F1 British Grand Prix: The most successful drivers

The British Grand Prix is a staple on the Formula 1 calendar and takes place at the legendary Silverstone circuit.

The track was built in 1942 and held the first British Grand Prix in 1948. It then held the inaugural Formula 1 World Championship race in 1950, where Giuseppe Farina won in his Alfa Romeo 158. It has been the permanent home of the British Grand Prix since 1987.

Ferrari have won the most British Grand Prix with 16 while McLaren are the most successful British team with 14 wins.

Since then, there have been plenty of winners of the British Grand Prix and a few of those have gone on to become legends of the motorsport world. The track has seen some changes in recent years, but is currently 5.891km with 18 corners. The race distance is 306.198km and Max Verstappen holds the official lap record (1:27.097).

Ahead of this Sunday’s spectacle at Silverstone, we highlight the most successful drivers to ever race in the British Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton – 8 wins

Lewis Hamilton is without a doubt a generational talent and he may well be the greatest Formula 1 driver in the history of the sport. Silverstone is Hamilton’s playground, and the British driver holds the occasion in the highest regard. Hamilton’s won an incredible eight races at the track – more than anyone else – and has won the last three consecutive Grand Prix there.

Hamilton is a seven-time world champion, matching Michael Schumacher’s tally with his success in 2020, and just failing to surpass it last season. He’s won five more British Grand Prix than the German and is aiming to become the most successful Formula 1 driver in history by becoming an eight-time champion this season. It’s a tougher ask now with the Red Bull and Ferrari drivers dominating the championship. A win at this year’s British Grand Prix could be pivotal in kickstarting the Brit’s season.

His most iconic moment in the Grand Prix would be his first win in 2008, where his blistering start saw him rise quickly through the ranks to first. He’s not look back ever since.

Jim Clarke – 5 wins

Jim Clarke was a two-time Formula 1 world champion and a five-time British Grand Prix winner. A shy champion who wasn’t a fan of the limelight, he was still a fan-favourite. He won four consecutive British Grand Prix between 1962 and 1965 before winning his fifth in 1967.

Clarke was a true champion in his time and rarely made a mistake. Most of the time he would lose through reliability issues and could even drive around the most complicated failures on his car. A Formula 1 great, Clarke brought Lotus five of their eight British Grand Prix wins.

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Alain Prost – 5 wins

Alain Prost is a household name and was an incredible racing driver. In his time behind the wheel, he was a four-time world champion and won five British Grand Prix. Prost also held the record for the most Grand Prix wins (51) until Michael Schumacher surpassed the total in 2001.

Prost won his four British Grand Prix between 1983 and 1993 and had some remarkable battles with both Ayrton Senna and Nigel Mansell.

Nigel Mansell – 4 wins

The final name on our list, and also the third British driver of the four, Nigel Mansell is another racing legend. He won his first and only World Championship in 1992 and took part in 187 races. He enjoyed great success as a driver, winning 31 races and stepping onto the podium 59 times.

Mansell won the British Grand Prix four times, with his first coming in 1986 and his final one coming in the year he won the World Championship (1992). Mansell’s achievements behind the wheel of a car were so great, he was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2005.

Mansell had multiple iconic moments during his Grand Prix career at Silverstone, including the infamous lift he gave Senna or his 1987 overtake of Nelson Piquet.

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