50 - Rubens Barrichello (BRA)

49 - Elio De Angelis (ITA)

48 - Jacques Villenueve (CAN)

47 - Juan Pablo Montoya (COL)

46 - Stefan Bellof (GER)

45 - Jean Pierre Wimille (FRA)

44 - Clay Regazzoni (SUI)

43 - Carlos Reutemann (ARG)

42 - Daniel Ricciardo (AUS)

41 - Didier Pironi (FRA)

 

40 - Francois Cevert (FRA)

39 - John Surtees (GB)

38 - Giuseppe Farina (ITA)

37 - Keke Rosberg (FIN)

36 - Gerhard Berger (AUT)

35 - Dan Gurney (USA)

34 - Jose Froilan Gonzalez (ARG)

33 - Jenson Button (GB)

32 - Jean Alesi (FRA)

31 - Bernd Rosemeyer (GER)

 

30 - Graham Hill (GB)

29 - Max Verstappen (NED)

28 - Luigi Villoresi (ITA)

27 - Kimi Raikkonen (FIN)

26 - James Hunt (GB)

25 - Alberto Ascari (ITA)

24 - Louis Chiron (MON)

23 - Jochen Rindt (AUT)

22 - Sebastian Vettel (GER)

21 - Jack Brabham (AUS)

 

20 - Ronnie Peterson (SWE)

19 - Achille Varzi (ITA)

18 - Mario Andretti (USA)

17 - Mika Hakkinen (FIN)

16 - Emerson Fittipaldi (BRA)

15 - Nelson Piquet (BRA)

14 - Nigel Mansell (GB)

13 - Gilles Villeneuve (CAN)

12 - Lewis Hamilton (GB)

11 - Fernando Alonso (SPA)

 

10 – Stirling Moss

 

 

Career – 1951-1961

Teams – Mercedes, Maserati, Vanwall, Rob Walker Racing, Cooper, Lotus, HWM

WC Starts – 66

WC Wins – 16 (+19 Non World Championship wins)

WC Poles – 16

Best Finish – 2nd (1955, 1956, 1957, 1958)

 

 

There are so many things that can be said of Sir Stirling Moss’ racing career that it’s almost impossible to know where to begin, that’s probably why nearly every introduction or biography of him starts with one simple statement – the greatest driver never to win the World Championship. There’s the occasional shout for Gilles Villeneuve but F1 fans are almost universal in their recognition of Moss’ greatness.

 

Were it not for the existence of Juan Manuel Fangio, then the Briton would have taken the title three years running in ’55, ‘56’ and ’57. And were it not for his own honourable nature he would have been champion in 1958 – Mike Hawthorn was disqualified in Portugal, until Moss spoke up in his defence and had the penalty overturned. Moss lost out on the title by a solitary point.

However, Moss did have to race against Fangio, a driver who many still consider the greatest of them all, and his record against him is impressive, if not equal. It is widely acknowledged that during their partnership at Mercedes they would race to the first corner, whoever got there first would stay in front and they’d run in formation for the remainder of the race, usually with Moss finishing immediately behind Fangio. The two drivers were great friends and Fangio always spoke highly of Moss.

Added to this, after a few years he elected to only race for British manufacturers – ‘better to lose honourably in a British car than win in a foreign one’. However, aside from a single year at Vanwall (1958) the teams he ran for were largely unreliable and he could only finish as high as 3rd in the title.

Throughout his F1 career he accumulated 16 World Championship victories, still a record for a driver without a title. During this time there were numerous non-championship F1 races and they usually featured the same drivers. Moss won 19 of these races. He became the first British driver to win the British Grand Prix (ahead of Fangio). His Grand Prix career came to an end following a heavy crash at Goodwood in 1962 that left him in a coma for a month and partially paralysed for another six. He tested a Lotus in early 1963 but despite lapping only a few tenths of the pace he felt he had lost his edge and retired from F1 permanently.

Concurrent to his F1 career he ran in sports cars becoming the first non-American to win Sebring 12hrs and in 1955 he won the Mille Miglia with a drive of legendary brilliance that has been described as the ‘most iconic single day drive in motor racing history; and ‘the most epic drive. Ever’. Moss’s time of 10 hours 7 minutes for the 1000 mile race set records that have never been broken. He finished 33 minutes ahead of Fangio. The Argentine may have been the better in single seaters but Moss was unquestionably the best all rounder in the world.

Such was his fame that he was the first driver to be associated with the question ‘who do you think you are…?’ for speeding motorists, apparently even being asked the question at one stage when pulled over.

He remains the elder statesmen of British Motor racing and undeniably one of the finest drivers ever to grace F1.

 

 

Sadly since writing this Stirling Moss has passed away.

 

The last word – ‘Stirling Moss was so big that he didn’t have to be the world champion, he was still the best in the world.’ – Jackie Stewart.

 

Stirling Moss the greatest driver in my view to never win a World Championship. A sad loss it certainly was his passing.

09 – Jackie Stewart

 

 

Career – 1965-1973

Teams – BRM, Matra, March, Tyrell

WC Starts – 99

WC Wins – 27 (+5 Non World Championship wins)

WC Poles – 17

Best Finish – World Champion (1969, 1971, 1973)

 

 

 

The ‘Flying Scot’, as he was known, has had probably more impact on the sport than any other driver in history. Some have even argued that the sport simply wouldn’t exist any more were it not for his campaign to improve safety. Stewart himself estimated that during his era, if a driver raced for five years they had a 66% chance of being killed racing. His crusade to make the sport safer has been well documented but it is not the reason for his inclusion in this list. As a driver he was outstanding, so smooth and controlled that to watch him race gave the impression that he wasn’t fast at all, and yet he’d be pulling away from the field.

