Who is considered the best race car driver?

No single driver is universally considered the best; it depends on the discipline and the yardstick. In Formula 1, many analysts place Lewis Hamilton at the top by career achievements (with Michael Schumacher, Ayrton Senna and an ascendant Max Verstappen close in the debate). Across motorsport, all-time greats such as Juan Manuel Fangio, Mario Andretti, Tom Kristensen, Sébastien Loeb, A.J. Foyt and Jimmie Johnson are widely cited as the best within their categories. The answer shifts with context—era, series, machinery and what you value most.

Why there isn’t one definitive “best”

Motor racing spans very different disciplines—single-seaters, stock cars, rally, endurance—each demanding distinct skills. Equipment and rules evolve quickly, and team resources can amplify or limit a driver’s impact. Comparing champions from different eras also means reconciling huge differences in safety, reliability, and competition depth. That’s why the debate typically narrows to the best within a given series, or focuses on drivers whose excellence traveled across categories.

How greatness is judged

Before naming names, it helps to understand the criteria most experts weigh when debating the greatest race car drivers.

• Peak vs. longevity: lightning-fast prime years against sustained excellence over decades.
• Adaptability: winning across rule changes, tire eras, tracks, and weather—and across series.
• Team impact: development feedback, leadership, and building winning organizations.
• Head-to-heads: performance against elite teammates and rivals.
• Clutch moments: closing out titles, iconic drives under pressure, wet-weather mastery.
• Statistical dominance: wins, poles, titles, win rates, and records adjusted for era.

Most comprehensive assessments blend the numbers with context—who was beaten, how often, in what machinery, and in which conditions.

Leading candidates by series

Within each major championship, a small group of drivers is consistently cited as the best ever, based on titles, wins and influence.

• Formula 1: Lewis Hamilton (record wins and podiums; 7 titles), Michael Schumacher (7 titles; Ferrari dynasty), Juan Manuel Fangio (5 titles; towering win rate in the 1950s), Ayrton Senna (peerless qualifying speed; 3 titles), Max Verstappen (three consecutive titles from 2021–2023 and record-breaking seasons; dominant form through 2024).
• IndyCar: A.J. Foyt (record 67 wins; 7 championships; 4 Indy 500s), Scott Dixon (7 championships through 2023; second all-time in wins), Mario Andretti (52 wins; 4 titles; broad cross-discipline success).
• NASCAR Cup: Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt and Jimmie Johnson (7 titles each; Petty for longevity and 200 wins, Earnhardt for intimidation-era supremacy, Johnson for modern-era dominance), plus Jeff Gordon (93 wins; 4 titles).
• World Rally Championship: Sébastien Loeb (9 titles; 80 wins) and Sébastien Ogier (8 titles; 60-plus wins) as dual yardsticks of rally greatness.
• Endurance/Le Mans: Tom “Mr. Le Mans” Kristensen (record 9 overall Le Mans wins), with Jackie Ickx (6 wins) as another benchmark; modern crossovers like Fernando Alonso (two Le Mans wins, a WEC title) underscore versatility.
• Cross-disciplinary legends: Mario Andretti (F1 world champion; Indy 500; Daytona 500), A.J. Foyt (IndyCar icon; wins at Le Mans and Daytona), Jim Clark (F1 champion and Indy 500 winner), Dan Gurney (winner in F1, IndyCar, NASCAR and sports cars; influential innovator).

Taken series by series, these names repeatedly top ballots. Across all motorsport, arguments usually center on Hamilton or Schumacher in F1, Loeb in rally, Kristensen at Le Mans, Petty/Johnson/Earnhardt in NASCAR, and Foyt or Dixon in IndyCar—with Andretti and Foyt often cited for unmatched versatility.

The case for Lewis Hamilton as the modern benchmark

Hamilton combines unmatched career totals with consistency across eras. As of mid-2024, he holds the Formula 1 records for most career wins (104), most pole positions and most podiums, alongside seven world titles. He has beaten multiple elite teammates under different regulations and tire suppliers, and he added to his win tally even after a major rules reset. Critics note long stretches in dominant machinery; supporters counter that he repeatedly maximized opportunities, adapted to change and sustained peak standards longer than most.

The case for Max Verstappen’s supremacy right now

Verstappen is the sport’s prevailing force. He won three straight F1 titles (2021–2023) and set single-season records in 2023, including most wins in a year and the highest win percentage of the modern era, then continued to dominate races throughout 2024. While his all-time totals trail the career leaders due to age and timing, his prime-level dominance and efficiency have propelled him into the broader GOAT conversation earlier than most drivers.

Alternative yardsticks: speed, artistry and peak

Many purists still gravitate to Ayrton Senna for raw qualifying speed and wet-weather virtuosity, to Juan Manuel Fangio for unmatched win rate and adaptability in a perilous era, or to Michael Schumacher for his team-building, relentless work ethic and five-title run with Ferrari. These lenses emphasize how a driver won, not just how often.

Notable records that shape the debate

These headline marks are often cited as objective anchors when comparing drivers across and within series.

1. Formula 1: Most wins — Lewis Hamilton (104 as of mid-2024); most titles — Hamilton and Michael Schumacher (7 each); highest career win rate — Juan Manuel Fangio (circa 46%).
2. NASCAR Cup: Most wins — Richard Petty (200); most titles — Petty, Dale Earnhardt, Jimmie Johnson (7 each).
3. IndyCar: Most wins — A.J. Foyt (67); most titles — A.J. Foyt (7) and Scott Dixon (7).
4. WRC: Most titles — Sébastien Loeb (9); most wins — Loeb (80+).
5. Le Mans 24 Hours: Most overall wins — Tom Kristensen (9).

Records provide clarity, but they don’t fully capture competition depth, equipment variables or cross-series versatility—key reasons the “best ever” remains contested.

Expert consensus in one sentence

If pressed, many historians answer: Hamilton or Schumacher for all-time F1, Loeb in rally, Kristensen at Le Mans, Petty/Johnson/Earnhardt in NASCAR, Foyt or Dixon in IndyCar—and for all-around versatility, Mario Andretti or A.J. Foyt—yet no single driver definitively eclipses every discipline and era.

Summary

The best race car driver depends on what and how you measure. Hamilton’s career record makes him the default pick in F1 for many, with Schumacher, Senna and a surging Verstappen close. In other top series, Loeb (WRC), Kristensen (Le Mans), Petty/Johnson/Earnhardt (NASCAR) and Foyt/Dixon (IndyCar) define their domains. Across disciplines, Andretti and Foyt stand out for versatility. The more you value context alongside statistics, the more the answer becomes a shortlist rather than a single name.