Who is the best race car driver ever?

There’s no single, universally agreed “best” race car driver ever; by the most top-tier stats in Formula 1 it’s Lewis Hamilton, by era-dominance it’s often Juan Manuel Fangio (with Max Verstappen joining that conversation), by versatility it’s Mario Andretti, by NASCAR legacy it’s Jimmie Johnson or Richard Petty, by rally supremacy it’s Sébastien Loeb, and by endurance mastery it’s Tom Kristensen. The answer depends on what you value: outright records, dominance against period competition, or success across radically different disciplines.

How to measure “best” in motor racing

Greatness in motorsport spans different cars, rules, eras, and risk levels. The following criteria are widely used by historians, teams, and data-minded fans to weigh drivers across categories.

1. Peak dominance: How decisively a driver beat their contemporaries at their apex.
2. Career longevity and consistency: Sustained excellence across many seasons and rule changes.
3. Quality of competition: Strength of rivals, team parity, and depth of field.
4. Era adjustment: Context for safety, reliability, and technology differences.
5. Versatility: Winning in multiple car types, series, and conditions.
6. Clutch performances: Title deciders, wet races, changing conditions, and high-pressure moments.
7. Sportsmanship and influence: Technical feedback, leadership, and enduring impact on the sport.

No single metric captures the whole picture; the most persuasive cases blend peak performance with durability, context, and versatility.

The front-runners by discipline and why they have a claim

Formula 1

F1 is often the reference point because of its global profile and technical intensity. These drivers anchor most “greatest ever” debates, each with a distinct case as of 2024.

• Lewis Hamilton: Holds F1’s all-time records for wins, poles, and podiums, and is a seven-time world champion (tied for most titles). His success spans multiple regulation eras and team cycles, with racecraft in the wet and relentless consistency among his trademarks.
• Michael Schumacher: Seven-time champion whose Ferrari era (2000–2004) defined modern dominance. Renowned for relentless preparation, development feedback, and race pace, with 91 career wins and a transformative impact on team culture and fitness standards.
• Juan Manuel Fangio: Five titles in the 1950s with four different teams, the gold standard for era-adjusted dominance. His win rate remains among the highest in F1 history, achieved in a far more dangerous era with fragile machinery.
• Ayrton Senna: Three-time champion revered for qualifying genius (65 career poles), wet-weather mastery, and ferocious racecraft. His legacy blends transcendent speed with profound cultural impact—cut short by his fatal 1994 accident.
• Max Verstappen: By 2024, a four-time champion with single-season records including 19 wins in 2023 and the longest win streak (10). His peak dominance and execution have been historically efficient, putting him in the all-time conversation early in his career.

In F1 terms, Hamilton is the statistical benchmark; Fangio and Verstappen set the standard for peak dominance; Senna and Schumacher are touchstones for outright speed, intensity, and transformative influence.

IndyCar and American single-seaters

North American open-wheel racing prizes oval and road-course versatility, mechanical sympathy, and strategy in traffic. These names top most lists.

• A.J. Foyt: Seven USAC/IndyCar national championships, 67 wins, and four Indy 500 victories. The archetype of toughness and adaptability across eras.
• Scott Dixon: Tied for the most championships (seven), second all-time in IndyCar wins, and a paragon of tire management and late-race execution in modern, highly competitive fields.
• Mario Andretti: A global icon—1978 F1 champion, Indy 500 winner, Daytona 500 winner, multiple IndyCar titles—whose breadth of success defines cross-discipline greatness.

Foyt set the early standard for American open-wheel dominance; Dixon is the metronome of the modern era; Andretti is the benchmark for versatility.

NASCAR Cup Series

Stock-car greatness balances superspeedway craft, short-track aggression, and seasonal endurance. These drivers headline the GOAT debate in NASCAR.

• Richard Petty: 200 career wins and seven Cup titles epitomize sustained success and cultural impact across generations.
• Dale Earnhardt: Seven titles, intimidating racecraft, and a legendary rivalry era; his drafting acumen and mental game were decisive.
• Jimmie Johnson: Seven titles including a record five straight (2006–2010) in the modern playoff era—an extraordinary run of clutch performance and adaptability.

Petty sets the high-water mark for wins, Earnhardt for presence and racecraft, and Johnson for sustained championship execution in a parity-driven era.

Rally and off‑road

World Rally Championship (WRC) drivers excel in car control and adaptability on gravel, tarmac, snow, and ice—with pace notes and co-drivers adding unique complexity.

• Sébastien Loeb: Nine WRC titles and a record haul of rally wins, redefining consistency and speed across surfaces.
• Sébastien Ogier: Eight titles and victories with multiple manufacturers, showcasing tactical brilliance and adaptability.
• Michèle Mouton: Four rally wins and 1982 WRC runner-up, a landmark figure for performance and representation in top-level motorsport.