Stewart’s World Championship career began in 1965 driving for BRM alongside Graham Hill. On his debut he finished 6th and ended his rookie season with a total of five podiums, one a victory in Monza. He ended the title race in 3rd.

He prepared for the 1966 season by winning the Tasman series, facing off against Hill and Jim Clark. He also came very close to winning the Indianapolis 500 as well, leading by over a lap with only eight laps to go when pump failed. Graham Hill won the race but Stewart was named Rookie Of The Year. Hill himself was also a rookie.

1966 was to be a difficult year in F1. He won Monaco but it was the race at Spa that defined his season and legacy. He crashed heavily, with the car coming to rest upside down in a farmer’s shed leaking fuel all over him, with no marshals or tools to remove him from the cockpit. He was eventually freed and taken by pickup truck to the first aid centre and placed on a floor littered with cigarette butts until and ambulance arrived. The ambulance drivers got lost en route to the hospital in Liege. He was eventually taken by private jet to the UK before he was treated. It was here that he vowed to improve safety.

If 1966 was bad, then 1967 was worse with only two podiums to show for his efforts. He left for Matra for 1968. Jim Clark was expected to win the title but his tragic death at Hockenheim started the year badly for everyone. Stewart was then injured in an F2 forcing him to miss the following two races. Otherwise, he had his most successful year to date – three wins granted him 2nd in the championship behind Graham Hill.

1969 was his year though, he dominated in style, leading at least one lap of every Grand Prix held that year, an unmatched achievement, and won six of the eleven races to be crowned World Champion.

His title defence was hampered by poor reliability and the Lotus team led by Jochen Rindt proved too good for everyone but 1971 would see Stewart, now with Tyrell, win a further six from eleven races. The crown was his again. Yet once again, defending the title saw him miss out to another Lotus driver, this time the young Brazilian, Emerson Fittipaldi.

As 1973 began Stewart had made up his mind to retire. Despite his popularity in Britain, his campaign for safety had made him unpopular with some drivers and most of the circuit owners. Improvements had been made but too many drivers were still dying. Stewart had simply had enough of seeing his friends buried. According to Jackie, one night he and his wife Helen sat up counting all the friends they’d lost to the sport. They stopped counting at 53.

The last race of the year would be his 100th and it seemed a fitting number to end on. The Tyrell’s again swept all before them. Stewart and his young protégé Francois Cevert were frequently coming in 1-2. Cevert was ready to take over as team leader next year and had been an ‘obliging’ number two driver. With the title again sown up, Jackie was preparing for his final Grand prix when Cevert was killed at Watkins Glen in what was described as ’a bad one’. Stewart walked away from racing immediately, withdrawing from his final race.

Jackie moved in to commentary for many years but never let up in his quest for better safety in a sport that he would eventually return to in the late ‘90s as team boss for Stewart Racing, alongside his son Paul. Sir Jackie remains a distinguished presence at most races to this day. He is the only surviving World Champion from the 1960s and one of only four left alive from the ‘70s.

 

The last word – ‘I would have been a much more popular World Champion if I always said what people wanted to hear. I might have been dead, but definitely more popular.’ – Jackie Stewart

Edited June 21, 20205 yr by Severin

08 – Niki Lauda

 

 

Career – 1971-1985

Teams – March, BRM, Ferrari, Brabham, McLaren

WC Starts – 171

WC Wins – 25 (+2 Non World Championship wins)

WC Poles – 24

Best Finish – World Champion (1975, 1977, 1984)

 

 

 

The late Austrian driver who may be most remembered for arguably the single greatest comeback in sporting history. To come back from a position where everybody already assumed you were dead is one thing but to be racing (and well) within six weeks and a title winner in a year is incredible. Not only that but Lauda retired only to come back after a two year absence and went on to win a third title. Were it not for his accident he would surely have won three titles in a row and possibly more had he not grown tired of ‘the silliness of driving around in circles’.

 

It was by no means a glorious start for him in racing though. He pursued his passion despite the disapproval of his family who he would eventually lose contact with. In the end he took out a £30,000 loan just to March’s F2 team in 1971. Following a one off F1 race in Austria he was rewarded with a full contract for the 1972 season. The year was disaster however and Lauda was forced into another bank loan in order to secure a drive with BRM for 1973. Despite Lauda’s apparent speed and skill with setup the team were in decline and his future once more looked bleak. With no funds left it looked like the season’s end would be the end of his F1 career.

A lifeline came though, in the form of Clay Reggazoni, Lauda’s BRM team mate, now at Ferrari for 1974. Team boss Enzo, following Regazzoni’s glowing recommendation signed Lauda with a deal big enough to clear his debts. Initially, things looked very promising. Lauda scored a 2nd place in his debut and wins in Spain and the Netherlands but mixed results elsewhere left him 4th in the championship. Ferrari, however, were sufficiently impressed by his attention to detail and ability to learn quickly from his mistakes that they retained him for 1975. He would reward them by asserting his superiority over Regazzoni and winning five races and his first title.

In 1976 he was expected to continue his streak and retain the title. It began well, Lauda won four of the opening six races but friend and rival James Hunt began to show signs of a challenge by mid season, although the Austrian had a commanding lead at this point. Then came the race at the Nurburgring. Lauda had repeatedly voiced concerns about the lack of safety on such a long and dangerous circuit and even attempted to lead a driver boycott before the event. The race went ahead and on the 2nd lap Lauda spun into the barrier, his Ferrari bursting into flames and bouncing back on to the circuit where it was hit by Brett Lunger’s car. The Austrian was trapped in the car, fully conscious but his ill-fitting helmet had come off and he was exposed to the fire. Eventually, other drivers freed him but he had inhaled toxic fumes and suffered severe burns. He soon lapsed into a coma and was given the last rites in hospital.

