List of Formula One World Drivers' Champions
, abbreviated to F1, is the highest class of open-wheeled auto racing defined by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, motorsport's world governing body. The "formula" in the name refers to a set of rules to which all participants and cars must conform. The Formula One World Championship season consists of a series of races, known as, held usually on purpose-built circuits, and in a few cases on closed city streets. The World Drivers' Championship is presented by the FIA to the most successful Formula One driver over the course of the season through a points system based on individual Grand Prix results. The World Championship is won by a driver when it is no longer mathematically possible for another competitor to overtake their points total regardless of the outcome of the remaining races, although it is not officially awarded until the FIA Prize Giving Ceremony following the conclusion of the season.
Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton hold the record for the most World Drivers' championships, both having won the title on seven occasions. Juan Manuel Fangio is third with five titles. Schumacher also holds the record for the most consecutive World Drivers' titles with five between the and the seasons. Nigel Mansell holds the record of competing in the highest number of seasons before winning the World Drivers' Championship, entering Formula One in and achieving the title in, a span of 13 seasons. Nico Rosberg has the highest number of Grand Prix starts before winning his first title, a period of 206 between the 2006 Bahrain and the 2016 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Sebastian Vettel is the youngest winner of the World Drivers' Championship; he was 23 years and 134 days old when he won the championship. Juan Manuel Fangio is the oldest winner of the World Drivers' Championship; he was 46 years and 41 days old when he won the title.
As of the season, out of the 781 drivers who have started a Formula One Grand Prix, the 76 titles awarded have been won by a total of 35 different drivers. The first Formula One World Drivers' Champion was Giuseppe Farina in the championship and the current title holder is Lando Norris in the season. The title has been won by drivers from the United Kingdom 21 times between 11 drivers, more than any other nation, followed by Brazil, Finland and Germany with three drivers each. The title has been won by drivers from Scuderia Ferrari 15 times between 9 drivers, more than any other team, followed by McLaren with 13 titles between 8 drivers. The Drivers' Championship has been won in the final race of the season 31 times in the 76 seasons it has been awarded. Schumacher holds the record of earning the championship with most rounds left to run in a season with six, when Schumacher won the title at that year's. Due to the points system, on two occasions a world champion scored fewer points overall than a driver who finished second in the championship. Max Verstappen holds the record for winning the title with the biggest points gap to second in the championship, Sergio Pérez, with 290 points in 2023, while Niki Lauda won the 1984 title with the closest points gap to second in the championship, Alain Prost, with 0.5 points.
By season
By driver
Drivers in bold have competed in the 2025 World Championship.| Driver | Titles | Season | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 F1|1994F1|1995F1|2000F1|2001F1|2002F1|2003F1|2004By driver nationalityDrivers in bold have competed in the 2025 World Championship.RecordsYoungest Drivers' champions
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