10 Most Successful Formula One Drivers Of All Time
Who are the fastest men on four-wheels?
The Formula One World Drivers Championship has been around for 77 years. It is the fastest sport on earth and a true test of man and machine. With speeds regularly reaching up to 200 miles-per-hour, it takes a mixture of skill and bravery to get the cars from lights-out to the chequered flag, not least in first place. The season is long and arduous, taking in almost all the continents, and at its peak, 21 different countries. That's a lot of air (and track) miles!
Formula One has changed over the years: the cars have gotten faster, then slower, then faster again, innovations like aerodynamics, ground-effects, and active suspension have changed the nature of a race, and the tracks have gone from long and treacherous to shorter and more modern. The circus itself has changed too, going from enthusiastic playboys to more marketable and mainstream.
33 different drivers have won the World Championship over the years, but who are the most successful?
A few on this list may surprise and many will not, but they are the most successful drivers in the fastest sport on earth.
10. Jack Brabham
Championships: 3
Wins: 14
Pole Positions: 13
Many of the drivers on this list hold unique records, Jack Brabham's, though, is legitimately never going to be beaten. Brabham is the only man in history to win the Formula One World Championship in a car bearing his name. In 1966, Brabham blitzed the field to win the Championship in his own car, the BT19.
Brabham was known for his stoic attitude and technical prowess which was borne out in the fact that he started his own team. A gruff Aussie, Brabham was known in the paddock as 'Black Jack' owing to his demeanor. First racing in 1955, Brabham competed against the likes of John Surtees, Jim Clarke, Graham Hill, and Phil Hill in one of the most competitive periods of the sport. In an era with champions like that, a fighting spirit was necessary to win races and Brabham had that in abundance. It was a testament to his spirit and ability that he won a race in his final season at the age of 44.