diff --git "a/9b28300a-7822-407b-8517-d3c8a96591bf.json" "b/9b28300a-7822-407b-8517-d3c8a96591bf.json" new file mode 100644--- /dev/null +++ "b/9b28300a-7822-407b-8517-d3c8a96591bf.json" @@ -0,0 +1,40 @@ +{ + "interaction_id": "9b28300a-7822-407b-8517-d3c8a96591bf", + "search_results": [ + { + "page_name": "Which F1 driver has the most race starts? Alonso, Hamilton and more", + "page_url": "https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/which-f1-driver-has-the-most-race-starts-hamilton-raikkonen-and-more/10338884/", + "page_snippet": "Thereafter the floodgates opened and Schumacher reeled off another four crowns, 2002 and 2004 being among the most dominant seasons in F1 history. A rule change and the rise of Alonso at Renault finally ended the run in 2005, but Schumacher bounced back to narrowly lose the 2006 title to the ...Thereafter the floodgates opened and Schumacher reeled off another four crowns, 2002 and 2004 being among the most dominant seasons in F1 history. A rule change and the rise of Alonso at Renault finally ended the run in 2005, but Schumacher bounced back to narrowly lose the 2006 title to the Spaniard before retiring. The starts and fastest laps records are two of the few F1 benchmarks Hamilton hasn\u2019t matched or beaten in a remarkable career. Hamilton arrived in F1 in 2007 with a string of junior category titles to his name and immediately gave double world champion McLaren team-mate Alonso some headaches. There were errors, notably in the Chinese GP pitlane, but his speed was never in doubt. But, it is becoming more and more of a trend for modern day F1 drivers to complete a higher number of race starts than those from the championship\u2019s early days. Due to the threat of death or serious injury, combined with smaller world championship calendars, F1 careers used to be shorter, though drivers did also contest non-championship events not included in these numbers. Double world champion Graham Hill held the record for more than a decade, before Jacques Laffite matched his tally of 176 at the 1986 British GP. Sadly, Laffite was involved in a startline crash at Brands Hatch that ended his F1 career.", + "page_result": "\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n Which F1 driver has the most race starts? Alonso, Hamilton and more\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n
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\n Which F1 driver has the most race starts? Alonso, Hamilton and more

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\n Fernando Alonso holds the record for the most world championship Formula 1 starts ahead of Kimi Raikkonen and Lewis Hamilton

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\n Kevin Turner\n \n Ed Hardy\n \n \n Nov 21, 2022, 6:00 AM \n\n
\n Upd:\n \n Nov 27, 2023, 2:54 PM \n
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\n \n\n \n \n \n \"Podium:\n

Podium: second place Kimi Raikkonen, Lotus F1 Team, Race winner Fernando Alonso, Ferrari, third place Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1

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Sutton Images

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Lewis Hamilton became the third most experienced driver in Formula 1 history after completing his 323rd race start at the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix. 

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It came just 13 months after the seven-time world champion started his 300th race, which in turn made him the second driver on the current F1 grid to reach such a landmark. Fernando Alonso is the other, having driven his 300th race in 2018. 

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But, it is becoming more and more of a trend for modern day F1 drivers to complete a higher number of race starts than those from the championship\u2019s early days. Due to the threat of death or serious injury, combined with smaller world championship calendars, F1 careers used to be shorter, though drivers did also contest non-championship events not included in these numbers. 

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Double world champion Graham Hill held the record for more than a decade, before Jacques Laffite matched his tally of 176 at the 1986 British GP. Sadly, Laffite was involved in a startline crash at Brands Hatch that ended his F1 career. 

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Riccardo Patrese subsequently moved the record to 256, but there are now nine drivers who have surpassed that number. So, here are the 10 drivers with the most race starts in F1 history.  

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1. Fernando Alonso

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\"Fernando \n

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

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Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin F1 Team

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Starts: 377
Years: 2001, 2003-18, 2021-present
Wins: 32
Poles: 22
Fastest laps: 24
Titles: 2 (2005-06)

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Fernando Alonso takes the title for most race starts, having taken the crown from Kimi Raikkonen at the 2022 Singapore Grand Prix.

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Of all the drivers on this list, Alonso probably has a record that most poorly reflects his impressive performances over two decades. Seeing as he is a double F1 champion and sits seventh in the all-time winners list, that\u2019s saying something.

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After starring with the minnow Minardi squad in his rookie F1 season in 2001, Alonso took his first victory at the 2003 Hungarian GP with Renault, following a year as test driver.

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A brilliant campaign brought him the 2005 title and he successfully defended his crown in 2006 despite a challenge from a revitalised Michael Schumacher.

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Alonso joined McLaren for 2007. The car was quick but so was precocious rookie Hamilton and the intra-team battle helped Raikkonen beat both to the crown. Alonso, feeling unsupported, left to join Renault and won twice in 2008.

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Alonso moved to Ferrari for 2010 and was arguably at his best while at the famous Italian team. Despite mediocre machinery, Alonso came close to taking the crown in both 2010 and 2012, but Ferrari started the turbo-hybrid era badly and Alonso left after a disappointing 2014.

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The McLaren-Honda combination proved disastrous and Alonso wasted four seasons before taking a break from F1. He won the Le Mans 24 Hours twice and added the World Endurance crown to his CV, then returned in 2021 with Alpine. His return with the French team netted a single podium - third place in the 2021 Qatar Grand Prix - which wasn't enough to keep him for 2023 as he made a shock move to Aston Martin. Although he is yet to be rewarded with a victory at the Silverstone-based team, the move has so far proved to be a success after eight podiums in his first season.

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PLUS: Alonso\u2019s 10 greatest F1 races

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2. Kimi Raikkonen

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\"Kimi\n

Kimi Raikkonen, Alfa Romeo Racing C41

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Photo by: Alfa Romeo

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Starts: 349
Years: 2001-09, 2012-21
Wins: 21
Poles: 18
Fastest laps: 46
Titles: 1 (2007)

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After an incredibly short junior single-seater career, Raikkonen graduated to F1 with Sauber at the age of 21 in 2001. He impressed enough to be snapped up by McLaren for 2002 and stayed at the Woking-based squad for five seasons.

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His first win came in the 2003 Malaysian GP and Raikkonen racked up nine F1 victories at McLaren. He came close to winning the 2005 title but was thwarted by unreliability and moved to Ferrari after a disappointing 2006 campaign.

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PLUS: McLaren\u2019s fastest failure

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Raikkonen won on his Ferrari debut in the 2007 Australian GP and snatched the drivers\u2019 crown at the finale following a dramatic fight with McLaren drivers Hamilton and Alonso.

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Thereafter Felipe Massa started to get the upper hand at Ferrari, but Raikkonen stepped up after the Brazilian\u2019s accident in qualifying for the 2009 Hungarian GP. He won the Belgian GP before being released from his contract at the end of the season.

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Raikkonen tried rallying and NASCAR before returning to F1 with Lotus. He won the 2012 Abu Dhabi GP on his way to third in the standings and won the following year\u2019s Australian GP.

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He rejoined Ferrari for 2014, but largely had to play second fiddle, first to Alonso and then Vettel. Raikkonen took his 21st and final F1 victory in the 2018 United States GP before closing out his career with three seasons at Sauber-run Alfa Romeo.

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Top 10: Kimi Raikkonen\u2019s F1 races ranked

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3. Lewis Hamilton

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\"Lewis\n

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W12, 1st position, takes victory to the delight of his team on the pit wall

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Photo by: Steve Etherington / Motorsport Images

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Starts: 332
Years: 2007-present
Wins: 103
Poles: 104
Fastest laps: 65
Titles: 7 (2008, 2014-15, 2017-20)

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Seven world titles, 103 wins and 104 poles. The starts and fastest laps records are two of the few F1 benchmarks Hamilton hasn\u2019t matched or beaten in a remarkable career.

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Hamilton arrived in F1 in 2007 with a string of junior category titles to his name and immediately gave double world champion McLaren team-mate Alonso some headaches. There were errors, notably in the Chinese GP pitlane, but his speed was never in doubt.

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Having narrowly missed out on the title in his rookie year, Hamilton pipped Ferrari\u2019s Massa in 2008. McLaren\u2019s car for the 2009 rule changes was not a good one, but team and driver worked to make it a winner before the end of the season.

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Hamilton and McLaren were sporadically quick across 2010-12 but weren\u2019t able to topple the Vettel-Red Bull combination and the Briton left the team after some frustrating unreliability in 2012 and an approach from Mercedes.

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The Silver Arrows became the dominant force as the turbo-hybrid rules arrived in 2014, Hamilton taking the 2014 and 2015 titles. He normally had an edge over team-mate Nico Rosberg but a combination of poor starts and car troubles for Hamilton helped the German snatch the 2016 crown.

