Formula One racing car driver over a season, as determined by a points system based on Grand Prix results of that year. 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 current Drivers' Champion is Max Verstappen, who won his first World Championship in the 2021 season.
The FIA does not officially declare the Champion until the end of the season, but a driver is said to have "clinched" the Championship after it is no longer possible for another to obtain more points than him, even if the former driver were to not compete in the remaining races of the season, and the latter to score the maximum number of points possible. The Drivers' Championship has been won in the final race of the season 29 times in the 70 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, thirty-four different drivers have won the Championship, with German Michael Schumacher and Briton Lewis Hamilton both holding the record for most titles, at seven. Schumacher also holds the record for most consecutive Drivers' Championships, winning five from 2000 to 2004. However, Great Britain has produced, by far, the most number of World Championship winning drivers with ten (Brazil, Germany and Finland are next closest, with three each).
By season[]
Notes[]
- * Indicates the team also won the Constructors' Championship (awarded since 1958).[1]
- ~ Indicates season is still in progress. Statistics subject to change, but title has already been decided.
- † Indicates the record for each category
- The 1952 and 1953 championships were run to Formula Two regulations.
- Fangio competed in the 1954 Argentine and Belgian Grands Prix with Maserati, then completed the season with Mercedes.
- Rindt died during practice for the 1970 Italian Grand Prix (the tenth round of the season) but his Championship was not confirmed until two rounds later.
- Michael Schumacher scored 78 points during the 1997 season, only 3 points behind Villeneuve. However, Schumacher was disqualified from the championship for colliding with Villeneuve at the final race of the season, the European Grand Prix. This left Villeneuve with a 39 point margin over Heinz-Harald Frentzen with 42 points.
- In 2021, Formula 1 introduced sprint races, which changed the way pole position was awarded.[1]
By driver[]
Michael Schumacher has won the World Drivers' Championship a record seven times -- two at Benetton and five at Ferrari.
Drivers in bold are still competing in the World Championship.
By nationality[]
| Country | Drivers | Total | Drivers by Name (titles) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
10 | 20 | Lewis Hamilton (7), Jackie Stewart (3), Jim Clark (2), Graham Hill (2), Mike Hawthorn (1), John Surtees (1), James Hunt (1), Nigel Mansell (1), Damon Hill (1), Jenson Button (1) |
|
3 | 12 | Michael Schumacher (7), Sebastian Vettel (4), Nico Rosberg (1) |
|
3 | 8 | Nelson Piquet (3), Ayrton Senna (3), Emerson Fittipaldi (2) |
|
1 | 5 | Juan Manuel Fangio (5) |
|
3 | 4 | Mika Häkkinen (2), Keke Rosberg (1), Kimi Räikkönen (1) |
|
2 | 4 | Jack Brabham (3), Alan Jones (1) |
|
2 | 4 | Niki Lauda (3), Jochen Rindt (1) |
|
1 | 4 | Alain Prost (4) |
|
2 | 3 | Alberto Ascari (2), Nino Farina (1) |
|
1 | 3 | Max Verstappen (3) |
|
2 | 2 | Phil Hill (1), Mario Andretti (1) |
|
1 | 2 | Fernando Alonso (2) |
|
1 | 1 | Jacques Villeneuve (1) |
|
1 | 1 | Denny Hulme (1) |
|
1 | 1 | Jody Scheckter (1) |
Drivers in bold are still competing in the World Championship.
By constructor team[]
| Constructor | Total |
|---|---|
| Ferrari
|
15 |
| McLaren
|
12 |
| Mercedes
|
9 |
| Williams
|
7 |
| Lotus
|
6 |
| Red Bull
|
6 |
| Brabham
|
4 |
| Cooper
|
2 |
| Renault
| |
| Benetton
| |
| Alfa Romeo
| |
| Tyrrell
| |
| Maserati
| |
| BRM
|
1 |
| Matra
| |
| Brawn
|
Constructors in bold are still competing in the World Championship.
By constructor nationality[]
| Nationality | Total |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom
|
37 |
| Italy
|
19 |
| Germany
|
9 |
| Austria
|
6 |
| France
|
3 |
By engine[]
| Engine | Total |
|---|---|
| Ferrari
|
15 |
| Ford
|
13 |
| Mercedes
|
13 |
| Renault
|
11 |
 Honda
|
6 |
| Climax
|
4 |
 TAG
|
3 |
| Alfa Romeo
|
2 |
| Maserati
| |
| Repco
| |
| BMW
|
1 |
| BRM
| |
| RBPT
|
Engine manufacturers in bold are still competing in the World Championship.