Miraculously, he survived with limited surgery and despite extensive scarring returned to race at Monza. Hunt had meanwhile chipped away at his points lead and there was now a genuine title fight on the cards. Lauda finished a remarkable 4th in Monza. He admitted that the race had left him ‘terrified’ and there are reports of layers of blood soaked bandages being removed from his scalp at the end of the race. Hunt won the next two races and the title fight went to the last race in Japan. The race proceeded in extreme wet conditions and Lauda pulled out early on saying ‘my life is worth more than a title’. Hunt won the title by a single point.

Lauda’s decision to drop out of the Japanese race soured his relationship with Ferrari and despite a straightforward title win in 1977, he felt let down. With the team clearly enamoured of new third driver Gilles Villenueve, Lauda elected to move on in 1978. He spent two years with Brabham but aside from a memorable win in the ill-fated ‘fan car’ it was a joyless experience and he retired out right on the eve of the 1979 Canadian GP.

He was eventually tempted back by McLaren in 1982. After a promising start to the year he finished 5th in the championship. 1983 was a dismal year full of retirements but near the end of the year McLaren switched engines and the car showed promise. In 1984 Lauda won five races and pipped Alain Prost to the title by half a point, the slimmest margin ever. The following year was full of retirements and after a sole race win that year, Lauda retired for the final time.

 

 

 

The last word – ‘While the word ‘legend’ is often used advisedly, for Niki it is absolutely appropriate. His achievements as a racing driver and as a businessman, combined with his extraordinary personality, have made him an international legend.’ – Gerhard Berger

 

Niki Lauda it was remarkable the fightback after that horrific crash. A great driver and a great comeback to win a third world title in 1984 by half a point.

07 – Alain Prost

 

 

Career – 1980-1993

Teams – McLaren, Renault, Ferrari, Williams

WC Starts – 199

WC Wins – 51 (+2 Non World Championship wins)

WC Poles – 33

Best Finish – World Champion (1985, 1986, 1989, 1993)

 

 

Alain Prost is arguably the greatest racing driver of the 1980s, winning three of his four titles in that decade, facing down the challenges of giants of the sport such as Piquet, Lauda, Senna and Mansell. Nicknamed ‘The Professor’ for his ultra smooth, calculating and measured style, he would drove as slow as it took to stay in contention before coming on strong in the latter half of the race. In his early years he learned how to win races with poor and unreliable machinery and then when paired with Niki Lauda, he added cunning to his repertoire. It should be noted too, that he was equally adept at playing the political game, particularly whe it came to his team mates. He remains France’s only World Champion and is regularly cited among the greatest ever.

Prost came in to F1 with McLaren and a car that was poor at best, a handful of points finishes meant he placed 16th but was soon drafted to the Renault team for 1981, winning his first victory at his home race and a further two more by the end of the year, ending the title fight a respectable 5th,, only 7 points of the Champion, Piquet.

1982 began with promise, winning the opening two races before a series of retirements ended any hope of challenging. During this year he and team mate Rene Arnoux had problems in their relationship and his standing in the French media suffered, Arnoux had always been hugely popular. It was in 1982 where Prost earned his hatred for wet weather racing when he was unsighted by spray before colliding with Didier Pironi, in what was a career ending accident for his fellow Frenchman. Prost later stated that whenever racing in the wet, each time he braked he had visions of Pironi's car launching over him.

Arnoux however, left for Ferrari and would be replaced by American Eddie Cheever. Prost outclassed Cheever and came close to his first title, winning four races. Renault blamed Prost for his being overhauled by Piquet, whilst Prost felt Renault had funded little development on the car. Prost was fired but within days had re-signed for McLaren for 1983.

Partnered with Niki Lauda, the two drivers formed a great friendship and battled each other for the title throughout the season, Prost won seven races compared to Lauda’s five but missed out on the title by half a point (due to the controversially rain shortened Monaco GP – close friend Jack Ickx red flagged the race with Senna and Bellof closing in fast).

1985 would be his year though. Still with McLaren, who employed all the skills he’d been learning to win five races and his first title, reversing the loss to Lauda the previous year.

Keke Rosberg replaced Lauda in 1986 and it looked very much like the title would go to either Mansell or Piquet but Prost hung in there long enough to pick up the pieces when the two Williams drivers’ rivalry cost them at the final race.

In 1987 Prost surpassed Jackie Stewart’s record for race wins but the McLaren team had gone backwards. 1987 was a poor year and he finished 4th behind Piquet, Mansell and Senna.

Senna would join Prost at McLaren and the pair would go on to form possibly the greatest ever rivalry in F1, certainly one of the most explosive and, in 1988 the most successful ever. Between them they won fifteen of the sixteen races. Prost won seven of them and outscored Senna by 11 points. The title went to Senna though due to the rule in which only the best 11 results counted. Prost, understandably campaigned to change the scoring system.

Towards the end of 1988 Prost had felt Senna was receiving preferential treatment by Honda and between then and the start of 1989 their battle for dominance had turned their respectful rivalry in to mutual hatred. There were accusations of dangerous driving and reneging on agreements, all carried out in public. Things came to a head in Japan with the title up for grabs. On lap 46 Senna made his move and Prost turned in on him. The two cars locked together and came to a rest of the track. Prost assuming the title was his exited his car, whilst Senna was pushed by marshals. Senna bump started it and embarked on a stunning drive to win the race, and the title. Until hes was disqualified by the FIA for missing the chicane. The decision was controversial and the fall-out meant Prost left for Ferrari.