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Following Rosberg\u2019s retirement and the arrival of Valtteri Bottas, Hamilton arguably reached his peak across 2017-18, taking two more titles despite strong Ferrari challenges. The successes continued in brilliant Mercedes machinery and in 2020 Hamilton matched Schumacher\u2019s record of seven world titles.

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Rule tweaks hindered Mercedes for 2021 and Red Bull had a slight advantage, but Hamilton still became the first driver to score 100 world championship GP wins in Russia. Despite clashes with main rival Max Verstappen, Hamilton kept himself in title contention and would have taken a surprise crown had it not been for the controversial late safety car and restart calls in the Abu Dhabi finale.

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Mercedes\u2019 ground-effects car for 2022 proved flawed and George Russell\u2019s arrival in the other car brought added pressure, but Hamilton\u2019s pole position at the 2023 Hungarian GP proves he still has something in his locker when opportunities arise.

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Top 10: Hamilton\u2019s F1 wins ranked

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4. Rubens Barrichello

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\"Podium:\n

Podium: Race winner Rubens Barrichello, Ferrari F1 2000, second place Mika Hakkinen, Mclaren MP4-15, third place David Coulthard, Mclaren MP4-15

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Photo by: Sutton Images

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Starts: 322
Years: 1993-2011
Wins: 11
Poles: 14
Fastest laps: 17
Titles: 0

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Barrichello started his F1 career with Jordan and stayed with the team for four seasons. Often impressive in wet conditions, Barrichello took his first F1 pole in a rain-affected session at Spa in 1994, then scored a brilliant second place in the soaking 1997 Monaco GP driving for Stewart.

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The Brazilian joined Ferrari for 2000 alongside Schumacher and finally scored his first F1 victory on his 123rd start, coming from 18th on the grid to win the German GP.

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Barrichello proved a fine team player alongside Schumacher, contributing to five consecutive constructors\u2019 titles. Sometimes close enough to challenge his team leader, Barrichello was occasionally asked to move aside for Schumacher, most infamously at the 2002 Austrian GP.

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Replaced by Massa for 2006, Barrichello joined Honda for 2006. He endured a difficult three years alongside Jenson Button and the team hit financial issues in 2008 when Honda decided to pull out of F1.

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Resurrected as Brawn, the team had the best car at the start of 2009, but it was Button who made the most of it. Red Bull came on strong as the campaign progressed, leaving Barrichello to take two wins and third in the standings as Button took the title.

\n

After two years at Williams in the midfield, Barrichello retired from F1 at the end of 2011 having made a then-record 322 starts.

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=5. Michael Schumacher

\n
\"Michael\n

Michael Schumacher, Ferrari F1-2000, crosses the line for victory in the race and the drivers' world championship

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Photo by: Motorsport Images

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Starts: 306
Years: 1991-2006, 2010-12
Wins: 91
Poles: 68
Fastest laps: 77
Titles: 7 (1994-95, 2000-04)

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One of motorsport\u2019s legends, Schumacher famously made his F1 debut for Jordan at the 1991 Belgian GP. He was immediately signed by Benetton, took his first F1 win at Spa in 1992 and led the team as it became a championship contender from 1994.

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Rarely far from on-track controversy, Schumacher took the 1994 crown thanks to a dubious clash with rival Damon Hill in Adelaide as F1 recovered from the death of Ayrton Senna. Schumacher underlined his status as the new benchmark with a brilliant campaign to defend his title in 1995.

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Schumacher moved to Ferrari for 1996, then in a period of rebuilding following one of its fallow periods. The German scored some of his best wins over the next three years but it wasn\u2019t until 2000 \u2013 and after missing some of the 1999 season due to injuries sustained in a Silverstone crash \u2013 that he took his third championship success, Ferrari\u2019s first drivers\u2019 title since 1979.

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Thereafter the floodgates opened and Schumacher reeled off another four crowns, 2002 and 2004 being among the most dominant seasons in F1 history. A rule change and the rise of Alonso at Renault finally ended the run in 2005, but Schumacher bounced back to narrowly lose the 2006 title to the Spaniard before retiring.

\n

After three years away from the sport (and a motorbike accident), Schumacher returned with Mercedes in 2010. There were flashes of his old self, most notably topping qualifying for the 2012 Monaco GP, but he was no longer the force he had been and Schumacher retired for good after three seasons having not added to his then-record 91 GP victories.

\n

Race of my life: Michael Schumacher on the 2000 Japanese GP

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=5. Jenson Button

\n
\"Jenson\n

Jenson Button, Brawn Grand Prix celebrates winning the World Championship

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Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

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Starts: 306
Years: 2000-17
Wins: 15
Poles: 8
Fastest laps: 8
Titles: 1 (2009)

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Button arrived in F1 with Williams following just two successful seasons on the single-seater ladder. He impressed in 2000 but lost his seat to Indycar star Juan Pablo Montoya and joined Benetton.

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The inexperienced Button struggled alongside Giancarlo Fisichella in 2001 but improved in 2002 and then joined BAR. He comfortably saw off team-mate and 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve in 2003 before starring the following year.

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Button was one of the standouts of the season on his way to third in the points, but Ferrari domination meant a first F1 win remained elusive.

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PLUS: The best F1 cars never to win

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Button\u2019s maiden success finally came in the 2006 Hungarian GP thanks to a brilliant drive in tricky conditions from 14th on the grid. But Honda\u2019s competitiveness fell back after that and Button\u2019s F1 career looked over when Honda withdrew at the end of 2008.

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Ross Brawn helped save the team and the double-diffuser BGP 001 design was the car to have early in 2009. Button used it to win six of the first seven races and held on to take the title.

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Button then joined Hamilton at McLaren, taking eight victories between 2010 and 2012. He also scored more points than Hamilton during the same period, largely thanks to arguably Button\u2019s finest F1 campaign in 2011 that yielded second in the championship.

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Button led McLaren after Hamilton\u2019s move to Mercedes, but the team was on a downward path and there would be no more wins. He beat team-mate Alonso in the points in 2015 but the Spaniard normally had the upper hand the following year and Button made his final F1 start \u2013 subbing for an Indianapolis 500-bound Alonso \u2013 at the 2017 Monaco GP.

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PLUS: Button\u2019s 10 greatest F1 races

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7. Sebastian Vettel

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\"Sebastian\n

Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing, salutes his car

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Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images

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Starts: 299
Years: 2007-22
Wins: 53
Poles: 57
Fastest laps: 38
Titles: 4 (2010-13)

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Points on his F1 debut with BMW in 2007 heralded Vettel\u2019s F1 arrival and he was soon starring for Toro Rosso. He took the team\u2019s first F1 victory in the wet 2008 Italian GP and earned a graduation to the \u2018senior\u2019 Red Bull team for the following year.

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The RB5 was a championship contender in 2009. A few errors and a fine start by Brawn kept the titles out of Red Bull\u2019s reach but Vettel took four wins on his way to the runner-up spot behind Button.

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Vettel was part of a four-way title fight in 2010 and wins in the final rounds in Brazil and Abu Dhabi, combined with poor strategy for team-mate Mark Webber and Ferrari rival Alonso, brought him his first F1 crown.

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There was no stopping Vettel and Red Bull in 2011 and 2013, but 2012 was closer. Vettel survived a first-lap clash in the Brazilian GP finale to pip Alonso to the title by four points.

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Vettel didn\u2019t like the first Red Bull of the turbo-hybrid era and struggled alongside new team-mate Daniel Ricciardo. He was only fifth in the standings and scored no wins before heading to Ferrari.

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The switch rejuvenated Vettel and he took three victories on his way to best-of-the-rest in the championship behind Hamilton and Rosberg. The following year\u2019s car was less competitive but the switch to wider, faster cars helped Ferrari challenge Mercedes.

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Vettel battled for the title in 2017 and 2018 but made mistakes and usually lost out in wheel-to-wheel fights with Hamilton. Vettel was twice runner-up but thereafter the balance of power at Ferrari shifted as rising star Charles Leclerc replaced Raikkonen for 2019.

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Leclerc soon stamped his authority in the team and, following a disappointing 2020, Vettel headed to Aston Martin. Once again, the change seemed to help the likeable and outspoken German, who comfortably led the line over team-mate Lance Stroll. He retired from Formula 1 at the end of the 2022 season, just race shy of 300.

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Top 10: Vettel\u2019s F1 wins ranked

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8. Felipe Massa

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\"Podium:\n

Podium: Felipe Massa, Ferrari

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Photo by: Motorsport Images

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Starts: 269
Years: 2002, 2004-17
Wins: 11
Poles: 16
Fastest laps: 15
Titles: 0

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Either side of a year as a Ferrari test driver, the sometimes erratic Massa showed potential at Sauber in 2002 and 2004-05. He really started to mature alongside Schumacher at Ferrari in 2006, when he scored his first two F1 wins, in Turkey and his native Brazil.