Notes[]
- The 1966 Repco engines were based on production Oldsmobile engine blocks from the USA.
- The TAG engines were designed and built by German company Porsche.
- 10 of the constructors' championships for Ford engines were with the (Ford-financed) Cosworth DFV engine.
- Mercedes won 9 with their own team, 3 with McLaren and 1 with Brawn.
By tyre manufacturer[]
| Pos | Manufacturer | Country | Total | Seasons | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | G | Goodyear | United States
|
24 | 1966–1967, 1971, 1973–1978, 1980, 1982, 1985–1997 |
| 2 | P | Pirelli | Italy
|
20 | 1950–1954, 1957, 2011–present |
| 3 | B | Bridgestone | Japan
|
11 | 1998–2004, 2007–2010 |
| 4 | D | Dunlop | Great Britain
|
8 | 1959–1965, 1969 |
| 5 | M | Michelin | France
|
6 | 1979, 1981, 1983–1984, 2005–2006 |
| 6 | F | Firestone | United States
|
4 | 1952, 1968, 1970, 1972 |
| 7 | C | Continental | Germany
|
2 | 1954–1955 |
| E | Englebert |  Belgium
|
2 | 1956, 1958 | |
Tyre manufacturers in bold are still competing in the World Championship.
Notes[]
- Goodyear was the sole tyre supplier for the 1987, 1988, & 1992 – 1996 Seasons
- Bridgestone was the sole tyre supplier for the 1999 & 2000 Seasons, and 2007 – 2010
- Pirelli were the sole tyre supplier from 2011 to 2024
- Fangio competed in the 1954 Argentine and Belgian Grands Prix on Pirelli with Maserati, then completed the Season on Continental with Mercedes
- Ascari competed in the 1952 Indianapolis 500 on Firestone tyres, then completed the Season on Pirelli
Records[]
Youngest Drivers' Champion[]
| Driver | Age | Season | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sebastian Vettel
|
23 years, 133 days | 2010 |
| 2 | Lewis Hamilton
|
23 years, 301 days | 2008 |
| 3 | Fernando Alonso
|
24 years, 58 days | 2005 |
| 4 | Max Verstappen
|
24 years, 72 days | 2021 |
| 5 | Emerson Fittipaldi
|
25 years, 273 days | 1972 |
| 6 | Michael Schumacher
|
25 years, 314 days | 1994 |
| 7 | Niki Lauda
|
26 years, 197 days | 1975 |
| 8 | Jacques Villeneuve
|
26 years, 200 days | 1997 |
| 9 | Jim Clark
|
27 years, 188 days | 1963 |
| 10 | Kimi Räikkönen
|
28 years, 4 days | 2007 |
Drivers in bold are still competing in Formula 1.
Oldest Drivers' Champion[]
| Driver | Age | Season | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Juan Manuel Fangio
|
46 years, 41 days | 1957 |
| 2 | Nino Farina
|
43 years, 308 days | 1950 |
| 3 | Jack Brabham
|
40 years, 155 days | 1966 |
| 4 | Graham Hill
|
39 years, 262 days | 1968 |
| 5 | Nigel Mansell
|
39 years, 8 days | 1992 |
| 6 | Alain Prost
|
38 years, 214 days | 1993 |
| 7 | Mario Andretti
|
38 years, 193 days | 1978 |
| 8 | Damon Hill
|
36 years, 26 days | 1996 |
| 9 | Niki Lauda
|
35 years, 242 days | 1984 |
| 10 | Michael Schumacher
|
35 years, 239 days | 2004 |
Drivers in bold are still competing in Formula 1.
Consecutive Drivers' Championships[]
Ten drivers have achieved consecutive wins in the Formula One Drivers' Championship.
| Championships | Driver | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Michael Schumacher
|
2000–2004 |
| 4 | Juan Manuel Fangio
|
1954–1957 |
| Sebastian Vettel
|
2010–2013 | |
| Lewis Hamilton
|
2017–2020 | |
| 3 | Max Verstappen
|
2021–2023 |
| 2 | Alberto Ascari
|
1952–1953 |
| Jack Brabham
|
1959–1960 | |
| Alain Prost
|
1985–1986 | |
| Ayrton Senna
|
1990–1991 | |
| Michael Schumacher
|
1994–1995 | |
| Mika Häkkinen
|
1998–1999 | |
| Fernando Alonso
|
2005–2006 | |
| Lewis Hamilton
|
2014–2015 |
Drivers in bold are still competing in Formula 1.
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- ↑ 1.0 1.1 2021 Pirelli Pole Position Award | Formula 1®