As World Champion Prost leveraged his status to gain advantage with the Scuderia over Nigel Mansell. Prost would win five races and yet again the title fight came down to Japan against Senna. The Brazilian had won pole but argued it was on the dirty side of the track and should be moved. The FIA refused and an incensed Senna vowed that if Prost (lining up 2nd) got the jump on him at the start, that he would not yield in to the corner. It went exactly as everyone expected and the two cars collided, beaching in the gravel trap. Senna was champion and Prost was disgusted so much he considered quitting the sport immediately.

1991 was a bad season for Ferrari and by default for Prost too. He was winless and eventually sacked by Ferrari after describing a truck as having better handling. He took a year out whilst Mansell dominated 1992. During this year Prost signed for Williams for 1993, infuriating Mansell, who left for Indycars. Senna also vied for a seat with Williams but Prost had inserted a clause banning this from ever happening. He was partnered with Damon Hill, who by mid season had begun to mount a challenge to Prost, and of course Ayrton Senna was outdriving a poor McLaren to win a number of races. Prost announced in October that he would retire after the season and was surprised at the final race of the year when Senna embraced him on the podium. They had barely spoken in years but following his retirement some warmth returned. Prost would eventually act as a pallbearer at Senna’s funeral.

Prost left F1 with four world titles but would return in later years to own and manage a team in his own name, having bought out the struggling Ligier team. Sadly, the money ran out in 2002 and the team folded.

 

The last word – ‘I always say that my ideal is to get pole with the minimum effort, and to win the race at the slowest speed possible.’ – Alain Prost

 

06 – Tazio Nuvolari

 

 

Career – 1924-1949

Teams – Bugatti, Alfa Romeo, Alfa Corse, Ferrari, Auto Union

WC Starts – N/A

WC Wins – N/A (+24 Non World Championship wins)

WC Poles – N/A

Best Finish – European Champion (1932)

 

There will be people who will slate me for putting Nuvolari this low, many consider him the greatest driver of all time… and they may well have a point – 150 race wins (72 major victories) including 24 Grand Prix, 5 Coppa Cianos, 2 Mille Miglias, 2 Targa Florios, Le Mans 24 hrs and a European Championship in Grand prix racing – his list of successes in cars is beyond compare, but even before that he was a legend in motorcycle racing. Often referred toas 'The' driver of the pre-war era. The only reason I’ve placed him this low is my comparatively little knowledge of him.

Nicknames ‘The Flying Mantuan’, tales of his bravery are too numerous to detail – once having broken both legs he had his mechanics strap him to his bike so he could enter. They had to hold him upright at the start and catch him at the finish. He won the race. A similar event happened in 1934, again a broken leg didn’t stop him from racing in the Avus-Rennen where he finished 5th. A car designer once asked him what he thought of his new brakes, Nuvolari replied he hadn't used them and has also been quoted as saying 'Brakes?? What are brakes for?'

At the Mille Miglia he drove through the night with no headlights, using rival Achille Varzi as a guide, only to catch him and as he passed, switch his lights on and speed off.

At the Targa Floria he would tell his mechanic that if he shouted going in to a corner to drop to the floor. He explained that it meant he’d taken it too fast and his mechanic was lowering the cars centre of mass. Legend has it he shouted at every corner from first to last.

Nuvolari only switched to racing cars full time in 1930 by which time he was a multiple Grand Prix winner. In 1932 he won the European Championship driving for Alfa Romeo and winning two of the three races. At this stage all Grand Prix lasted between five and ten hours. There was no European Championship again until 1935 so Nuvolari consoled himself by winning Le Mans (breaking the lap record nine times en route) and ten Grand Prix races.

By 1935 after Achille Varzi had pressured Auto Union in to denying him a drive with them, Nuvolari was back with Ferrari (having previously walked out on them). He would then win a race since coined ‘the impossible victory’. Driving the inferior Alfa Romeo P3 in the German Grand Prix at the Nurburgring he finished ahead of all nine German cars – five Mercedes W25s and four Auto Union Type Bs – the most powerful cars in the world, and he did it in their backyard in front of all the heads of the Third Reich.

The next two years would be frustrating as the German teams continued to dominate every race and eventually he scored a seat at Auto Union. He took victories at Monza and Donnington. There was a solitary victory in 1939 just mere days before the war broke out.

After the war he won two more races but he was now 53 and with his health beginning to fail him he finally retired following a stroke in 1952. A second stroke a year later killed the great man.

 

The last word - ‘the greatest driver of the past, present and the future’. - Ferdinand Porsche

 

Two of the greats there in Prost and Nuvolari. Fantastic from Prost when he came back from a year's sabbatical to win his fourth world title in 1993 for Williams.

05 – Michael Schumacher

 

 

Career – 1991-2012

Teams – Jordan, Benetton, Ferrari, Mercedes

WC Starts – 306

WC Wins – 91

WC Poles – 68

Best Finish – World Champion (1994, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004)

 

 

I agonised for some time over the final positions of the top 5, starting with an instinctive order, then I went over and over there careers in my head, re-read the histories and it turns out not one of the top 5 ends up where I initially placed them – I had put Schumacher in 2nd place.

I won’t bother with a potted history, it’s well known, so instead I’ll do a general explaination.