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He helped team-mate Raikkonen to the 2007 crown after misfortune curtailed his own aspirations, but Massa hit top form the following year to lead Ferrari\u2019s attack. Thanks to a Singapore GP pitstop problem and Hamilton only taking the fifth place he needed in the closing yards of the Brazilian GP finale, Massa could count himself unfortunate not to have been the 2008 world champion.

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Massa still had the upper hand over Raikkonen when his 2009 Hungarian GP qualifying crash ended his season. He returned for 2010 but was rarely a match for Alonso, and was asked to move aside for his new team-mate during the 2010 German GP.

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Massa moved to Williams for 2014, just as the famous team got a boost with Mercedes turbo-hybrid power. Team-mate Bottas was marginally the quicker, but it was Massa who took pole for the Austrian GP and came within 2.6 seconds of winning the Abu Dhabi GP.

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After retiring from F1 at the end of 2016, Massa was called back by Williams to replace Mercedes-bound Bottas following Rosberg\u2019s shock retirement. Williams had slipped back a little, but Massa outscored rookie team-mate Stroll before retiring from F1 for good.

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9. Sergio Perez

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\"Sergio \n

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

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Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing, 1st position, lifts his trophy

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Starts: 257
Years: 2011-present
Wins: 6
Poles: 3
Fastest laps: 11
Titles: 0

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Perez became the first Mexican F1 driver in 30 years after finishing second to Pastor Maldonado in the 2010 GP2 championship. Perez\u2019s debut came with Sauber, but his first race ended in disqualification due to a technical infringement on the car.  

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It came as a big disappointment for Perez, as he initially finished seventh. But it proved to not be his only shot at points, as Perez would later finish inside the top 10 on five occasions that season. He stepped it up for his second campaign, scoring three podiums and beating team-mate Kamui Kobayashi in the championship.  

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That earned him a move to McLaren for 2013 to replace Hamilton, but that proved difficult. The MP4-28 was not as competitive as hoped and team-mate Button comfortably beat Perez in the championship. Perez was replaced by Kevin Magnussen for 2014. 

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Yet it proved to be the making of Perez. He joined Force India, where he firmly established himself as an F1 driver with his seven years there. Perez scored seven podiums and prevented Force India from being liquidating in 2018 as he helped place the team in administration. 

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They were later bought by Lawrence Stroll, who renamed Force India as Racing Point. However, Perez was not part of Stroll\u2019s long-term vision as the team owner signed Vettel for the 2021 season to partner his son Lance.  

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Perez\u2019s final season with Racing Point was arguably his best, though, as he eventually became a race winner at the 2020 Sakhir GP. It was a mighty drive from him as he started fifth but ended up last on the opening lap after a spin, yet Perez recovered brilliantly to win on his 190th grand prix start, which also set the record for the most races before a victory.  

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Perez finishing fourth in the 2020 standings \u2013 seven places above Stroll \u2013 might not have been enough for Racing Point but it was for Red Bull, who signed Perez for the following season. 

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His first victory with Red Bull came after six grands prix, at the Azerbaijan GP, before he finished fourth again in the standings while team-mate Verstappen won a maiden championship. Perez then achieved a career-high of third in the 2022 F1 standings after two victories that year. He won two more races the following campaign, but 2023 was largely disappointing for Perez with Verstappen over 200 points ahead in the standings. 

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10. Riccardo Patrese

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\"Riccardo \n

Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images

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Riccardo Patrese drives the Brabham BT52

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Starts: 256
Years: 1977-93
Wins: 6
Poles: 8
Fastest laps: 13
Titles: 0

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Patrese enjoyed a long and successful career in the series, which led to him temporarily holding the F1 race starts record. However, when he scored just one point in his debut season with Shadow Patrese\u2019s F1 career did not get the best of starts.  

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He later moved to Arrows for the next four years and big unreliability problems stopped things from drastically improving, as Patrese suffered more DNFs than point finishes in that time. But, there were times where he was able to shine, as shown by four podium finishes and coming ninth in the 1980 standings.  

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Patrese later joined Brabham and in 1982, his first year with the team, the Italian finally became a race winner. It came in surprising circumstances as Patrese took the race lead with just three laps remaining when Alain Prost crashed into the barriers at Monaco \u2013 and after he had apparently spun away his chances. 

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He won again the following year, this time in South Africa, while team-mate Nelson Piquet clinched the drivers\u2019 title. Patrese moved to Alfa Romeo for 1984, but his two years with the team proved disappointing. The highest he achieved was 13th in the championship after retiring in 22 of his 32 races with them, although Patrese did stand on the podium at Monza. 

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Patrese then returned to have another two years at Brabham before joining Williams for 1988 to continue a seasoned F1 career. The next five years proved to be his best, as Patrese finished third in the championship twice and second in 1992 with the dominant FW14B. 

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Top 10: Williams F1 drivers ranked

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Top 10: Williams F1 cars ranked

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Having won four GPs for Williams, Patrese joined Benetton for his final campaign but was outperformed by his younger team-mate Schumacher. Patrese finished fifth in the standings, with his 256th and final race start coming at the 1993 Australian GP. 

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10 Formula 1 Records That Will Never Be Broken

Fraser Masefield@@fmasefield\"X.comContributor IMarch 26, 2014

10 Formula 1 Records That Will Never Be Broken

0 of 10

    \"\"
    Getty Images/Getty Images

    Following the dominant manner of Nico Rosberg\u2019s victory at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, some are already writing off the season as a Mercedes march to victory.

    Whilst Rosberg\u2019s win ended the hopes of Sebastian Vettel to set a new F1 record for the most consecutive race wins, it\u2019s doubtful he\u2019ll go on a similar run of his own given the new engine regulations and the strength of his own teammate.

    Here are 10 Formula One records that are unlikely to fall during this, or any other season in the future.

Biggest Winning Margin

1 of 10

    \"\"
    Associated Press

    Nico Rosberg\u2019s winning margin of 26.777 seconds over revised second-place finisher Kevin Magnussen in the Australian Grand Prix represented one of the biggest winning margins for many a year.

    Yet it pales into insignificance when matched up against Jim Clark\u2019s utterly dominant drive to victory in the 1963 Belgian Grand Prix.

    Amidst torrential conditions that saw 12 of the 20 drivers retire, Clark lapped the entire field, including second-placed Bruce McLaren, until the New Zealander unlapped himself.

    When he took the chequered flag, Clark was a monumental four minutes and 54 seconds ahead of McLaren. And because the monstrous old Spa-Francorchamps was 14.100 km in length, such a winning margin will never be repeated.

    Clark is quoted on ESPNF1 after the race:

    Towards the end visibility was appalling. I had to hold the car in top gear for most of the race and my speed was dropping by nearly 100mph in the last stages. Some cars were spinning off on the straights and it was extremely dangerous.

Least Amount of Cars to Finish a Race

2 of 10

    \"Olivier
    Olivier Panis on his way to victory.Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

    With all the teething problems experienced by teams during pre-season testing for the 2014 season, this was perhaps the record you would have thought most likely to fall.

    Engine overheating with the new 1.6-litre V6 powertrains and their ERS units was a major problem during the tests in Jerez and Bahrain, and many predicted that more than half the field would retire in Australia.

    But to the surprise of many, 14 cars made it to the chequered flag in Melbourne. That\u2019s 10 more than finished a dramatic 1996 Monaco Grand Prix that eventually saw Olivier Panis conquer changeable conditions to win from David Coulthard,\u00a0Johnny Herbert\u00a0and Heinz-Harald Frentzen.

Closest Race Finish

3 of 10

    Part of the reason for this year\u2019s regulation change, other than to promote a more energy-efficient and greener sport, was to encourage even closer racing.

    It remains to be seen whether the field will close the gap on Mercedes, but it\u2019s practically guaranteed that we won\u2019t see as close a finish as occurred in the 1971 Italian Grand Prix, where BRM\u2019s Peter Gethin pipped Ronnie Peterson\u2019s March in a photo finish to win by 0.01 seconds.

    Incidentally, Gethin also set another record during that race, winning with an average speed of 242.616 km/h.

Oldest Driver

4 of 10

    \"Louis
    Louis ChironToscani/Associated Press

    Formula One is now very much a young man\u2019s sport. In starting the Australian Grand Prix aged 19 years, 10 months and 18 days,\u00a0Toro Rosso\u2019s Daniil Kvyat became only the eighth teenager in history to line up on the grid. And when he finished the race a revised ninth, he became the youngest-ever driver to score points in F1.

