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Formula One World Drivers' Championship trophy.
The Formula One World Drivers' Championship (WDC) is awarded by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) to the most successful Formula One racing car driver over a season, as determined by a points system based on Grand Prix results. The Drivers' Championship was first awarded in 1950, to Nino Farina. The first driver to win multiple Championships was Alberto Ascari, in 1952 and 1953.
The FIA does not officially declare the Champion until the end of the season, but a driver is said to have "clinched" the Championship after it is no longer possible for another to obtain more points than him, even if the former driver were to not compete in the remaining races of the season, and the latter to score the maximum number of points possible. The Drivers' Championship has been won in the final race of the season 24 times in the 59 seasons it has been awarded. The earliest in a season that the Drivers' Championship has been clinched was in 2002, when Michael Schumacher secured the title with six races remaining.
Overall, thirty different drivers have won the Championship, with German Michael Schumacher holding the record for most titles, at seven. Schumacher also holds the record for most consecutive Drivers' Championships, winning five from 2000 to 2004. The current Drivers' Champion is Lewis Hamilton, who won his first World Championship in 2008.
[edit] By season
- * Indicates the team also won the Constructors' Championship (awarded since 1958).
- ^ Fangio shared the win of the 1951 French Grand Prix with Luigi Fagioli.
- ^ The 1952 and 1953 championships were run to Formula Two regulations.
- ^ Fangio competed in the 1954 Argentine and Belgian Grands Prix with Maserati, then completed the season with Mercedes.
- ^ Fangio shared the win of the 1956 Argentine Grand Prix with Luigi Musso.
- ^ Fangio shared 2nd position in the 1956 Monaco and Italian Grands Prix with Peter Collins.
- ^ Hill won the Championship at the 1961 Italian Grand Prix, where teammate Wolfgang von Trips died after an accident in the race.
- ^ Surtees became the first person to win World Championships on motorcycles and cars, having previously won seven titles in both 350cc and 500cc.
- ^ Rindt died during practice for the 1970 Italian Grand Prix, but his Championship was not confirmed until two rounds later, making him Formula One's first (and only) posthumous World Drivers' Champion.
- ^ Andretti became Champion after teammate Ronnie Peterson died following an operation due to a collision at the 1978 Italian Grand Prix.
- ^ Narrowest margin of victory ever, after half points were awarded at Monaco due to early finish because of bad weather.
- ^ Ayrton Senna won the 1989 Japanese Grand Prix, but was disqualified for cutting the chicane after receiving a push-start from track-side marshalls. McLaren appealed the decision but lost, handing Prost the title.
- ^ Damon Hill is the son of Graham Hill, who won the Drivers' Championship in 1962 and 1968, making them the first father-son pair to both win Drivers' Championships.
- ^ Michael Schumacher scored 78 points during the 1997 season, only 3 points behind Villeneuve. However, Schumacher was disqualified from the championship for colliding with Villeneuve at the final race of the season, the European Grand Prix. This left Villeneuve with a 39 point margin over Heinz-Harald Frentzen with 42 points.
- ^ Kimi Räikkönen won by 1 point over both Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso.
[edit] By driver
| Driver |
Total |
Season(s) |
Championship Winner |
 Michael Schumacher |
7 |
1994, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 |
24th |
 Juan Manuel Fangio |
5 |
1951, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957 |
2nd |
 Alain Prost |
4 |
1985, 1986, 1989, 1993 |
21st |
 Jack Brabham |
3 |
1959, 1960, 1966 |
5th |
 Jackie Stewart |
3 |
1969, 1971, 1973 |
11th |
 Niki Lauda |
3 |
1975, 1977, 1984 |
14th |
 Nelson Piquet |
3 |
1981, 1983, 1987 |
19th |
| Ayrton Senna |
3 |
1988, 1990, 1991 |
22nd |
 Alberto Ascari |
2 |
1952, 1953 |
3rd |
| Jim Clark |
2 |
1963, 1965 |
8th |
| Graham Hill |
2 |
1962, 1968 |
7th |
| Emerson Fittipaldi |
2 |
1972, 1974 |