Schumacher, it has to be said, is one of the greatest racing drivers in history. Even during his F1 career there where some brilliant drivers lined up against him – Berger, Alesi, Montoya, Villenueve and Barrichello all made this list and each and every one he outperformed regardless of who had the best car. Then there are notable others, who didn’t make the list, such as Damon Hill and Nico Rosberg. Hill, who arguably should have won the title in ’95 and possibly even ’94 (given Schumacher’s disqualifications), was never on the same level no matter how much you had to admire his work ethic. Rosberg meanwhile paired up with Michael when he’d been out of the game for several years and it was apparent by 2006 that errors were becoming more frequent. Additionally Michael had to deal with a car designed with a stiff back end – most drivers’ preference – whereas his choice would be a more responsive front and he’d deal with the rear as needed. This partly explains why good team mates always struggled against him.

Finally, there are those who genuinely challenged him. We were sadly denied the spectacle of Ayrton Senna and Schumacher going head to head for the title in 1994. For me, the fact that Senna even managed to put that Williams on pole in three races speaks volumes of his brilliance. The car was vastly inferior to the Benetton (regardless of whether you believe they were cheating) but a series of unfortunate and ultimately tragic events denied us even having a full race between them that year. By the end of the year the Williams was equal, following improvements, and I believe that if Damon Hill could take it to the wire, then Senna may well have won it by then and probably the following year too.

Schumacher’s switch to Ferrari was widely viewed as a loan of his title to Hill, so it was a pleasant surprise when Villeneuve nearly nicked it from him, but Villeneuve really should have soundly defeated Schumacher in 1997. Mika Hakkinen deservedly won the title in 1998 and 1999 and Schumacher always said he was his toughest and most respected rival. It’s also probably fair to say Schumacher would have won in 1999 but for his accident. Which leaves only Fernando Alonso, the man who ended his reign, he’s already appeared in this list so you know my regard for him but also how I compare him to Michael. By this time age and errors were beginning to creep in and his time was clearly coming to an end, then in my opinion he should have stayed retired after Ferrari. The Mercedes adventure only devalues his greatness and whilst there were signs of the old fire at times, he was passed his best. However, I believe the continually improving performance of the cars owed much to Michael, much like it did at Ferrari.

So why is he 5th?

First the good, it was clear from as early as ’91 that he was good when he embarrassed Nelson Piquet, but 1992 was the year he stood up when he won at Spa in the wet. He would go on to win many stunning victories in the wet, Spain 1996, where he inherited the title ‘Der Regenmeister’ is especially evident but I was privileged enough to witness first hand his complete mastery at Spa in 1998. Everyone remembers his accident with Coulthard but Michael was so far above and ahead of everyone it was incredible. Monaco 1997 where he was 22 secs ahead after five laps, his incredible drive at Belgium from 16th to win in the wet while on slicks is another. But it wasn’t always in the wet, Spain 1995 whilst stuck in 5th gear, his relentless pursuit of the luckless Jean Alesi at the 1995 European GP, Japan in 2000 for his first Ferrari title, the list goes on. The man was, between 1994 and 2005 a genius at the wheel again and again.

Then comes the ‘but’. His insistence on being the priority number one driver which came in to play in 1994 but really mattered at Ferrari – many have done it but imagine if he’d have been partnered with these each year – instead of Irvine, Barrichello or Massa, perhaps Berger, Frentzen, Montoya, Alesi or Raikkonen. I don’t doubt he’d have defeated them and maybe Ferrari might have had issues managing two great drivers but he never tested himself against the best in equal equipment. Team orders never helped his legacy

And the biggest negative, that we all knew was coming, his occasional transgressions on the track. Firstly, Benetton were never proven to be cheating so I’m discounting that but his driving on the parade lap at Silverstone in 1995 was disrespectful and he outright lied about not seeing the black flag. I’ve always felt the collision with Hill at Adelaide was instinctive and not deliberate so I don’t hold that against him but the collision with Villeneuve at Jerez in 1997 was calculated and should have been beneath him. His squeezing of Barrichello against the wall in Hungary was one of a number of overly aggressive moves that pushed the boundaries of what should be acceptable. ‘Parking’ at Monaco too, just in time to screw over Alonso.

However, no driver on this list is without flaws (maybe number 2) and the desire to win is what marks out the great. For me Schumacher is 5th because the remaining four never had the odds deliberately stacked quite so strongly in their favour and on the whole refrained from unsavoury tactics. Schumacher will always be a legend, one of my favourite drivers and among the very best that ever lived and I only hope one day we see him in better health once more.

 

 

The last word – ‘It was not a race. It was a demonstration of brilliance.’ – Stirling Moss on the 1996 Spanish GP

 

04 – Rudolf Caracciola

 

 

Career – 1926-1939

Teams – Mercedes, Alfa Romeo

WC Starts – N/A

WC Wins – (19 Non-Championship Wins)

WC Poles – N/A

Best Finish – European Champion (1935, 1936, 1938)

 

 

The legendary pre-war German driver completed 186 races in his entire career – he won 149 of them. Of course, most of them weren’t Grand Prix but, no matter what machinery he had, he never finished lower than 6th in any race he completed and in only 5 races did he not make the podium. When you factor in that his main rivals were Nuvolari, Varzi, Rosemeyer, and Chiron his brilliance becomes clear. His record of six German Grand Prix wins remains unbroken to this day and almost all of them came at the original Nurburgring. He also won the AVUSrennen (1930), the Mille Miglia (1931) and the Eifelrennen (1931, 32, 35). Additionally, on 28th Jan 1938 driving the Mercedes RekordwagenW125 he set the fastest speed record on a publc road, clocking in at 268mph. The record was not broken until 2017. However, his story starts with humble beginnings and his personal life was as tragic as his racing one was glorious.