    Whilst the record for the youngest driver, youngest race winner and youngest world champion is likely to be beaten, that of the oldest driver will stand forever.

    That accolade falls to Louis Chiron, who was an incredible 55 years, nine months and 19 days old when he finished sixth in the 1955 Monaco Grand Prix.

    The oldest race winner is another record that won\u2019t be beaten; Luigi Fagioli won the 1951 French Grand Prix for Alfa Romeo aged 53 years and 22 days.

Oldest World Champion

5 of 10

    \"\"
    Associated Press

    Sebastian Vettel was 23 years and 133 days old when he won the 2010 world championship in Abu Dhabi, becoming the youngest winner of the world championship.

    The oldest driver to win the title is the great Juan Manuel Fangio, who collect the final of his five world titles at the age of 47 with an incredible drive to victory at the 1957 German Grand Prix.

Most Team Wins in a Season

6 of 10

    The news that Honda is once again to team up with McLaren for the 2015 season brings memories of former glories flooding back.

    It was in 1988 that the great Ayrton Senna claimed the first of his three world championship titles in a season that saw the utterly dominant McLaren Hondas of Senna and teammate Alain Prost take 15 wins from 16 races that season.

    It should have been 16 from 16 had the Williams of Jean-Louis Schlesser not taken Senna out of the Italian Grand Prix with only two laps remaining as the Brazilian came up to lap him, gifting Ferrari a historic 1-2.

    McLaren also set the record for the most poles in a single season in 1988, before Williams (1992 and 1993) emulated that achievement, as did McLaren again in 1999.

Most Driver Wins in a Season

7 of 10

    \"\"
    Mark Thompson/Getty Images

    Although McLaren holds the record for team wins, Senna and Prost closely contested the title.

    Yet the 2004 F1 season was utterly dominated by one driver in particular.

    Michael Schumacher won 13 out of 18 grands prix in romping to the last of his seven world titles. His strike rate of winning 72 percent of the races he started is one that is hard to see being eclipsed.

Most Podiums in a Season

8 of 10

    \"\"
    Mark Thompson/Getty Images

    Michael Schumacher holds many records in F1, including most titles, most consecutive driver titles, most race wins and most pole positions.

    It is conceivable that a driver as dominant as Schumacher will one day eclipse some or all of those records, but there is one statistic that it is only possible to match.

    During the 2002 season, Schumacher\u2019s Ferrari proved so fast and reliable that the German finished on the podium in all 17 races that season.

    If that\u2019s not impressive enough, out of those 17 races, 11 of those were race wins and he only finished third on one occasion.

Most Consecutive Team Poles

9 of 10

    Many sentimental fans of F1 racing will be happy to see the Williams team back amongst the sharp end of the grid after several seasons in the doldrums.

    The team\u2019s most dominant years came in the early 1990s when, thanks mainly to Nigel Mansell and Alain Prost and the wonders of electronic driver aids, Williams scored 24 consecutive pole positions between 1992 and 1993.

Most Cars to Start a Race

10 of 10

    The spiralling costs of running a Formula One teams these days means that the field is now a limited one.

    In the early years of F1 racing, there was no limit on the amount of cars a privateer team could enter and no stringent crash-testing or technical regulations to abide to.

    At the 1953 German Grand Prix, a record 34 cars started the race, and that will never happen again.

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", + "page_last_modified": "" + }, + { + "page_name": "Which F1 driver has the most race starts? Alonso, Hamilton and more", + "page_url": "https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/which-f1-driver-has-the-most-race-starts-hamilton-raikkonen-and-more/10338884/", + "page_snippet": "Thereafter the floodgates opened and Schumacher reeled off another four crowns, 2002 and 2004 being among the most dominant seasons in F1 history. A rule change and the rise of Alonso at Renault finally ended the run in 2005, but Schumacher bounced back to narrowly lose the 2006 title to the ...Thereafter the floodgates opened and Schumacher reeled off another four crowns, 2002 and 2004 being among the most dominant seasons in F1 history. A rule change and the rise of Alonso at Renault finally ended the run in 2005, but Schumacher bounced back to narrowly lose the 2006 title to the Spaniard before retiring. The starts and fastest laps records are two of the few F1 benchmarks Hamilton hasn\u2019t matched or beaten in a remarkable career. Hamilton arrived in F1 in 2007 with a string of junior category titles to his name and immediately gave double world champion McLaren team-mate Alonso some headaches. There were errors, notably in the Chinese GP pitlane, but his speed was never in doubt. But, it is becoming more and more of a trend for modern day F1 drivers to complete a higher number of race starts than those from the championship\u2019s early days. Due to the threat of death or serious injury, combined with smaller world championship calendars, F1 careers used to be shorter, though drivers did also contest non-championship events not included in these numbers. Double world champion Graham Hill held the record for more than a decade, before Jacques Laffite matched his tally of 176 at the 1986 British GP. Sadly, Laffite was involved in a startline crash at Brands Hatch that ended his F1 career.", + "page_result": "\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n Which F1 driver has the most race starts? Alonso, Hamilton and more\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n
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\n Which F1 driver has the most race starts? Alonso, Hamilton and more

\n\n

\n Fernando Alonso holds the record for the most world championship Formula 1 starts ahead of Kimi Raikkonen and Lewis Hamilton

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\n Kevin Turner\n \n Ed Hardy\n \n \n Nov 21, 2022, 6:00 AM \n\n
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\n \n\n \n \n \n \"Podium:\n

Podium: second place Kimi Raikkonen, Lotus F1 Team, Race winner Fernando Alonso, Ferrari, third place Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1

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Lewis Hamilton became the third most experienced driver in Formula 1 history after completing his 323rd race start at the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix. 

\n

It came just 13 months after the seven-time world champion started his 300th race, which in turn made him the second driver on the current F1 grid to reach such a landmark. Fernando Alonso is the other, having driven his 300th race in 2018. 

\n

But, it is becoming more and more of a trend for modern day F1 drivers to complete a higher number of race starts than those from the championship\u2019s early days. Due to the threat of death or serious injury, combined with smaller world championship calendars, F1 careers used to be shorter, though drivers did also contest non-championship events not included in these numbers. 

\n

Double world champion Graham Hill held the record for more than a decade, before Jacques Laffite matched his tally of 176 at the 1986 British GP. Sadly, Laffite was involved in a startline crash at Brands Hatch that ended his F1 career. 

\n

Riccardo Patrese subsequently moved the record to 256, but there are now nine drivers who have surpassed that number. So, here are the 10 drivers with the most race starts in F1 history.  

\n

1. Fernando Alonso

\n
\"Fernando \n

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

\n

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin F1 Team

\n
\n

Starts: 377
Years: 2001, 2003-18, 2021-present
Wins: 32
Poles: 22
Fastest laps: 24
Titles: 2 (2005-06)

\n

Fernando Alonso takes the title for most race starts, having taken the crown from Kimi Raikkonen at the 2022 Singapore Grand Prix.

\n

Of all the drivers on this list, Alonso probably has a record that most poorly reflects his impressive performances over two decades. Seeing as he is a double F1 champion and sits seventh in the all-time winners list, that\u2019s saying something.

\n

After starring with the minnow Minardi squad in his rookie F1 season in 2001, Alonso took his first victory at the 2003 Hungarian GP with Renault, following a year as test driver.

\n

A brilliant campaign brought him the 2005 title and he successfully defended his crown in 2006 despite a challenge from a revitalised Michael Schumacher.

\n

Alonso joined McLaren for 2007. The car was quick but so was precocious rookie Hamilton and the intra-team battle helped Raikkonen beat both to the crown. Alonso, feeling unsupported, left to join Renault and won twice in 2008.

\n

Alonso moved to Ferrari for 2010 and was arguably at his best while at the famous Italian team. Despite mediocre machinery, Alonso came close to taking the crown in both 2010 and 2012, but Ferrari started the turbo-hybrid era badly and Alonso left after a disappointing 2014.

\n

The McLaren-Honda combination proved disastrous and Alonso wasted four seasons before taking a break from F1. He won the Le Mans 24 Hours twice and added the World Endurance crown to his CV, then returned in 2021 with Alpine. His return with the French team netted a single podium - third place in the 2021 Qatar Grand Prix - which wasn't enough to keep him for 2023 as he made a shock move to Aston Martin. Although he is yet to be rewarded with a victory at the Silverstone-based team, the move has so far proved to be a success after eight podiums in his first season.

\n

PLUS: Alonso\u2019s 10 greatest F1 races

\n

2. Kimi Raikkonen

\n
\"Kimi\n

Kimi Raikkonen, Alfa Romeo Racing C41

\n

Photo by: Alfa Romeo

\n
\n

Starts: 349
Years: 2001-09, 2012-21
Wins: 21
Poles: 18
Fastest laps: 46
Titles: 1 (2007)

\n

After an incredibly short junior single-seater career, Raikkonen graduated to F1 with Sauber at the age of 21 in 2001. He impressed enough to be snapped up by McLaren for 2002 and stayed at the Woking-based squad for five seasons.

