The GOAT of F1 discussion certainly doesn’t have a straightforward frontrunner. Many F1 fans consider Michael Schumacher the greatest F1 driver ever. However, Lewis Hamilton also has a case as the greatest F1 driver of all time. Hamilton currently holds the record for most F1 race wins ever, having won 103 Formula One races so far. We discussed this in our F1 statistics article, which can be read here. Without further ado, let’s dive into the discussion about the greatest Formula One driver of all time.
GOAT of F1: Michael Schumacher’s Case
Michael Schumacher has a strong case as the greatest F1 driver ever. He has the second-most race wins in Formula One history with 91 race wins in addition to holding the joint record (with Lewis Hamilton) for the most World Drivers’ Championship titles ever. Schumacher won seven World Drivers’ championship titles during his F1 career.
Additionally, Schumacher still holds the record for most consecutive World Drivers’ championship titles. He won five World Drivers’ championship titles in a row from 2000-2004. No one has matched that. He also holds the record for most fastest laps in Formula One history. Schumacher recorded 77 total fastest laps in his F1 career.
It is reasonable to conclude that Schumacher is the greatest F1 driver ever.
Lewis Hamilton’s Case as the Greatest F1 Driver Ever
Some of those who don’t consider Michael Schumacher the greatest F1 driver ever instead call Lewis Hamilton the best driver in F1 history. Lewis Hamilton holds the joint record with Michael Schumacher for the most F1 World Drivers’ championship titles at seven titles each. Hamilton alone holds the records for most race wins with 103, most podium finishes with 197, and most pole positions with 104.
Additionally, Hamilton won four consecutive World Drivers’ championship titles with Mercedes from 2017-2020. Only Michael Schumacher has won more World Drivers’ Championship titles in a row than Hamilton. Hamilton hasn’t won a drivers’ title since 2020 and is no longer competing for drivers’ titles right now, with his mediocre recent performances contributing to Mercedes hardly competing with Red Bull for titles in recent years.
Still, Lewis Hamilton is an all-time great F1 driver and will retire as such.
Max Verstappen’s Case as the GOAT of F1
Max Verstappen has entered the discussion about the greatest F1 driver of all time in typically quick fashion. Verstappen has won the World Drivers’ Championship title three times. He is currently the reigning F1 World Drivers’ champion with three consecutive titles in 2021, 2022, and 2023.
He has won 59 races and has 39 pole positions so far in his F1 career. Verstappen is only 26 years old and Red Bull is currently the best team in F1. As a result, Verstappen could win a fourth World Drivers’ championship in the ongoing 2024 F1 season. Verstappen’s aggressive driving style and recent dominance have made him quite popular among a certain section of F1 fans.
Verstappen is by far the youngest driver in the F1 GOAT discussion. However, that also means he has plenty of time to surpass both Schumacher and Hamilton in terms of career accomplishments in Formula One. Verstappen has the potential and ability to possibly finish his career as the undisputed greatest driver in Formula One history. We will see whether that happens or not.
Michael Schumacher Is Our Pick for F1 GOAT
Discussing who is the greatest F1 driver ever is interesting. Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton both have legitimate cases as the greatest F1 driver of all time. One also has to mention Max Verstappen in that conversation, given his recent dominance. However, Michael Schumacher is our choice for the greatest F1 driver of all time, although it is close.
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