Born in Remagen in 1901, he soon found himself chasing his racing dream in Aachen with the Fafnir company. When Fafnir decided to enter the 1922 AVUS race Caracciola convinced them to let him drive. He finished a remarkable 4th, earning further entries and more success. However, after assaulting a Belgian soldier he had to flee to Dresden. Whilst working for Fafnir as a salesman he managed to managed to find himself hired by Daimler instead and was able to enter races driving a Mercedes. Across 1923-24 he won 19 races for Mercedes and was able to concentrate full time on driving.

His first major race came in 1926 with the inaugural German Grand Prix at the AVUS track. Mercedes were already committed to the Spanish GP on the same date and so allowed young ‘Rudi’ to enter as an independent in their car. The race began in terrible rain and fog and then Caracciola stalled it, losing a full minute on the field before moving off. He decided to go for and see how much he could make up. After 20 laps in which, due to the conditions he could barely see other the cars, he crossed the line and was mobbed and stunned to learn he’d won the race. He was christened ‘Der Regenmeister’ for his skill in the wet.

From that day his relationship with Mercedes was cemented. He got married and continued to be the team’s rising star winning nearly 11 competitions with them. He retired from the 1927 German GP but reclaimed the title in 1928.

In 1931 Mercedes withdrew from motor racing following the economic crisis and they competed in very few races, although Caracciola did win the German GP and the AVUSrennen again. By 1932 Mercedes had pulled out of racing all together and he was now driving for Alfa Romeo (albeit on a promise to return to Mercedes when they returned to racing) but only as a semi-independent. The team’s Italian drivers didn’t think he could cope with their much lighter machines. He retired from the lead in the Mille Miglia and at the following Monaco GP closed in on Nuvolari with such pace that the crowd jeered him when he followed the Italian home in 2nd place. Caracciola claimed it would have been ‘dishonourable’ to overtake him. He was given a full time drive on the spot. However, German fans jeered him too at the AVUS track, feeling he defected to Alfa Romeo.

Unfortunately, Alfa Romeo pulled out of racing too in 1933. He decided to set up a team with Louis Chiron, Scuderia C.C. Using self bought Alfa Romeo cars It was in practice for the Monaco GP that the brakes failed. It was the sea or a concrete wall. The impact with the wall shattered his right thigh. Doctors said he would be lucky to walk unaided and would never race again. Operations left him with a permanent limp but on hearing that Mercedes, with funding from the Nazi government, were looking to re-enter racing, an inspired Caracciola resolved to be fit. Tragedy struck again when his wife was killed in an avalanche near there Swiss home. All he had left was racing and he returned in immense pain in 1934.

By 1935 he was race fit and duly won the European Championship. He did so again in 1936 but rival Bernd Rosemeyer in the Auto Union won in 1937. Caracciola won the title a third time in 1938. The following year his relationship with the team began to sour, he believed they were favouring Herman Lang. The season was interrupted by the war and Caracciola spent the duration in Switzerland, trying repeatedly to get two of the surviving Mercedes cars shipped out to him. They were eventually gifted to him but were impounded by the Swiss government as German ‘war property’.

In 1946 he traveled to the USA to enter the Indianapolis 500 but was hit in the face by a bird causing him to crash. He was comatose for many days. After his, recovery he attempted a comeback in sportscars, again with Mercedes in 1952 and finished 4th in the Mille Miglia. He third major accident occurred at the Swiss Gp . His brakes locked and he collided with a tree. The accident broke his good leg and ended his career. Seven years later he died from liver complications.

 

The last word – ‘the greatest driver of the twenties and thirties, perhaps even of all time.’ – Alfred Neubauer

 

Again both terrific posts regarding Michael Schumacher and Rudolf Caracciola. Really.enjoyed this countdown. Three left. Looking forward to seeing who has made the Top 3.

Again both terrific posts regarding Michael Schumacher and Rudolf Caracciola. Really.enjoyed this countdown. Three left. Looking forward to seeing who has made the Top 3.

Cheers Mack. I'll have this done before the season starts (finally!). I'm pretty sure you could work out the top 3 even if the order isn't certain.

A Scot, an Brazilian and an Argentinean possibly?

Lets just say it's not Paul Di Resta, Pedro Diniz or Esteban Tuero but you're on the right lines

Apologies for the write up for #3. I just couldn't make it work

03 – Ayrton Senna

 

 

Career – 1984-1994

Teams – Toleman, Lotus, McLaren, Williams

WC Starts – 161

WC Wins – 41

WC Poles – 65

Best Finish – World Champion (1988, 1990, 1991)

 

 

I agonised over the final three positions for a long time. Initially, Senna was placed at the top and for a number of compelling reasons; a 25% win ratio, 65 pole positions and 3 Championships, all won against some of the sports greatest competitors, are testament to his brilliance. Then there are the iconic drives – Monaco 1984, Estoril 1985, Monaco 1988, Japan 1989, Brazil 1991, Donnington 1993 among many others. And it would be wrong to omit to mention that Senna was my ‘sporting hero’. I had to privilege to be 12 when he exploded on to the scene and was immediately a fan. As the years progressed, I genuinely felt I was watching the greatest driver ever. Through all the animosity with Prost (who I always respected) I may have been slightly biased at the time on some things but age and reflection has tempered that and I still think Senna was better overall, yet he could not have been the driver he was without the Frenchman. And then there was May 1st 1994 when I sat and watched as he died live on television in what remains one of the most awful experiences of my life. I’d seen drivers killed racing before and I’ve seen it since but I still find it hard to think about even now, 26 years later.