\n

His first win came in the 2003 Malaysian GP and Raikkonen racked up nine F1 victories at McLaren. He came close to winning the 2005 title but was thwarted by unreliability and moved to Ferrari after a disappointing 2006 campaign.

\n

PLUS: McLaren\u2019s fastest failure

\n

Raikkonen won on his Ferrari debut in the 2007 Australian GP and snatched the drivers\u2019 crown at the finale following a dramatic fight with McLaren drivers Hamilton and Alonso.

\n

Thereafter Felipe Massa started to get the upper hand at Ferrari, but Raikkonen stepped up after the Brazilian\u2019s accident in qualifying for the 2009 Hungarian GP. He won the Belgian GP before being released from his contract at the end of the season.

\n

\n

Raikkonen tried rallying and NASCAR before returning to F1 with Lotus. He won the 2012 Abu Dhabi GP on his way to third in the standings and won the following year\u2019s Australian GP.

\n

He rejoined Ferrari for 2014, but largely had to play second fiddle, first to Alonso and then Vettel. Raikkonen took his 21st and final F1 victory in the 2018 United States GP before closing out his career with three seasons at Sauber-run Alfa Romeo.

\n

Top 10: Kimi Raikkonen\u2019s F1 races ranked

\n

3. Lewis Hamilton

\n
\"Lewis\n

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W12, 1st position, takes victory to the delight of his team on the pit wall

\n

Photo by: Steve Etherington / Motorsport Images

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\n

Starts: 332
Years: 2007-present
Wins: 103
Poles: 104
Fastest laps: 65
Titles: 7 (2008, 2014-15, 2017-20)

\n

Seven world titles, 103 wins and 104 poles. The starts and fastest laps records are two of the few F1 benchmarks Hamilton hasn\u2019t matched or beaten in a remarkable career.

\n

Hamilton arrived in F1 in 2007 with a string of junior category titles to his name and immediately gave double world champion McLaren team-mate Alonso some headaches. There were errors, notably in the Chinese GP pitlane, but his speed was never in doubt.

\n

Having narrowly missed out on the title in his rookie year, Hamilton pipped Ferrari\u2019s Massa in 2008. McLaren\u2019s car for the 2009 rule changes was not a good one, but team and driver worked to make it a winner before the end of the season.

\n

Hamilton and McLaren were sporadically quick across 2010-12 but weren\u2019t able to topple the Vettel-Red Bull combination and the Briton left the team after some frustrating unreliability in 2012 and an approach from Mercedes.

\n

The Silver Arrows became the dominant force as the turbo-hybrid rules arrived in 2014, Hamilton taking the 2014 and 2015 titles. He normally had an edge over team-mate Nico Rosberg but a combination of poor starts and car troubles for Hamilton helped the German snatch the 2016 crown.

\n

Following Rosberg\u2019s retirement and the arrival of Valtteri Bottas, Hamilton arguably reached his peak across 2017-18, taking two more titles despite strong Ferrari challenges. The successes continued in brilliant Mercedes machinery and in 2020 Hamilton matched Schumacher\u2019s record of seven world titles.

\n

Rule tweaks hindered Mercedes for 2021 and Red Bull had a slight advantage, but Hamilton still became the first driver to score 100 world championship GP wins in Russia. Despite clashes with main rival Max Verstappen, Hamilton kept himself in title contention and would have taken a surprise crown had it not been for the controversial late safety car and restart calls in the Abu Dhabi finale.

\n

Mercedes\u2019 ground-effects car for 2022 proved flawed and George Russell\u2019s arrival in the other car brought added pressure, but Hamilton\u2019s pole position at the 2023 Hungarian GP proves he still has something in his locker when opportunities arise.

\n

Top 10: Hamilton\u2019s F1 wins ranked

\n

4. Rubens Barrichello

\n
\"Podium:\n

Podium: Race winner Rubens Barrichello, Ferrari F1 2000, second place Mika Hakkinen, Mclaren MP4-15, third place David Coulthard, Mclaren MP4-15

\n

Photo by: Sutton Images

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Starts: 322
Years: 1993-2011
Wins: 11
Poles: 14
Fastest laps: 17
Titles: 0

\n

Barrichello started his F1 career with Jordan and stayed with the team for four seasons. Often impressive in wet conditions, Barrichello took his first F1 pole in a rain-affected session at Spa in 1994, then scored a brilliant second place in the soaking 1997 Monaco GP driving for Stewart.

\n

The Brazilian joined Ferrari for 2000 alongside Schumacher and finally scored his first F1 victory on his 123rd start, coming from 18th on the grid to win the German GP.

\n

Barrichello proved a fine team player alongside Schumacher, contributing to five consecutive constructors\u2019 titles. Sometimes close enough to challenge his team leader, Barrichello was occasionally asked to move aside for Schumacher, most infamously at the 2002 Austrian GP.

\n

Replaced by Massa for 2006, Barrichello joined Honda for 2006. He endured a difficult three years alongside Jenson Button and the team hit financial issues in 2008 when Honda decided to pull out of F1.

\n

Resurrected as Brawn, the team had the best car at the start of 2009, but it was Button who made the most of it. Red Bull came on strong as the campaign progressed, leaving Barrichello to take two wins and third in the standings as Button took the title.

\n

After two years at Williams in the midfield, Barrichello retired from F1 at the end of 2011 having made a then-record 322 starts.

\n

=5. Michael Schumacher

\n
\"Michael\n

Michael Schumacher, Ferrari F1-2000, crosses the line for victory in the race and the drivers' world championship

\n

Photo by: Motorsport Images

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Starts: 306
Years: 1991-2006, 2010-12
Wins: 91
Poles: 68
Fastest laps: 77
Titles: 7 (1994-95, 2000-04)

\n

One of motorsport\u2019s legends, Schumacher famously made his F1 debut for Jordan at the 1991 Belgian GP. He was immediately signed by Benetton, took his first F1 win at Spa in 1992 and led the team as it became a championship contender from 1994.

\n

Rarely far from on-track controversy, Schumacher took the 1994 crown thanks to a dubious clash with rival Damon Hill in Adelaide as F1 recovered from the death of Ayrton Senna. Schumacher underlined his status as the new benchmark with a brilliant campaign to defend his title in 1995.

\n

Schumacher moved to Ferrari for 1996, then in a period of rebuilding following one of its fallow periods. The German scored some of his best wins over the next three years but it wasn\u2019t until 2000 \u2013 and after missing some of the 1999 season due to injuries sustained in a Silverstone crash \u2013 that he took his third championship success, Ferrari\u2019s first drivers\u2019 title since 1979.

\n

Thereafter the floodgates opened and Schumacher reeled off another four crowns, 2002 and 2004 being among the most dominant seasons in F1 history. A rule change and the rise of Alonso at Renault finally ended the run in 2005, but Schumacher bounced back to narrowly lose the 2006 title to the Spaniard before retiring.

\n

After three years away from the sport (and a motorbike accident), Schumacher returned with Mercedes in 2010. There were flashes of his old self, most notably topping qualifying for the 2012 Monaco GP, but he was no longer the force he had been and Schumacher retired for good after three seasons having not added to his then-record 91 GP victories.

\n

Race of my life: Michael Schumacher on the 2000 Japanese GP

\n

=5. Jenson Button

\n
\"Jenson\n

Jenson Button, Brawn Grand Prix celebrates winning the World Championship

\n

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

\n
\n

Starts: 306
Years: 2000-17
Wins: 15
Poles: 8
Fastest laps: 8
Titles: 1 (2009)

\n

Button arrived in F1 with Williams following just two successful seasons on the single-seater ladder. He impressed in 2000 but lost his seat to Indycar star Juan Pablo Montoya and joined Benetton.

\n

The inexperienced Button struggled alongside Giancarlo Fisichella in 2001 but improved in 2002 and then joined BAR. He comfortably saw off team-mate and 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve in 2003 before starring the following year.

\n

Button was one of the standouts of the season on his way to third in the points, but Ferrari domination meant a first F1 win remained elusive.

\n

PLUS: The best F1 cars never to win

\n

Button\u2019s maiden success finally came in the 2006 Hungarian GP thanks to a brilliant drive in tricky conditions from 14th on the grid. But Honda\u2019s competitiveness fell back after that and Button\u2019s F1 career looked over when Honda withdrew at the end of 2008.

\n

Ross Brawn helped save the team and the double-diffuser BGP 001 design was the car to have early in 2009. Button used it to win six of the first seven races and held on to take the title.

