Formula One Championships

Formula One — or F1 for short — is the absolute top tier of open-wheel racing. Governed by the FIA (the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile if you want the extended version), where technology, elite drivers, and teams fight for the Drivers’ and Constructors’ titles at over 200 mph.

The “formula” part? That’s a fancy way of saying every team and driver must follow a strict set of rules — from car design to race weekend protocols. The heart of the F1 season is the World Championship, which is a series of races called Grands Prix held at purpose-built circuits and iconic street tracks worldwide.

Drivers earn points based on how they finish in each race, and whoever racks up the most by season’s end is crowned World Champion. While a driver can technically clinch the title before the season wraps (once no one else can catch them in the points), the trophy itself isn’t handed over until the FIA’s annual Prize Giving Ceremony — a glamorous event that moves from city to city.

Some names are etched into F1 history in bold. Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton are tied at the top with an incredible seven titles each. Behind them sits Juan Manuel Fangio, the original master of the sport, with five championships earned back in the 1950s.

Schumacher also pulled off the most consecutive title wins — five on the bounce from 2000 to 2004. On the other end of the timeline, Nigel Mansell took 13 seasons to finally clinch his title in 1992. Then there’s Nico Rosberg, who entered 206 race starts before nailing his championship in 2016.

F1 also has its extremes: Sebastian Vettel became the youngest World Champion at 23 years and 134 days, while Fangio remains the oldest at 46. The sport spans generations — literally.

As of the 2026 F1 World Championship, 782 drivers have started a Formula One Grand Prix. Just 35 of them have won the Drivers’ Championship — proving how tough it is to reach the top. The first champion was Giuseppe Farina in 1950, and the latest name on the list is Lando Norris, who sealed the 2025 title.

British drivers lead the charge with 21 championships between them (spread across 11 different drivers), followed by Brazil, Germany, and Finland. On the team side, Ferrari stands out with 15 titles by 9 different drivers — more than any other constructor — while McLaren sits second with 13 drivers’ titles and 10 constructors’.

And for the drama lovers: the championship has gone down to the final race in 31 of the 75 seasons so far (the latest in 2025). But sometimes it’s a landslide. In 2002, Schumacher wrapped up the title with six races still to go. F1’s points system has even produced a couple of wild anomalies where the champion had fewer total points than the runner-up due to how scoring rules worked (we’re looking at you, 1964 and 1988).

Want to dive deeper into each season or explore the champions year by year? Scroll through the full list of title winners above.

The 2025 F1 season was contested over 24 Grand Prix weekends and marked a significant milestone in the sport: the championship celebrated its 75th anniversary. For the first time in many years, the season started with the Australian Grand Prix between March 14 and March 16 and concluded with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix between December 5 and December 7.