Despite Lewis Hamilton’s extraordinary success, he isn’t the top-ranked British driver on this list. That distinction belongs to Jim Clark, another exceptionally fast racer whose career was tragically cut short.
Jim Clark occupies the third spot on the all-time list, boasting a remarkable win rate of 34.72 percent. This statistic offers younger generations, who may not be familiar with his talents, a glimpse into the speed and skill of the Scottish two-time World Champion.
Clark dedicated nine Formula 1 seasons to Team Lotus and secured an impressive 25 victories from a mere 72 starts. He delivered an astonishing performance in 1963, winning seven out of the 10 races in that season on his way to his first championship title. He replicated this feat two years later.
Notably, Clark tasted victory in Grand Prix races for seven consecutive seasons, from 1962 until his untimely death in 1968, which tragically occurred while he was behind the wheel of a Formula 2 car at the Hockenheimring. He was just 32 years old at the time.
Number 2. Alberto Ascari (40.63%)
The 1952 season marked only the third campaign in the history of Formula 1, and it witnessed the remarkable dominance of Alberto Ascari, who had participated in the very first Monaco Grand Prix. Wearing the Ferrari red, he entered the season as a two-time race winner and proceeded to deliver one of the most commanding performances the sport has ever witnessed.
Although he didn’t compete in the season opener in Switzerland and retired from the Indy 500, Ascari went on to win all six of the remaining rounds, achieving an impeccable clean sweep.
His 1953 season was equally impressive, as he outperformed Juan Manuel Fangio to secure glory.
Ascari’s Formula 1 career spanned just three full seasons before his tragic demise at Monza in 1955. Nevertheless, his stunning record of 13 victories from 32 starts, despite enduring 10 retirements, unequivocally solidifies his place among the pantheon of Formula 1 greats as an iconic figure for Ferrari.
Number 1. Juan Manuel Fangio (47.06%)
Jackie Stewart and many Formula 1 legends from the past often argue that Juan Manuel Fangio, rather than Lewis Hamilton or Michael Schumacher, is the greatest of all time. With a win rate that equates to nearly a victory in every other Grand Prix, it’s indeed challenging to dispute this claim. Beating Fangio was an exceptionally daunting task.
Fangio’s legacy in Formula 1 is awe-inspiring. As a five-time World Champion and double runner-up between 1950 and 1958, his 24 wins out of 52 starts essentially dominated the sport’s first decade.