Loeb and Ogier are the rally yardsticks for championships and breadth; Mouton remains seminal for elite pace and trailblazing impact.

Endurance and sports cars

Endurance racing emphasizes traffic management, night stints, and mechanical sympathy across long hours and multi-class fields.

• Tom Kristensen: “Mr. Le Mans” with a record nine wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, setting the benchmark for endurance excellence.
• Jacky Ickx: Six Le Mans wins and elite speed in both sports cars and F1, combining versatility with endurance mastery.
• Fernando Alonso: Two-time F1 champion who added multiple endurance crowns, including two Le Mans victories, highlighting modern cross-discipline adaptability.

Kristensen leads on Le Mans achievement; Ickx embodies classic multi-discipline prowess; Alonso showcases contemporary versatility at the highest levels.

Verdict

If you must name one driver across all of car racing, Lewis Hamilton is the strongest single answer by top-tier records, longevity, and adaptability in F1—the sport’s global pinnacle. Adjusting for era-dominance, Juan Manuel Fangio remains a towering benchmark, while Max Verstappen’s unprecedented peak efficiency has rapidly built an all-time case by 2024. For the broadest definition of “best” across different kinds of cars and events, Mario Andretti’s cross-discipline résumé is unmatched. In NASCAR, Jimmie Johnson’s seven titles in the modern era set a compelling standard; in rally, Sébastien Loeb’s nine championships define supremacy; and in endurance, Tom Kristensen’s nine Le Mans wins are the undisputed gold standard.

Summary

There isn’t a single definitive “best ever” race car driver. By F1 statistics and longevity, Lewis Hamilton leads; for era-adjusted dominance, Juan Manuel Fangio (with Max Verstappen increasingly comparable); for cross-discipline breadth, Mario Andretti; for NASCAR, Jimmie Johnson or Richard Petty; for rally, Sébastien Loeb; and for endurance, Tom Kristensen. The “best” depends on whether you prioritize numbers, domination, versatility, or impact.

Who is considered the greatest F1 driver ever?

Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton is undisputedly the best F1 driver to ever get behind the wheel. He has a record-tying seven titles, rivaled only by the legendary Michael Schumacher (second on our list).

Who is considered the best NASCAR driver ever?

Richard Petty is called “The King” for good reason. Petty has racked up most wins (200), most poles (123), tied for most championships (seven), most wins in a season (27), most Daytona 500 wins (seven), most consecutive wins (10) and most starts (1,185).

Who is the fastest racing driver of all time?

Ayrton Senna
The Top 20 revealed

Ranking	Driver	Time Delta
1	Ayrton Senna	0.000s
2	Michael Schumacher	0.114s
3	Lewis Hamilton	0.275s
4	Max Verstappen	0.280s

Who is considered the greatest race car driver in history?

There’s no single “best race car driver of all time,” as the title depends on the racing series and individual criteria, but Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher (Formula 1), and Richard Petty (NASCAR) are consistently ranked among the greatest due to their record-breaking wins and championships. Other legendary drivers like Ayrton Senna and Jim Clark are also highly regarded for their exceptional skill and groundbreaking performances.
 
This video explains why Ayrton Senna is considered the greatest Formula 1 driver by some: 58sMotorMouth PodcastYouTube · May 19, 2022
Formula 1 Drivers

• Lewis Hamilton: Opens in new tabHolds the record for the most race wins in Formula 1 history, with 105 victories. 
• Michael Schumacher: Opens in new tabThe second-highest winner in Formula 1 with 91 wins and a previous record holder for the most championships. 
• Ayrton Senna: Opens in new tabThree-time Formula 1 champion known for his exceptional talent, especially in wet conditions, and who left a powerful legacy despite his career being cut short. 
• Jim Clark: Opens in new tabA driver from a previous era who excelled in multiple racing categories and is famous for his record 8 Grand Slams (pole position, leading every lap, and fastest lap). 

NASCAR Drivers

• Richard Petty: Opens in new tabKnown as “The King” in NASCAR, he holds the record for the most Cup Series wins (200) and shares the record for the most championships (seven). 
• Dale Earnhardt Sr.: Opens in new tabNicknamed “The Intimidator,” he was a legendary and feared driver known for his aggressive, “win-at-all-costs” mentality. 

Why there’s no single “best”

• Different eras: Comparing drivers from different time periods is difficult due to significant changes in technology, safety, and the nature of the sport. 
• Varying criteria: Some prioritize raw statistics and championships, while others value factors like skill in different weather conditions, multi-discipline success, or iconic status. 
• Different racing disciplines: Drivers who excel in Formula 1, which is open-wheel racing, are not directly comparable to NASCAR stock car drivers like Richard Petty or Dale Earnhardt Sr.