\n

Button then joined Hamilton at McLaren, taking eight victories between 2010 and 2012. He also scored more points than Hamilton during the same period, largely thanks to arguably Button\u2019s finest F1 campaign in 2011 that yielded second in the championship.

\n

Button led McLaren after Hamilton\u2019s move to Mercedes, but the team was on a downward path and there would be no more wins. He beat team-mate Alonso in the points in 2015 but the Spaniard normally had the upper hand the following year and Button made his final F1 start \u2013 subbing for an Indianapolis 500-bound Alonso \u2013 at the 2017 Monaco GP.

\n

PLUS: Button\u2019s 10 greatest F1 races

\n

7. Sebastian Vettel

\n
\"Sebastian\n

Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing, salutes his car

\n

Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images

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Starts: 299
Years: 2007-22
Wins: 53
Poles: 57
Fastest laps: 38
Titles: 4 (2010-13)

\n

Points on his F1 debut with BMW in 2007 heralded Vettel\u2019s F1 arrival and he was soon starring for Toro Rosso. He took the team\u2019s first F1 victory in the wet 2008 Italian GP and earned a graduation to the \u2018senior\u2019 Red Bull team for the following year.

\n

The RB5 was a championship contender in 2009. A few errors and a fine start by Brawn kept the titles out of Red Bull\u2019s reach but Vettel took four wins on his way to the runner-up spot behind Button.

\n

Vettel was part of a four-way title fight in 2010 and wins in the final rounds in Brazil and Abu Dhabi, combined with poor strategy for team-mate Mark Webber and Ferrari rival Alonso, brought him his first F1 crown.

\n

There was no stopping Vettel and Red Bull in 2011 and 2013, but 2012 was closer. Vettel survived a first-lap clash in the Brazilian GP finale to pip Alonso to the title by four points.

\n

Vettel didn\u2019t like the first Red Bull of the turbo-hybrid era and struggled alongside new team-mate Daniel Ricciardo. He was only fifth in the standings and scored no wins before heading to Ferrari.

\n

The switch rejuvenated Vettel and he took three victories on his way to best-of-the-rest in the championship behind Hamilton and Rosberg. The following year\u2019s car was less competitive but the switch to wider, faster cars helped Ferrari challenge Mercedes.

\n

Vettel battled for the title in 2017 and 2018 but made mistakes and usually lost out in wheel-to-wheel fights with Hamilton. Vettel was twice runner-up but thereafter the balance of power at Ferrari shifted as rising star Charles Leclerc replaced Raikkonen for 2019.

\n

Leclerc soon stamped his authority in the team and, following a disappointing 2020, Vettel headed to Aston Martin. Once again, the change seemed to help the likeable and outspoken German, who comfortably led the line over team-mate Lance Stroll. He retired from Formula 1 at the end of the 2022 season, just race shy of 300.

\n

Top 10: Vettel\u2019s F1 wins ranked

\n

8. Felipe Massa

\n
\"Podium:\n

Podium: Felipe Massa, Ferrari

\n

Photo by: Motorsport Images

\n
\n

Starts: 269
Years: 2002, 2004-17
Wins: 11
Poles: 16
Fastest laps: 15
Titles: 0

\n

Either side of a year as a Ferrari test driver, the sometimes erratic Massa showed potential at Sauber in 2002 and 2004-05. He really started to mature alongside Schumacher at Ferrari in 2006, when he scored his first two F1 wins, in Turkey and his native Brazil.

\n

He helped team-mate Raikkonen to the 2007 crown after misfortune curtailed his own aspirations, but Massa hit top form the following year to lead Ferrari\u2019s attack. Thanks to a Singapore GP pitstop problem and Hamilton only taking the fifth place he needed in the closing yards of the Brazilian GP finale, Massa could count himself unfortunate not to have been the 2008 world champion.

\n

Massa still had the upper hand over Raikkonen when his 2009 Hungarian GP qualifying crash ended his season. He returned for 2010 but was rarely a match for Alonso, and was asked to move aside for his new team-mate during the 2010 German GP.

\n

Massa moved to Williams for 2014, just as the famous team got a boost with Mercedes turbo-hybrid power. Team-mate Bottas was marginally the quicker, but it was Massa who took pole for the Austrian GP and came within 2.6 seconds of winning the Abu Dhabi GP.

\n

After retiring from F1 at the end of 2016, Massa was called back by Williams to replace Mercedes-bound Bottas following Rosberg\u2019s shock retirement. Williams had slipped back a little, but Massa outscored rookie team-mate Stroll before retiring from F1 for good.

\n

9. Sergio Perez

\n
\"Sergio \n

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

\n

Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing, 1st position, lifts his trophy

\n
\n

Starts: 257
Years: 2011-present
Wins: 6
Poles: 3
Fastest laps: 11
Titles: 0

\n

Perez became the first Mexican F1 driver in 30 years after finishing second to Pastor Maldonado in the 2010 GP2 championship. Perez\u2019s debut came with Sauber, but his first race ended in disqualification due to a technical infringement on the car.  

\n

It came as a big disappointment for Perez, as he initially finished seventh. But it proved to not be his only shot at points, as Perez would later finish inside the top 10 on five occasions that season. He stepped it up for his second campaign, scoring three podiums and beating team-mate Kamui Kobayashi in the championship.  

\n

That earned him a move to McLaren for 2013 to replace Hamilton, but that proved difficult. The MP4-28 was not as competitive as hoped and team-mate Button comfortably beat Perez in the championship. Perez was replaced by Kevin Magnussen for 2014. 

\n

Yet it proved to be the making of Perez. He joined Force India, where he firmly established himself as an F1 driver with his seven years there. Perez scored seven podiums and prevented Force India from being liquidating in 2018 as he helped place the team in administration. 

\n

They were later bought by Lawrence Stroll, who renamed Force India as Racing Point. However, Perez was not part of Stroll\u2019s long-term vision as the team owner signed Vettel for the 2021 season to partner his son Lance.  

\n

Perez\u2019s final season with Racing Point was arguably his best, though, as he eventually became a race winner at the 2020 Sakhir GP. It was a mighty drive from him as he started fifth but ended up last on the opening lap after a spin, yet Perez recovered brilliantly to win on his 190th grand prix start, which also set the record for the most races before a victory.  

\n

Perez finishing fourth in the 2020 standings \u2013 seven places above Stroll \u2013 might not have been enough for Racing Point but it was for Red Bull, who signed Perez for the following season. 

\n

His first victory with Red Bull came after six grands prix, at the Azerbaijan GP, before he finished fourth again in the standings while team-mate Verstappen won a maiden championship. Perez then achieved a career-high of third in the 2022 F1 standings after two victories that year. He won two more races the following campaign, but 2023 was largely disappointing for Perez with Verstappen over 200 points ahead in the standings. 

\n

10. Riccardo Patrese

\n
\"Riccardo \n

Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images

\n

Riccardo Patrese drives the Brabham BT52

\n
\n

Starts: 256
Years: 1977-93
Wins: 6
Poles: 8
Fastest laps: 13
Titles: 0

\n

Patrese enjoyed a long and successful career in the series, which led to him temporarily holding the F1 race starts record. However, when he scored just one point in his debut season with Shadow Patrese\u2019s F1 career did not get the best of starts.  

\n

He later moved to Arrows for the next four years and big unreliability problems stopped things from drastically improving, as Patrese suffered more DNFs than point finishes in that time. But, there were times where he was able to shine, as shown by four podium finishes and coming ninth in the 1980 standings.  

\n

Patrese later joined Brabham and in 1982, his first year with the team, the Italian finally became a race winner. It came in surprising circumstances as Patrese took the race lead with just three laps remaining when Alain Prost crashed into the barriers at Monaco \u2013 and after he had apparently spun away his chances. 

\n

He won again the following year, this time in South Africa, while team-mate Nelson Piquet clinched the drivers\u2019 title. Patrese moved to Alfa Romeo for 1984, but his two years with the team proved disappointing. The highest he achieved was 13th in the championship after retiring in 22 of his 32 races with them, although Patrese did stand on the podium at Monza. 

\n

Patrese then returned to have another two years at Brabham before joining Williams for 1988 to continue a seasoned F1 career. The next five years proved to be his best, as Patrese finished third in the championship twice and second in 1992 with the dominant FW14B. 

\n

Top 10: Williams F1 drivers ranked

\n

Top 10: Williams F1 cars ranked

\n

Having won four GPs for Williams, Patrese joined Benetton for his final campaign but was outperformed by his younger team-mate Schumacher. Patrese finished fifth in the standings, with his 256th and final race start coming at the 1993 Australian GP. 

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Top 10: The drivers with the highest win percentages in F1 history

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\n Five-time F1 World Champion Juan Manuel Fangio.

