Formula One drivers from Germany

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Formula One drivers from Germany
Flag of Germany.svg
Drivers 54
Grands Prix930
Entries2418
Starts2288
Best season finish1st (12 times: 1994, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016)
Wins 179
Podiums 415
Pole positions 166
Fastest laps 159
Points7959.5
First entry 1950 Italian Grand Prix
First win 1961 Dutch Grand Prix
Latest win 2019 Singapore Grand Prix
Latest entry 2024 Chinese Grand Prix
2024 drivers Nico Hülkenberg
Statue of Wolfgang von Trips, the first German to win a Formula One race Wolfgang von Trips.jpg
Statue of Wolfgang von Trips, the first German to win a Formula One race

There have been 54 Formula One drivers from Germany including three world champions. Michael Schumacher holds many records in F1 including the most world championship titles and the most consecutive titles. In 2008 Sebastian Vettel became the youngest ever driver to win a race (which was later broken) and, in 2010, became the youngest world championship winner. In 2016, Nico Rosberg became the third driver from Germany to win the F1 World Drivers' Championship. There is currently one active German race driver in Formula One.

Contents

World champions and race winners

Since the first season in 1950 Germany has produced three F1 World Drivers' Champions. The first title did not come until 1994 when Michael Schumacher claimed his first of seven championship victories. Sebastian Vettel is the second German drivers' champion, winning back-to-back titles in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013. [1] Nico Rosberg is the third German drivers' champion, winning the title in 2016. Wolfgang von Trips was leading the championship in 1961 at the time of his fatal accident, and finished 2nd in the standings, just 1 point behind eventual champion Phill Hill. [2]

There have been seven race winners from Germany, [3] with Michael Schumacher having by far the most victories (91). [4] Vettel scored 53 wins [5] and Nico Rosberg won 23. [6] Ralf Schumacher won six Grands Prix and Heinz-Harald Frentzen won three. [7] [8] Wolfgang von Trips, who became the first German driver to win a Grand Prix, won two races, both of which were in 1961. [2] Jochen Mass won one. [9]

Active drivers

Nico Hülkenberg joined F1 in 2010, replacing Rosberg in the Williams team. Despite some good performances he was dropped by the team for the following season and he became a test driver for Force India. For the 2012 season he was given a race seat, [10] and he went on to achieve his career best result at the 2012 Belgian Grand Prix, finishing fourth. [11] Continuing to race for Force India until the end of 2016, Hülkenberg then drove for Renault from 2017 to 2019, but was dropped by the team at the end of the season. In 2020, he drove three races for Racing Point, replacing drivers who were ill. In 2022, he drove two races for Aston Martin, replacing Sebastian Vettel, who was suffering from COVID-19. After Haas decided not to renew their contract with Mick Schumacher for 2023, [12] the team decided to hire Hülkenberg to fill his place. [13]

Former drivers

Notable former drivers

Michael Schumacher in Monaco, 2012 Michael Schumacher pole lap monaco 2012.JPG
Michael Schumacher in Monaco, 2012

Michael Schumacher has often been listed as one of the greatest drivers in the history of Formula One and the "most dominant driver in the history of the sport". [4] [14] [15] He is statistically the best driver, holding many records including the most world championships, most fastest laps, most points, and formerly held the record for most pole positions and most wins (both surpassed by Lewis Hamilton). [16] [14] He won an unprecedented seven world championship titles, firstly in 1994 and then his second in 1995. [14] Those titles came while Schumacher was a driver for Benetton but in 1996 he left to join Ferrari, a team who were, at the time, in disarray and without a champion driver since 1979. Over the next few seasons Schumacher and Ferrari saw some success and some controversy, including his disqualification from the 1997 season. [4] However, the combination eventually proved highly successful and Schumacher won five consecutive championships between 2000 and 2004. [14] Many of Schumacher's records are believed unlikely to ever be surpassed. [4]

Rosberg driving for Williams at the 2009 Turkish Grand Prix Nico Rosberg 2009 Turkey.jpg
Rosberg driving for Williams at the 2009 Turkish Grand Prix

2016 World Champion Nico Rosberg, the son of 1982 World Champion Keke Rosberg, drove for Germany even though his father represented Finland. He joined Formula One as a driver with Williams before moving to Mercedes in 2010. He scored his first pole position at the 2012 Chinese Grand Prix and held on to win the race. He became the second son of a former champion to win a title. [17]

Stefan Bellof in a Tyrrell 012 at the 1984 Dallas Grand Prix Bellof Tyrrell 012 1984 Dallas F1.jpg
Stefan Bellof in a Tyrrell 012 at the 1984 Dallas Grand Prix

