Formula One is the biggest racing series in the world of auto racing, its popularity boosted by the Drive to Survive series on Netflix with season 4 set for early March release.
The origins of Formula 1 can be traced back to the European Grand Prix motor racing Championships of the 1920s and 1930s.
Since then, Formula One has steadily grown in popularity. In 2019, the even saw its most successful year, drawing in close to 2-billion people for its season-ending race.
What makes F1 so enticing is the sheer speed of the vehicles. Out of all of the regulated road-course race cars in the world, Formula One cars are the fastest. The intensity and speed ensure that the audience will always be on the edge of their seat.
Apart from the audience, Formula One draws in a lot of punters as well. The top betting websites all claim that Formula 1 is, by far, one of the biggest attractions on their sites, and certainly the biggest motor racing event, especially when it comes to betting.
But, the question we wanted to answer today is, “What driver holds what record in Formula 1?” After doing some research, we are going to answer the question in this article.
Total Entries and Total Starts – Kimi Raikkonen
Kimi “the Iceman” Raikkonen holds the record for both total entries and total starts of a race. It might be obvious to long-time fans, but just in case there are any newbies reading, entries and starts refers to the number of races a driver has been eligible to enter, and a number of races the driver has actually started. With 353 races entered, and 349 started, Raikkonen is the undisputed record-holder for both categories.
The Iceman is considered one of the best F1 drivers of all time, and in his 20-year-career racing for F1, he has driven for McLaren, Lotus, Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, and Sauber. For Ferrari, he won the 2007 Formula One World Championship, and is also one of five drivers to achieve over a hundred podium finishes, with 103.
Total Wins – Lewis Hamilton
Sir Lewis Hamilton is considered by many to be the best driver racing today, and by some to be the greatest of all time. Debate on that topic rages across Formula 1 communities and fandoms. However, what can’t be denied, is that Hamilton is a great racer, who has earned himself the total wins record, with 103 wins throughout his entire career.
Apart from being a great racer, Mr. Hamilton has been awarded some of the highest honors, including being placed on Time’s most influential people list, and of course, the highest honor any British person can be bestowed, a knighthood.
Various Formula One Records – Michael Schumacher
Considered by most fans of the sport to be the greatest driver in F1’s history, Michael Schumacher holds a number of records, including the Total Fastest Laps, the Most Consecutive seasons with at least one Grand Prix win, the Most wins at the same Grand Prix, the most wins in a season record, etc.
For many years the great Schumi’s records would never be broken, but Lewis Hamilton has put paid to the myth, Nevertheless Schumacher’s legacy will always be one of the greatest in the history of the sport
While Hamilton is certainly trying his best to dethrone the king – claim that eighth title – many still view Schumacher as the undisputed GOAT of F1, who remains tied with the Briton on seven world titles a decade since he quit Mercedes and went into retirement for a final time.
Various Formula One Records – Max Verstappen
Formula 1’s new King, torchbearer for the new generation of talent that has risen to the pinnacle of the sport. On course and great potential to become among one of the most successful drivers of all time.
At the 2015 Australian Grand Prix 2021 Max Verstappen became the youngest F1 driver to start a race at 17 years and 166 days, also the youngest to score points, youngest podium winner, youngest winner, the youngest driver to score a grand slam.
Finally, in his F1 World Champion winning season last year he claimed the record for the most podium finishes (18) in a single season for a driver, his win at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and the title that came with it the cherry on the cake for the Red Bull driver.
The Dutch ace has only just begun, as he carries the number one plate this season as Red Bull plot the defence of his title with veteran wingman Sergio Perez out to beat Mercedes again, this time not only for the drivers title but the constructors’ title that eluded them last year.