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Measuring the greatness of F1 drivers down the generations is a minefield of caveats, asterisks and exceptions. Win percentages can serve to level the playing field somewhat, though.\u00a0

\n

The challenges Max Verstappen faced during last season’s 22-race campaign are worlds apart from those Juan Manuel Fangio faced at the World Championship’s inception, yet it’s impossible not to wonder who would win a one-on-one duel.

\n

Lewis Hamilton might have won the most Formula 1 races but as the sport continues to grow away from its humble roots, the talent of past champions can never be discounted.

\n

However, we have omitted two names for this list. American drivers Lee Wallard (50 per cent) and Bill Vukovich (40 per cent) never competed in a Grand Prix in Europe, but triumphed at the Indy 500 when it was on the Formula 1 calendar between 1950 and 1960.

\n

So, here are the top 10 Formula 1 drivers based on their Grand Prix win rate…

\n

[Figures correct as of March 2024]

\n

10: Stirling Moss \u2013 24.24%

\n

The fact Stirling Moss, one of motorsport\u2019s greatest figures, never celebrated World Championship glory becomes ever more mind-blowing when you consider he won a quarter of the 66 Grands Prix he entered.

\n

In a 10-year Formula 1 career driving for the likes of Mercedes, Maserati and Lotus, Moss finished the season in second place four times, with a further four bronze medals.

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The British icon, who passed away aged 90 in 2020, did battle with legends like Juan Manuel Fangio and Jack Brabham. He is often considered the greatest driver to never win the title, and rightly so.

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8: Ayrton Senna \u2013 25.47%

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The darling of Brazil and an inspiration to countless Formula 1 stars of the past, present and future, Ayrton Senna’s greatness and tragedy can’t be summed-up in statistics.

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The three-time World Champion earned 41 victories in a wonderful 10-year career and no doubt would have added many more but for his tragic and fatal crash at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.

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At a rate of more than a victory every four races, Senna surely would have ended his career alongside Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher in the top-three winningest drivers. The Brazilian sits fifth despite the championship calendar featuring fewer races in his era.

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8: Alain Prost \u2013 25.63%

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Senna’s bitter rival barely edges him on win percentage. The Formula 1 icons were often too close for comfort on-track, and wound up just the same in the history books.

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The 51 victories from 199 starts Prost amassed brought four World Championships, after a career associated with F1’s defining teams Ferrari, McLaren, Williams and Renault.

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Prost’s battles with Senna were unforgettable, with two final round crashes between the two uncompromising legends deciding two World Championships.

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7: Jackie Stewart \u2013 27.27%

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Like Prost, Jackie Stewart walked away from F1 with the World Championship under his arm \u2013 choosing to end his career at the very top, aged 34.

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Stewart cited the extreme risks that came with an F1 career in the 1960s and 70s as his reason for retiring, and lobbied successfully for important safety upgrades in retirement.

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Despite being aware of the risks, the ‘Flying Scot’ piloted those would-be death machines of his era to three Championships inside five years, ending his career with 27 victories from 99 races as the standout talent of his generation.

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6: Michael Schumacher \u2013 29.64%

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Michael Schumacher was not focused on statistics when he returned to Formula 1 following a three-year hiatus in 2010. He’d already dealt with those.

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But without the 58 winless Grands Prix he raced for Mercedes on his comeback, Schumacher’s rate of victory would have stood at a staggering 36.55 per cent.

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Schumacher had already earned 19 F1 victories and two titles with Benetton before his move to Ferrari. The German’s iconic partnership with the Scuderia brought five World titles, rewriting the history books of his age.

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Schumacher retired again in 2012, before the skiing accident one year later. The current status of his health is a closely-guarded secret, and he has not been seen in public since.

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5: Max Verstappen \u2013 29.94%

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A man rapidly rising to the top of all Formula 1\u2019s statistical leaderboards, Max Verstappen has been a record-breaker since he first stepped into a seat aged only 17.

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Verstappen would not have featured on this list but for an overwhelmingly dominant 2022 campaign, sweeping up victory at 15 of the 22 rounds, almost doubling his tally of wins from the previous five seasons combined.

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The Red Bull powerhouse produced a record-breaking run of 10 victories during the F1 2023 season after cruising to a third World Championship title and is off to another winning start in 2024, his win in Saudi Arabia giving him a better overall win percentage than Schumacher.

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4: Lewis Hamilton \u2013 30.83%

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Mercedes’ unprecedented dominance of the hybrid era was ruthlessly spearheaded by Lewis Hamilton, who left no stone unturned as he swept up victory after victory.

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The Stevenage-born star failed to win a Grand Prix for the first time in his entire Formula 1 career in 2022, having done so every year since his incredible McLaren breakout in 2007.

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Having broken Schumacher’s Grand Prix record in 2020 and later become the first man to smash through the 100-victory barrier, Hamilton has shown no intention of stopping with 103 wins.

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By the completion of the 2023 season, he had the third-most starts in Formula 1 history. Though Mercedes must deliver a competitive car for Hamilton soon or else he will start to fall down the rankings.

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PlanetF1.com recommends

\n

F1 race wins: Which drivers have the highest win totals in Formula 1 history?

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F1 points all-time rankings: Where do Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso and Max Verstappen feature?

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3: Jim Clark \u2013 34.72%

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Despite Hamilton’s standard-setting success, he is not the foremost Brit on this list. That honour belongs to Jim Clark, another ferociously fast driver lost to the sport far too early.

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In third place on the all-time list, Clark’s 34.72 per cent win rate gives generations much too young to recognise his talent an idea of the Scottish two-time World Champion’s pace.

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Clark entered nine F1 seasons with Team Lotus and earned 25 victories from just 72 starts \u2013 winning seven of the 1963 season’s 10 races en-route to his first title, backing it up two years later.

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Clark tasted Grand Prix victory for seven consecutive seasons, from 1962 right up to his death in 1968 at the wheel of a Formula 2 car at the Hockenheimring. He was just 32 years old.

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2: Alberto Ascari \u2013 40.63%

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The 1952 season was only Formula 1’s third campaign. Alberto Ascari, who had lined up at the very first Monaco GP, showed up in Ferrari red as a two-time race winner and\u00a0duly produced one of the most dominant seasons F1 has seen.

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He didn’t show at the season-opener in Switzerland and retired from the Indy 500. Then he won all six of the remaining rounds, a clean-sweep.

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His 1953 season was just as impressive, upstaging Juan Manuel Fangio for glory.

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Ascari competed in just three full Formula 1 seasons before his tragic death at Monza in 1955 but a stunning record of 13 victories from 32 starts \u2013 10 of which ended in retirements \u2013 confirms the Ferrari icon’s name belongs among the greats.

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1: Juan Manuel Fangio \u2013 47.06%

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The aforementioned Jackie Stewart is among the Formula 1 greats of yesteryear who claim Juan Manuel Fangio, not Hamilton or Schumacher, is the greatest of all time.

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With a win rate of almost a victory every other Grand Prix, it’s hard to argue. Beating Fangio was just that difficult.

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A five-time World Champion and double runner-up between 1950 and 1958, Fangio’s 24 wins from 52 starts monopolised the first decade of Formula 1.

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Just imagine how many Grand Prix the Argentine icon could have amassed through a 23-race F1 season. Imagine if F1 had arrived earlier? Fangio was 39 years old when the World Championship was created, having begun his racing career in 1936. He became F1’s oldest title winner, aged 46.

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Fangio, a worthy P1.

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Read next: F1 schedule: When is the next F1 race and where is it being held?

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\n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n", + "page_last_modified": "" + }, + { + "page_name": "Top 10: The drivers with the highest win percentages in F1 history ...", + "page_url": "https://www.planetf1.com/features/top-10-highest-f1-win-percentages", + "page_snippet": "Measuring the greatness of F1 drivers down the generations is minefield but win percentages can level the playing fieldJust imagine how many Grand Prix the Argentine icon could have amassed through a 23-race F1 season. Imagine if F1 had arrived earlier? Fangio was 39 years old when the World Championship was created, having begun his racing career in 1936. He became F1\u2019s oldest title winner, aged 46. The Brazilian sits fifth despite the championship calendar featuring fewer races in his era. Senna\u2019s bitter rival barely edges him on win percentage. The Formula 1 icons were often too close for comfort on-track, and wound up just the same in the history books. The 51 victories from 199 starts Prost amassed brought four World Championships, after a career associated with F1\u2019s defining teams Ferrari, McLaren, Williams and Renault. Stewart cited the extreme risks that came with an F1 career in the 1960s and 70s as his reason for retiring, and lobbied successfully for important safety upgrades in retirement. Despite being aware of the risks, the \u2018Flying Scot\u2019 piloted those would-be death machines of his era to three Championships inside five years, ending his career with 27 victories from 99 races as the standout talent of his generation. Despite being aware of the risks, the \u2018Flying Scot\u2019 piloted those would-be death machines of his era to three Championships inside five years, ending his career with 27 victories from 99 races as the standout talent of his generation. Michael Schumacher was not focused on statistics when he returned to Formula 1 following a three-year hiatus in 2010. He\u2019d already dealt with those. But without the 58 winless Grands Prix he raced for Mercedes on his comeback, Schumacher\u2019s rate of victory would have stood at a staggering 36.55 per cent. Schumacher had already earned 19 F1 victories and two titles with Benetton before his move to Ferrari.", + "page_result": "\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n\t\n\t\n\t\n \n \n\n \n \n \n\n \n Top 10: The drivers with the highest win percentages in F1 history : PlanetF1\n\n \n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n \n \n \n \n
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Top 10: The drivers with the highest win percentages in F1 history

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\n \"Five-time\n
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\n Five-time F1 World Champion Juan Manuel Fangio.