Some people say that Senna’s death in 1994 has elevated him to some kind of untouchable status that he would not have enjoyed had he lived beyond Imola but his status had long since been cemented. To this day I have not seen a driver so utterly masterful in the wet - Schumacher came close and Alesi had his moments but neither had the control and skill that Senna regularly displayed. It was as if he could find grip that didn’t exist for any other driver and it earned him the nickname ‘Magic’. It would be a lie though, to suggest he was without his flaws. His utter dedication to proving he was the best driver sometimes brought out the ruthless side in his racing. There were the occasional incidents because he simply would give way. I’d argue Suzuka 1990 is separate from these as for Senna it was a point of principle and justice and more nuanced than simple hard racing. Senna felt he was robbed by Jean-Marie Balestre (and Prost) in 1989 – a sentiment I agree with regarding Balestre – it nearly forced him to quit F1 and he felt he was stitched up by Balestre again in 1990. Senna simply refused to back down and stated he would hold his line whatever. It was ugly to watch and left a nasty taste in the mouth for the sport and Senna himself was conflicted about it. Many in the sport felt justice was done but at a price of sportsmanship.

Despite the lack of a title many feel that 1993 was his best year in a car, even if the car itself was poor. Sadly he was stuck at McLaren through loyalty and lack of options – Prost and Mansell had refused to partner him for differing reasons for ’92 and ’93. Finally in 1994 he got his dream seat at Williams, only to find the car, now stripped of the previously permitted electronic systems, handled poorly and was a nightmare to drive. He was already looking for a way out and many were amazed when he put the car on pole for all three races he entered that year. The prospect of Senna vs Schumacher was the most exciting title race for years. He spun out in Brazil and at the second race, in Japan he was punted out from behind on the opening lap. He then sat trackside watching Schumacher’s Benetton lap after lap, becoming convinced it was deploying illegal traction control, later that year the system was found to be on the cars software but no proof could be shown that it was ever used.

At Imola, Williams unveiled a whole host of now developments for the car. Senna’s verdict was ‘it’s worse.’ He was deeply affected by the death of Roland Ratzenberger during Saturday’s sessions and again had conversations about quitting with Sid Watkins. With concerns over safety the GPDA was reformed and Senna and Gerhard Berger viewed the track looking at improvements, in particular Tamburello’s concrete wall, behind which there is a river. They concluded (despite Berger’s accident in 1989 and Piquet’s in 1987) that nothing could be done about it and accidents there were only likely through extremely unfortunate mechanical failures. It was a tragic oversight. When they pulled Senna from his wrecked Williams they discovered an Austrian flag in the cockpit – an intended tribute to Roland Ratzenberger. Gestures like this were part of the reason he was so loved.

Although, Imola is mentioned in any conversation about Ayrton, it is not what he is remembered for, rather the brilliance and passion with which he raced and for the way he inspired all of Brazil behind him like no driver has ever united a nation before or since – even Mansell and Schumacher. But his greatest legacy will always be those stunning drives he seemed to deliver every race.

 

The last word – ‘Ayrton Senna was such an extraordinary racing driver. His skills, craft, subtlety and courage were of such magnitude that he dwarfed his generation of drivers’ – Ron Dennis

 

02 – Jim Clark

 

 

Career – 1960-1968

Teams – Lotus

WC Starts – 72

WC Wins – 25 (+19 Non World Championship wins)

WC Poles – 33

Best Finish – World Champion (1963, 1965)

 

 

 

Many, many times in my youth I would marvel at the performances of drivers like Villeneuve, Lauda, Prost, Senna and others, to which my father would always reply ‘…good, but he’s no Jim Clark is he?’ It would infuriate me and I was convinced for some time that he was just winding me up. I knew Clark was a double World Champion and had quite the reputation but surely he wasn’t that good? Then in the early ‘90s he presented me with some vhs recordings he’d acquired through a friend who worked at Brands Hatch – rarely complete races and a lot of talking heads and much of it available easily these days I’m sure. I had to concede my father had a point.

 

The stats speak for themselves – from 72 races (all with Lotus) Clark scored –

 

33 wins – a 34% success rate – bettered only by Fangio and Ascari and superior to Hamilton, Schumacher, Prost, Senna, Stewart.

 

33 poles – a 45% rate - bettered only by Juan Manuel Fangio.

 

28 fastest laps – a 38% rate and bettered only by Fangio

 

Most grand slams (pole,win, fastest lap, led every lap) – 8, the most in the sport.

 

In both his championship winning years he scored the highest oercentage of possible championship points in a season – 100%.

 

He led 71% of the laps in 1963 – another record

 

He came 2nd in his first Indy 500 (controversially behind Parnelli Jones whose car was leaking oil – something the organiser had stated would receive a black flag). He missed the Monaco GP in 1965 to win the Indy 500 instead, becoming the only driver to win the race and F1 title in the same year.

 

He won the Tasman series (an Australasian series run using older F1 cars, often with current drivers) in 1965, 1967, 1968

 

It is also worth noting what might have been.

In 1962 an oil leak 20 laps from the finish cost him the title. In 1964 Clark’s engine seized whilst leading on the final lap, it gave the title to John Surtees.

1967 was dominated by the Brabham team and the Lotus was unreliable – Clark took ‘only’ 4 wins.

In 1968 however, the Lotus was good and Clark was expected to walk the championship. In South Africa he scored a perfect weekend, breaking several significant records (wins, laps led, poles) and finished the race 25s ahead of team mate Graham Hill. It would be his last race.