13th |
 Mika Häkkinen |
2 |
1998, 1999 |
27th |
 Fernando Alonso |
2 |
2005, 2006 |
28th |
| Nino Farina |
1 |
1950 |
1st |
| Mike Hawthorn |
1 |
1958 |
4th |
 Phil Hill |
1 |
1961 |
6th |
| John Surtees |
1 |
1964 |
9th |
 Denny Hulme |
1 |
1967 |
10th |
| Jochen Rindt |
1 |
1970 |
12th |
| James Hunt |
1 |
1976 |
15th |
| Mario Andretti |
1 |
1978 |
16th |
 Jody Scheckter |
1 |
1979 |
17th |
| Alan Jones |
1 |
1980 |
18th |
| Keke Rosberg |
1 |
1982 |
20th |
| Nigel Mansell |
1 |
1992 |
23rd |
| Damon Hill |
1 |
1996 |
25th |
 Jacques Villeneuve |
1 |
1997 |
26th |
| Kimi Räikkönen |
1 |
2007 |
29th |
| Lewis Hamilton |
1 |
2008 |
30th |
[edit] By nationality
| Country |
Drivers |
Total |
Drivers by Name (titles) |
| United Kingdom |
9 |
13 |
Jackie Stewart (3), Jim Clark (2), Graham Hill (2), Mike Hawthorn (1), John Surtees (1), James Hunt (1), Nigel Mansell (1), Damon Hill (1), Lewis Hamilton (1) |
| Brazil |
3 |
8 |
Nelson Piquet (3), Ayrton Senna (3), Emerson Fittipaldi (2) |
| Germany |
1 |
7 |
Michael Schumacher (7) |
| Argentina |
1 |
5 |
Juan Manuel Fangio (5) |
| Finland |
3 |
4 |
Mika Häkkinen (2), Keke Rosberg (1), Kimi Räikkönen (1) |
| Australia |
2 |
4 |
Jack Brabham (3), Alan Jones (1) |
| Austria |
2 |
4 |
Niki Lauda (3), Jochen Rindt (1) |
| France |
1 |
4 |
Alain Prost (4) |
| Italy |
2 |
3 |
Alberto Ascari (2), Nino Farina (1) |
| United States |
2 |
2 |
Phil Hill (1), Mario Andretti (1) |
| Spain |
1 |
2 |
Fernando Alonso (2) |
| Canada |
1 |
1 |
Jacques Villeneuve (1) |
| New Zealand |
1 |
1 |
Denny Hulme (1) |
| South Africa |
1 |
1 |
Jody Scheckter (1) |
[edit] By constructor
Constructors in bold are still competing in the World Championship.
[edit] By engine
- The 1966 Repco engines were based on Oldsmobile engine blocks from the USA.
- The TAG engines were designed and built by German company Porsche.
- 10 of the constructors' championships for Ford engines were with the (Ford-financed) Cosworth DFV engine.
Engine manufacturers in bold are still competing in the World Championship.
[edit] By tyre manufacturer
| Pos |
Manufacturer |
Country |
Total |
Seasons |
| 1 |
G |
Goodyear |
United States |
24 |
1966–1967, 1971, 1973–1978, 1980, 1982, 1985–1997 |
| 2 |
B |
Bridgestone |
 Japan |
9 |
1998–2004, 2007–2008 |
| 3 |
D |
Dunlop |
Great Britain |
8 |
1959–1965, 1969 |
| 4 |
P |
Pirelli |
Italy |
6 |
1950–1954[1][2], 1957 |
| M |
Michelin |
France |
6 |
1979, 1981, 1983–1984, 2005–2006 |
| 6 |
F |
Firestone |
United States |
4 |
1952[2], 1968, 1970, 1972 |
| 7 |
C |
Continental |
Germany |
2 |
1954[1]–1955 |
| E |
Englebert |
 Belgium |
2 |
1956, 1958 |
[edit] Records
[edit] Youngest Drivers' Champion
|
Driver |
Age |
Season |
| 1 |
Lewis Hamilton |
23 years, 301 days |
2008 |
| 2 |
Fernando Alonso |
24 years, 58 days |
2005 |
| 3 |
Emerson Fittipaldi |
25 years, 273 days |
1972 |
| 4 |
Michael Schumacher |
25 years, 314 days |
1994 |
| 5 |
Niki Lauda |
26 years, 197 days |
1975 |
| 6 |
Jacques Villeneuve |
26 years, 200 days |
1997 |
| 7 |
Jim Clark |
27 years, 188 days |
1963 |
| 8 |
Kimi Räikkönen |
28 years, 4 days |
2007 |
| 9 |
Jochen Rindt |
28 years, 140 days |
1970 (posthumously) |
| 10 |
Ayrton Senna |
28 years, 223 days |
1988 |
[edit] Oldest Drivers' Champion
|
Driver |
Age |
Season |
| 1 |
Juan Manuel Fangio |
46 years, 41 days |
1957 |
| 2 |
Nino Farina |
43 years, 308 days |
1950 |
| 3 |
Jack Brabham |
40 years, 155 days |
1966 |
| 4 |
Graham Hill |
39 years, 262 days |
1968 |
| 5 |
Nigel Mansell |
39 years, 8 days |
1992 |
| 6 |
Alain Prost |
38 years, 214 days |
1993 |
| 7 |
Mario Andretti |
38 years, 193 days |
1978 |
| 8 |
Damon Hill |
36 years, 26 days |
1996 |
| 9 |
Niki Lauda |
35 years, 242 days |
1984 |
| 10 |
Michael Schumacher |
35 years, 239 days |
2004 |
[edit] Consecutive Drivers' Championships
Eight drivers have achieved consecutive wins in the Formula One Drivers' Championship.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
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Formula One World Drivers' Champions |
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Emerson Fittipaldi_in_practice_at_USGP_2005.jpg)
United Kingdom
Brazil
Germany
Argentina
Finland
Australia
Austria
France
Italy
United States
Spain
Canada
New Zealand
South Africa
TAG
