Top 3 teams in terms of World Drivers' Championships in F1 history
Red Bull is currently searching for a third consecutive F1 World Drivers' Championship and the seventh in the team's history in the series. It seems like the 2023 WDC will definitely be decided between the pair of Red Bull drivers, Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez, and a seventh Drivers' title would mean Red Bull becomes the fifth team in F1 history to win at least seven World Drivers' Titles, and they would equal Williams' tally of WDCs (the fourth-most in F1 history).
Currently, Red Bull is tied with the historic Lotus team in terms of Drivers' titles, with six. However, Red Bull has achieved its six championships in a shorter amount of time, as the team has entered 353 races, compared to Lotus' 491.
Another WDC for Red Bull will also put the team alongside McLaren in terms of streaks of consecutive championships. McLaren is, so far, the only team to have two different streaks of at least three consecutive World Drivers' Championships (from 1984 to 1986, and from 1988 to 1991). With fourth consecutive doubles between 2010 and 2013, and the last two WDCs (regardless of what many think about 2021), a WDC in 2023 would make Red Bull equal those two streaks from McLaren's glory days.
With lots of World Drivers' Championships in mind, which team has won it the most in Formula 1 history? Diehard F1 fans could answer that quickly, but let's refresh everyone's memories and talk about the Top 3 F1 constructors in terms of Drivers' titles in the history of the series.
Without further ado, let us take a look.
#3 Mercedes | nine F1 Drivers' titles
Although Mercedes has competed in only 15 complete seasons as a Formula 1 constructor, the team has won the third-most races in the series (125) and is also third in World Constructors' Championships (eight, tied with McLaren) and in World Drivers' Championships (nine with three drivers).
Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport, Emilia Romagna GP 2020. Lewis Hamilton, Valtteri Bottas Toto Wolff
Mercedes has also won the most consecutive Constructors championships with eight in a row, and the most consecutive WDCs, with seven between 2014 and 2020.
The team entered F1 in 1954 and won right away with Juan Manuel Fangio and the Argentine repeated in 1955, behind the wheel of the Mercedes W196. The German brand returned to the sport in 2010 after leaving as a constructor in 1955 after the tragedy of the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans, where more than 80 people lost their lives, including Pierre Levegh, Mercedes' French driver.
In 2014, with the start of the turbo-hybrid era in Formula 1, Mercedes, who had already won races in 2012 and 2013, started to dominate the sport. From 2014 to 2016, the rivalry between Lewis Hamilton (champion in 2014 and 2015) and Nico Rosberg (2016 champion), kept things interesting in the series. Then, Rosberg retired and Hamilton won each championship from 2017 to 2020, with tough battles with Ferrari and Sebastian Vettel in 2017 and 2018.
#2 McLaren | 12 F1 Drivers' titles
Although the present might suggest otherwise to new fans, McLaren is one of the biggest constructors in Formula 1 history and has been a dominant force in the series for long stretches in the past.
McLaren is second in races entered and wins in Formula 2 history behind Ferrari, and is also second in terms of World Drivers' Championships, with 12 titles.
Its first race came in the 1966 Monaco Grand Prix, and McLaren's first F1 title came in 1974, with Brazilian Emerson Fittipaldi winning his second championship behind the wheel of the McLaren M23. The iconic James Hunt gave good use to the M23 in 1976 as well and gave the team its second World Drivers' title in three years.
Niki Lauda & James Hunt
Rough years followed Hunt's title, but when Team Boss Ron Dennis and the 1980s came around, McLaren put up incredible numbers in the series, winning seven titles in eight years, between 1984 and 1991. The legendary Niki Lauda won his third title in 1984, while Alain Prost won his first three titles with the squad in 1985, 1986 and 1989. Ayrton Senna was the other legendary name who found success during that streak, winning all of his three titles with McLaren in 1988, 1990 and 1991.
After Honda's and Senna's departure from McLaren, the team struggled, but again found success as McLaren-Mercedes, with Mika Hakkinen winning the 1998 and 1999 World Drivers' championships.
McLaren remained competitive with Mercedes, but could not really compete against Ferrari during the Jean Todt/Ross Brawn/Michael Schumacher era (with cars designed by the great Rory Byrne).
When Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso came into the team in 2007, McLaren again found the top spots, but it was Hamilton who gave the team its most recent title after a year-long battle with Ferrari's Felipe Massa in 2008.
#1 Ferrari | 15 F1 Drivers' titles
Ferrari is Formula 1's biggest brand and its longevity has given it most of the records in the sport. As the team which has entered the most races, the Scuderia Ferrari has also won the most World Drivers' and World Constructors' Championships.
The first of the Scuderia's 15 World Drivers' championships came in 1952, with the legendary and underrated Alberto Ascari dominating behind the wheel of the Ferrari 500, which was also the story in 1953, with Ascari repeating as World Champion.
Juan Manuel Fangio (1956) and Mike Hawthorn (1958) gave Ferrari another two titles in the 1950s, while Phil Hill (1961) and John Surtees (1964) put the Scuderia at the top twice in the 1960s decade.
Felipe Massa and Michael Schumacher celebrating on the podium at the 2006 German F1 GP
Niki Lauda won a couple of titles with the team in the 1970s (1975 and 1977), and South African Jody Scheckter win the WDC in 1979, behind the wheel of the 312T4. Michael Schumacher ended Ferrari's drought of WDCs in 2000, after a fierce battle with McLaren-Mercedes' two-time champion Mika Hakkinen. That title started the most dominant campaign for the team in F1, as Schumacher won five consecutive WDCs between 2000 and 2004, a record.
After Schumacher's departure in 2006, the team won in 2007 with Kimi Raikkonen and the Ferrari F2007, but the WDC has evaded the Maranello-based squad ever since.
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