While Formula 1 has been in existence as a racing series since 1946, the FIA didn’t announce the formation of the F1 World Championship until 1950 and since then we have been blessed with iconic world champions galore.
F1 still stands as the pinnacle of motor racing today with the sport growing to unprecedented levels of popularity.
A total of 34 drivers have experienced the elation of winning an F1 title with their names now etched into the history books and eternalised in motor racing folklore.
Eight of these champions have been crowned in the new millennium with Dutch superstar Max Verstappen becoming the latest new name to be immortalised among the F1 greats when he claimed his maiden title in 2021.
Following the show-stopping 2024 edition of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Verstappen claimed his fourth consecutive title, matching the feat of Sebastian Vettel, who also achieved four in a row with F1 giants Red Bull.
Out of the 34 drivers to boast an F1 world championship, only 18 have managed to repeat the feat and become two-time world champions.
As Verstappen was crowned champion once again in Vegas, he joined the illustrious company of Vettel, Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher, Juan Manuel Fangio and Alain Prost as winners of four or more titles.
F1 World Champions, the full all-time list
Here is a complete rundown of every F1 world champion since the championship was formed in 1950.
| Year | Champion | Nationality | Team |
| 1950 | Giuseppe Farina | Italian | Alfa Romeo |
| 1951 | Juan Manuel Fangio | Argentinian | Alfa Romeo |
| 1952 | Alberto Ascari | Italian | Ferrari |
| 1953 | Alberto Ascari | Italian | Ferrari |
| 1954 | Juan Manuel Fangio | Argentinian | Mercedes |
| 1955 | Juan Manuel Fangio | Argentinian | Mercedes |
| 1956 | Juan Manuel Fangio | Argentinian | Ferrari |
| 1957 | Juan Manuel Fangio | Argentinian | Maserati |
| 1958 | Mike Hawthorn | British | Ferrari |
| 1959 | Jack Brabham | Australian | Cooper |
| 1960 | Jack Brabham | Australian | Cooper |
| 1961 | Phil Hill | American | Ferrari |
| 1962 | Graham Hill | British | BRM |
| 1963 | Jim Clark | British | Lotus |
| 1964 | John Surtees | British | Ferrari |
| 1965 | Jim Clark | British | Lotus |
| 1966 | Jack Brabham | Australian | Brabham |
| 1967 | Denny Hulme | New Zealander | Brabham |
| 1968 | Graham Hill | British | Lotus |
| 1969 | Jackie Stewart | British | Matra |
| 1970 | Jochen Rindt | Austrian | Lotus |
| 1971 | Jackie Stewart | British | Tyrrell |
| 1972 | Emerson Fittipaldi | Brazilian | Lotus |
| 1973 | Jackie Stewart | British | Tyrrell |
| 1974 | Emerson Fittipaldi | Brazilian | McLaren |
| 1975 | Niki Lauda | Austrian | Ferrari |
| 1976 | James Hunt | British | McLaren |
| 1977 | Niki Lauda | Austrian | Ferrari |
| 1978 | Mario Andretti | American | Lotus |
| 1979 | Jody Scheckter | South African | Ferrari |
| 1980 | Alan Jones | Australian | Williams |
| 1981 | Nelson Piquet | Brazilian | Brabham |
| 1982 | Keke Rosberg | Finnish | Williams |
| 1983 | Nelson Piquet | Brazilian | Brabham |
| 1984 | Niki Lauda | Austrian | McLaren |
| 1985 | Alain Prost | French | McLaren |
| 1986 | Alain Prost | French | McLaren |
| 1987 | Nelson Piquet | Brazilian | Williams |
| 1988 | Ayrton Senna | Brazilian | McLaren |
| 1989 | Alain Prost | French | McLaren |
| 1990 | Ayrton Senna | Brazilian | McLaren |
| 1991 | Ayrton Senna | Brazilian | McLaren |
| 1992 | Nigel Mansell | British | Williams |
| 1993 | Alain Prost | French | Williams |
| 1994 | Michael Schumacher | German | Benetton |
| 1995 | Michael Schumacher | German | Benetton |
| 1996 | Damon Hill | British | Williams |
| 1997 | Jacques Villeneuve | Canadian | Williams |
| 1998 | Mika Häkkinen | Finnish | McLaren |
| 1999 | Mika Häkkinen | Finnish | McLaren |
| 2000 | Michael Schumacher | German | Ferrari |
| 2001 | Michael Schumacher | German | Ferrari |
| 2002 | Michael Schumacher | German | Ferrari |
| 2003 | Michael Schumacher | German | Ferrari |
| 2004 | Michael Schumacher | German | Ferrari |
| 2005 | Fernando Alonso | Spanish | Renault |
| 2006 | Fernando Alonso | Spanish | Renault |
| 2007 | Kimi Räikkönen | Finnish | Ferrari |
| 2008 | Lewis Hamilton | British | McLaren |
| 2009 | Jenson Button | British | Brawn |
| 2010 | Sebastian Vettel | German | Red Bull |
| 2011 | Sebastian Vettel | German | Red Bull |
| 2012 | Sebastian Vettel | German | Red Bull |
| 2013 | Sebastian Vettel | German | Red Bull |
| 2014 | Lewis Hamilton | British | Mercedes |
| 2015 | Lewis Hamilton | British | Mercedes |
| 2016 | Nico Rosberg | German | Mercedes |
| 2017 | Lewis Hamilton | British | Mercedes |
| 2018 | Lewis Hamilton | British | Mercedes |
| 2019 | Lewis Hamilton | British | Mercedes |
| 2020 | Lewis Hamilton | British | Mercedes |
| 2021 | Max Verstappen | Dutch | Red Bull |
| 2022 | Max Verstappen | Dutch | Red Bull |
| 2023 | Max Verstappen | Dutch | Red Bull |
| 2024 | Max Verstappen | Dutch | Red Bull |
| 2025 | tbc | tbc | tbc |
Who will be F1 world champion in 2025?
Heading into the final stretch of the season we have ourselves a three-horse race for the title - you can check out the latest F1 standings here.
McLaren pair Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are the favourites, but the renaissance of Verstappen after the summer break means he still has a shot at extending his reign to five consecutive championships.
Who has won most F1 world titles?
The current record for the most F1 world titles is seven, shared between Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton, although the latter still has hopes of claiming an eighth as his career takes an interesting change of direction ahead of his move to Ferrari for 2025.
Fangio sits third in the record tables with five world championships, while Verstappen has now joined Vettel and Prost, who each have four titles.
Who is the youngest ever F1 world champion?
Vettel currently stands as the youngest world champion in F1 history after the legendary German claimed his first title in 2010, driving for Red Bull at the age of 23 years and 133 days.
Who is the oldest ever F1 world champion?
Fangio currently holds the record for the oldest-ever F1 world champion, and that record is unlikely to be broken any time soon.
Argentina's finest racing talent clinched the 1957 world championship while driving for Maserati at the age of 46 years and 41 days.
Which current F1 drivers have been world champions?
Only three members of the 2025 grid have won it all - led by seven-time king Lewis Hamilton.
Verstappen has those four titles from that period of ridiculous dominance between 2021 and 2024, while veteran Spaniard Fernando Alonso was champion twice in 2005 and 2006.
READ MORE: F1 Explained: A beginner's guide to all the key terms and definitions
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