 

Jim Clark was killed whilst competing at Hockenheim in a Formula 2 race. The cause remains uncertain but his car had veered in the forest and collided with a tree. Clark suffered a broken neck and skull fracture. He died en route to the hospital.

Such was Clark’s reputation that Chris Amon said of the accident ‘If it could happen to him, what chance do the rest of us have?’

 

Among his greatest drives are the 1963 Belgian he lapped the entire field in foggy and wet conditions. He had started 8th and his gear shift kept slipping out of 5th gear. He drove the majority of the race one handed in the high speed stretches, holding it in place – at Spa.

At Monza in 1967 he lost a whole lap in the pits and dropped to 16th. He resumed the race and set consecutive lap records to retake the lead, only for his fuel to run out on the last lap, leaving him in 3rd place at the end.

He won the 1967 Mexican GP by over a minute despite being unable to use his clutch for almost the entire race.

 

Clark was renowned for his ultra smooth driving style that protected the cars tyres, brakes and engines often for multiple races and yet he was blisteringly quick. Clark would also often leave the set up as he found it. Simply getting in and going with it, a skill few drivers are capable of.

 

Jim Clark’s reputation has somehow been forgotten in the last 10-15 years, perhaps because a mere 2 titles seems meagre in these days of teams and drivers having years of dominance. Perhaps instead we should took to the high esteem in which other drivers held him.

As Jackie Stewart said – ‘He was so smooth, he was so clean, he drove with such finesse. He never bullied a racing car, he sort of caressed it into doing the things he wanted it to do.’

At Monza where Stewart, at the top of his form and full of confidence, came back to the pits and commented to another driver that he had finally found the courage to take the Curva Grande without backing off. Clark, over-hearing Stewart's remarks, was apparently heard to comment under his breath, 'what, you mean that you use to lift there?'

The last word – ‘in my opinion Jim Clark was the greatest racing driver ever’ – Juan Manuel Fangio

 

01 – Juan Manuel Fangio

 

 

Career – 1948-1958

Teams – Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Mercedes. Ferrari

WC Starts – 51

WC Wins – 24 (+13 Non World Championship wins)

WC Poles – 29

Best Finish – World Champion (1951, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957)

 

 

Juan Manuel Fangio may have once declared Jim Clark the greatest driver ever and most would agree he meant it but, as was his way, he was failing to recognise his own brilliance. There are only a handful of drivers that regularly top best driver polls – Senna, Schumacher, Clark, Prost and recently Hamilton has joined them. Fangio is the other and for so many years he was the only driver to ever top the lists. It’s only in the last 20 or so years where other names have crept in more often and his placing appear to dip. Such things are natural as new fans and writers have much more emotional and actual connections to more recent drivers rather than those who died before their generation were born.

 

I shall not labour too much on Fangio’s career, it is too well known. His stats speak for themselves but the one that truly matters is his astonishing 46% win ratio. Even a driver as dominant as Hamilton in Mercedes has been for the last few years can’t touch that. Fangio though didn’t do it with a single team. In fact he switched teams almost every year and whilst it’s fair to say he never had a poor car, he dominated in ways his team mates couldn’t match. Almost every great driver of the 20th Century has recognised him as the master. He won titles with all of the great teams of the 50s and bettered drivers of the calibre of Moss, Ascari, Farina. His drive in the 1957 German Grand Prix is regarded by many as the greatest ever. Having pitted on lap 13 a chaotic farce in the garage saw him drop to 3rd, 50 seconds adrift of the leaders. He set a succession of fastest laps, finishing with a time 11 seconds faster than either Peter Collins or Mike Hawthorn could muster and he duly passed the Ferrari’s with a lap to go.

Much has been debated in the past over the 1956 Italian GP when his team mate Peter Collins, himself in a position to win the title, handed over his car to Fangio. Some argue he was somewhat gifted the title rather than won it but this is true of most Championships in some way and it is a measure of the man and the esteem Fangio was held in that Collins gave up his car willingly and without being asked.

 

Tales of Fangio’s skill are far too numerous to recount he but the one I always recall is Stirling Moss recalling how at one corner there were some straw bales as a barrier, one of which had a single piece of straw protruding out. Fangio apparently was so precise and consistent that every lap his car’s wheel would gently flick this solitary piece of straw, his line being identical every time.

 

Whilst similar things could be said of other drivers, (indeed Senna’s ‘the wall moved’ is a near identical story) no other driver has as flawless an all round package. Fangio was the most skilled driver of his generation, had some of the toughest competition the sport has ever seen, rarely had supreme mechanical advantage, raced in one of the most dangerous eras and was arguably the greatest, most sporting, gentleman driver in history.

 

The last words – ‘Fangio was the best there has ever been. I beat him once in F1, at Aintree in 1958, but I’m not sure he didn’t allow that as a gesture’ – Stirling Moss

 

‘Even if I or someone else can equal or beat Fangio’s record, it still will not compare to his achievement’ – Ayrton Senna

 

‘Juan Manuel was clearly a man among boys. His Steering, braking, and acceleration were neat, consistent, unhurried, but devastatingly fast’ – Emerson Fittipaldi

 

‘He’s the godfather for us’ – Lewis Hamilton

 

‘He is on a level much higher than I see myself. There is absolutely no comparison. What he did stands alone.’ – Michael Schumacher

 

‘He was the best we’ve ever had.’ – Sebastian Vettel

 

‘Fangio was the great man of racing’ – Jackie Stewart

 

 

‘You must always strive to be the best, but you must never believe that you are - Fangio

 

Thanks very much for doing this countdown, Severin. I have fully enjoyed reading this. I completely agree with you with your Top 3.