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Measuring the greatness of F1 drivers down the generations is a minefield of caveats, asterisks and exceptions. Win percentages can serve to level the playing field somewhat, though.\u00a0

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The challenges Max Verstappen faced during last season’s 22-race campaign are worlds apart from those Juan Manuel Fangio faced at the World Championship’s inception, yet it’s impossible not to wonder who would win a one-on-one duel.

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Lewis Hamilton might have won the most Formula 1 races but as the sport continues to grow away from its humble roots, the talent of past champions can never be discounted.

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However, we have omitted two names for this list. American drivers Lee Wallard (50 per cent) and Bill Vukovich (40 per cent) never competed in a Grand Prix in Europe, but triumphed at the Indy 500 when it was on the Formula 1 calendar between 1950 and 1960.

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So, here are the top 10 Formula 1 drivers based on their Grand Prix win rate…

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[Figures correct as of March 2024]

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10: Stirling Moss \u2013 24.24%

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The fact Stirling Moss, one of motorsport\u2019s greatest figures, never celebrated World Championship glory becomes ever more mind-blowing when you consider he won a quarter of the 66 Grands Prix he entered.

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In a 10-year Formula 1 career driving for the likes of Mercedes, Maserati and Lotus, Moss finished the season in second place four times, with a further four bronze medals.

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The British icon, who passed away aged 90 in 2020, did battle with legends like Juan Manuel Fangio and Jack Brabham. He is often considered the greatest driver to never win the title, and rightly so.

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8: Ayrton Senna \u2013 25.47%

\n

The darling of Brazil and an inspiration to countless Formula 1 stars of the past, present and future, Ayrton Senna’s greatness and tragedy can’t be summed-up in statistics.

\n

The three-time World Champion earned 41 victories in a wonderful 10-year career and no doubt would have added many more but for his tragic and fatal crash at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.

\n

At a rate of more than a victory every four races, Senna surely would have ended his career alongside Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher in the top-three winningest drivers. The Brazilian sits fifth despite the championship calendar featuring fewer races in his era.

\n

8: Alain Prost \u2013 25.63%

\n

Senna’s bitter rival barely edges him on win percentage. The Formula 1 icons were often too close for comfort on-track, and wound up just the same in the history books.

\n

The 51 victories from 199 starts Prost amassed brought four World Championships, after a career associated with F1’s defining teams Ferrari, McLaren, Williams and Renault.

\n

Prost’s battles with Senna were unforgettable, with two final round crashes between the two uncompromising legends deciding two World Championships.

\n

7: Jackie Stewart \u2013 27.27%

\n

Like Prost, Jackie Stewart walked away from F1 with the World Championship under his arm \u2013 choosing to end his career at the very top, aged 34.

\n

Stewart cited the extreme risks that came with an F1 career in the 1960s and 70s as his reason for retiring, and lobbied successfully for important safety upgrades in retirement.

\n

Despite being aware of the risks, the ‘Flying Scot’ piloted those would-be death machines of his era to three Championships inside five years, ending his career with 27 victories from 99 races as the standout talent of his generation.

\n

 

\n

\n

6: Michael Schumacher \u2013 29.64%

\n

Michael Schumacher was not focused on statistics when he returned to Formula 1 following a three-year hiatus in 2010. He’d already dealt with those.

\n

But without the 58 winless Grands Prix he raced for Mercedes on his comeback, Schumacher’s rate of victory would have stood at a staggering 36.55 per cent.

\n

Schumacher had already earned 19 F1 victories and two titles with Benetton before his move to Ferrari. The German’s iconic partnership with the Scuderia brought five World titles, rewriting the history books of his age.

\n

Schumacher retired again in 2012, before the skiing accident one year later. The current status of his health is a closely-guarded secret, and he has not been seen in public since.

\n

5: Max Verstappen \u2013 29.94%

\n

A man rapidly rising to the top of all Formula 1\u2019s statistical leaderboards, Max Verstappen has been a record-breaker since he first stepped into a seat aged only 17.

\n

Verstappen would not have featured on this list but for an overwhelmingly dominant 2022 campaign, sweeping up victory at 15 of the 22 rounds, almost doubling his tally of wins from the previous five seasons combined.

\n

The Red Bull powerhouse produced a record-breaking run of 10 victories during the F1 2023 season after cruising to a third World Championship title and is off to another winning start in 2024, his win in Saudi Arabia giving him a better overall win percentage than Schumacher.

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4: Lewis Hamilton \u2013 30.83%

\n

Mercedes’ unprecedented dominance of the hybrid era was ruthlessly spearheaded by Lewis Hamilton, who left no stone unturned as he swept up victory after victory.

\n

The Stevenage-born star failed to win a Grand Prix for the first time in his entire Formula 1 career in 2022, having done so every year since his incredible McLaren breakout in 2007.

\n

Having broken Schumacher’s Grand Prix record in 2020 and later become the first man to smash through the 100-victory barrier, Hamilton has shown no intention of stopping with 103 wins.

\n

By the completion of the 2023 season, he had the third-most starts in Formula 1 history. Though Mercedes must deliver a competitive car for Hamilton soon or else he will start to fall down the rankings.

\n

PlanetF1.com recommends

\n

F1 race wins: Which drivers have the highest win totals in Formula 1 history?

\n

F1 points all-time rankings: Where do Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso and Max Verstappen feature?

\n

3: Jim Clark \u2013 34.72%

\n

Despite Hamilton’s standard-setting success, he is not the foremost Brit on this list. That honour belongs to Jim Clark, another ferociously fast driver lost to the sport far too early.

\n

In third place on the all-time list, Clark’s 34.72 per cent win rate gives generations much too young to recognise his talent an idea of the Scottish two-time World Champion’s pace.

\n

Clark entered nine F1 seasons with Team Lotus and earned 25 victories from just 72 starts \u2013 winning seven of the 1963 season’s 10 races en-route to his first title, backing it up two years later.

\n

Clark tasted Grand Prix victory for seven consecutive seasons, from 1962 right up to his death in 1968 at the wheel of a Formula 2 car at the Hockenheimring. He was just 32 years old.

\n

2: Alberto Ascari \u2013 40.63%

\n

The 1952 season was only Formula 1’s third campaign. Alberto Ascari, who had lined up at the very first Monaco GP, showed up in Ferrari red as a two-time race winner and\u00a0duly produced one of the most dominant seasons F1 has seen.

\n

He didn’t show at the season-opener in Switzerland and retired from the Indy 500. Then he won all six of the remaining rounds, a clean-sweep.

\n

His 1953 season was just as impressive, upstaging Juan Manuel Fangio for glory.

\n

Ascari competed in just three full Formula 1 seasons before his tragic death at Monza in 1955 but a stunning record of 13 victories from 32 starts \u2013 10 of which ended in retirements \u2013 confirms the Ferrari icon’s name belongs among the greats.

\n

1: Juan Manuel Fangio \u2013 47.06%

\n

The aforementioned Jackie Stewart is among the Formula 1 greats of yesteryear who claim Juan Manuel Fangio, not Hamilton or Schumacher, is the greatest of all time.

\n

With a win rate of almost a victory every other Grand Prix, it’s hard to argue. Beating Fangio was just that difficult.

\n

A five-time World Champion and double runner-up between 1950 and 1958, Fangio’s 24 wins from 52 starts monopolised the first decade of Formula 1.

\n

Just imagine how many Grand Prix the Argentine icon could have amassed through a 23-race F1 season. Imagine if F1 had arrived earlier? Fangio was 39 years old when the World Championship was created, having begun his racing career in 1936. He became F1’s oldest title winner, aged 46.

\n

Fangio, a worthy P1.

\n

Read next: F1 schedule: When is the next F1 race and where is it being held?

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Share this Article

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