Before they’re champions, they’re men. Men are passionate about cars, able to risk their lives to get the best place on the podium. Since the beginning of the auto competition, these men have written the most beautiful pages of their discipline. From Formula 1 to the Dakar, including the 24 hours of Le Mans, these champions have helped make us love mechanical sports, thanks to their perseverance, their charge, and their talent.In this Top 10, discover the most titled car drivers:
- Michael Schumacher
To date, Michael Schumacher holds most of the records for Formula 1, except for the early records. Indeed, with 7 World champion titles and 91 Grand Prix victories, the German contributed significantly to the success of the Scuderia Ferrari (five consecutive world titles from 2000 to 2004). From his first titles with team Benetton, “Schumi” has left an indelible mark in the history of F1.
- Sebastien Loeb
At the wheel of his Citroën, Sebastien Loeb delighted rally fans from 2004 to 2012. He and his co-pilot Daniel Elena hold most of the WRC records with nine consecutive titles. He officially retired from the rally in 2013, which did not prevent him from competing with other disciplines and shining notably in the WTCC…still with Citroën.
- Ayrton Senna
A true national icon in Brazil, Ayrton Senna became a legend when he killed himself at the Imola Grand Prix in 1994. A flawless state of mind and a thirst for victory that allowed him to win three times the title of World Champion in Formula 1 (1988, 1990 and 1991). The Brazilian won 41 races and signed 65 pole positions. He was the last driver to die in Formula One racing.
- Alain Prost
The so-called “The professor” has given his nobility to a sport that is still little considered in France. Four times F1 world champion (1985, 1986, 1989 and 1993), the Frenchman is regarded as one of the most excellent drivers in history. His rivalry with Ayrton Senna is one of the finest hours in the history of the sport.
- Juan Manuel Fangio
By dominating the motorsport discipline at the time, Juan Manuel Fangio is to date the only driver to be crowned world champion in 4 different teams (Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Mercedes Benz, Ferrari,). An exploit and an extraordinary winning percentage (24 wins out of 51 Grand Prix) allowed the Argentinean to enter the pantheon of this sport. Five times world champion (1951, 1954, 1955, 1956 and 1957), he has dominated his competition in the 1950s.
- Stephane Peterhansel
With Hubert Auriol and Nani Roma, he is the only one to achieve the feat of winning in both disciplines of the Dakar Rally (Car and motorcycle). However, Stephane Peterhansel stands out for holding the entire record for the number of wins in the rally. He has won 6 victories with his Yamaha (1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1997 and 1998) and five victories at the wheel of his Mitsubishi (2004, 2005, 2007) and Mini (2012, 2013). What earns the nickname ” Mr. Dakar.”
- Sebastian Vettel
Equaling Juan Manuel Fangio, Sebastian Vettel is a model of precocity and talent. In 2008, he became Monza’s youngest pole position winner and youngest Grand Prix winner. The German rider also set other records by winning his 4th consecutive Formula 1 World Championship title (2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013) at 26 years, three months and 24 days. In 2015, he joined the Scuderia Ferrari in the footsteps of his illustrious elder.
- Tom Kristiansen
The Danish driver is known to have won the 24 hours of Le Mans nine times. A record that earned him the nickname ” Mr. Le Mans.” From 2000 to 2005, he won six consecutive 24 hours of Le Mans, with seven different teams, which made him the record man of the event ahead of Jacky Ickx. At the same time, he has named the 2002 American Le Mans Series champion (ALMS). He retired in 2014.
- Dario Franchitti
This British pilot of Italian origin has won 4 Indy Series titles (2007, 2009, 2010 and 2011). Piloting in the American Championships since 1997, he also
won the Indianapolis 500 three times (2007, 2010 and 2012), a legendary race in the United States.
- Graham Hill
An icon of Formula One in 1960s, Hill twice won the title of world champion of drivers (1962 and 1968). The British driver also won prestigious races such as the 500 miles of Indianapolis (1966) and the 24 hours of Le Mans (1972). In 1996, his son Damon Hill took over as world champion driver.