Stefan Bellof has been described as the "ultimate 'what-might-have-been' driver". [18] He joined Formula One in 1984, the same year that saw Ayrton Senna join the sport. Senna's performance at the 1984 Monaco Grand Prix marked him out as an immensely talented driver, [19] but Bellof's race had shown what potential the German had as well. Starting last on a very wet grid, Bellof quickly rose through the order, passing seven cars by the end of the first lap. He was in fourth place when the race was stopped due to safety concerns brought on by the weather. [20] It would prove to be his best result in Formula One and, in 1985, Bellof died at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps while competing in the World Sportscar Championship. [18] Former teammate Martin Brundle later said of Bellof "as it is with Ayrton, the good ones are taken from us far too young". [20]

Ralf Schumacher, younger brother of Michael, won six Grands Prix in a career that spanned eleven F1 seasons starting in 1997. All six wins came in the middle of his F1 career as a driver for Williams. [7] Heinz-Harald Frentzen won three Grands Prix over ten seasons, once finishing in runner up in the drivers' championship thanks to the disqualification of Schumacher in 1997 and 3rd in 1999. [8] Nick Heidfeld holds the record for the most podium finishes without a win (13). [21]

Glock driving for Toyota at the 2009 Spanish Grand Prix Glock Spain 2009.jpg
Glock driving for Toyota at the 2009 Spanish Grand Prix

Timo Glock was the third driver for Jordan in 2004 and was called up for racing duty when Giorgio Pantano was unable to drive due to a sponsorship dispute. [22] Glock finished 7th, becoming one of only a handful of drivers who have scored championship points on their debut. [23] It would prove to be Glock's only race in that season and he would not return to F1 until 2008. [22]

Sutil driving for Force India at the 2008 Malaysian Grand Prix Sutil 2008 Malaysia.jpg
Sutil driving for Force India at the 2008 Malaysian Grand Prix

Adrian Sutil entered Formula One in 2007 with Spyker. He stayed with the team (which was renamed Force India for 2008) for the next four seasons, before a year out of the sport, and then returning to Force India in 2013. For 2014, Sutil moved to Sauber but was not retained for 2015.

Vettel driving for Ferrari at the 2017 Malaysian Grand Prix Sebastian Vettel 2017 Malaysia FP2.jpg
Vettel driving for Ferrari at the 2017 Malaysian Grand Prix

Sebastian Vettel won the World Championship in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013. He is the youngest driver to win the title. [16] Vettel is seen as one of the greatest qualifiers in the sport and holds the record for the most consecutive front row starts, having qualified in first or second at 25 consecutive races. [16] [24] Vettel retired at the end of the 2022 season. [25]

Additional to those detailed above the following drivers are worthy of note:

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nico Hülkenberg</span> German racing driver (born 1987)

Nicolas Hülkenberg is a German racing driver who drives for the Haas F1 Team in Formula One. He was the 2009 GP2 Series champion, and is a previous champion of both the Formula 3 Euro Series and A1 Grand Prix, as part of A1 Team Germany. He is one of six drivers since 2005 to win the GP2 Series/Formula 2 championship in his debut season. Outside of Formula One, he won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2015 on his first attempt and also contested two rounds of the 2015 FIA World Endurance Championship season for Porsche.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 Bahrain Grand Prix</span> Motor car race

The 2010 Bahrain Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 14 March 2010 at the Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain. It was the seventh Bahrain Grand Prix and the opening round of the 2010 Formula One season. It was the first time since 2006 that Bahrain had hosted the opening round and the race took place on a lengthened layout of the track.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 Italian Grand Prix</span> Motor car race

The 2010 Italian Grand Prix was the fourteenth round of the 2010 Formula One season. It was held in Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, Monza, Italy on 12 September 2010. Ferrari's Fernando Alonso won the race from pole position, taking Ferrari's first win on home soil since 2006 and their last until 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 Singapore Grand Prix</span> Fifteenth round of the 2010 Formula One season

The 2010 Singapore Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 26 September 2010, at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, Marina Bay, Singapore. It was the fifteenth race of the 2010 Formula One World Championship, and the third Singapore Grand Prix held as part of the Formula One World Championship. Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso won the 61-lap race from pole position. Sebastian Vettel finished second for Red Bull and his teammate Mark Webber was third.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 Brazilian Grand Prix</span> Formula One motor race held in 2010

The 2010 Brazilian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace in the city of São Paulo on 7 November 2010 before 157,582 spectators. It was the 18th round of the 2010 Formula One World Championship and the 38th Brazilian Grand Prix to be held as part of the series. Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel won the 71-lap race starting from second. His teammate Mark Webber finished second and Ferrari's Fernando Alonso third.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 Formula One World Championship</span> 63rd season of the FIA Formula One World Championship

The 2012 FIA Formula One World Championship was the 66th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 63rd FIA Formula One World Championship, a motor racing series for Formula One cars, recognised by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) – the governing body of motorsport – as the highest class of competition for open-wheel racing cars. The championship was contested over twenty rounds, which started in Australia on 18 March and ended in Brazil on 25 November. The 2012 season saw the return of the United States Grand Prix, which was held at the Circuit of the Americas, a purpose-built circuit in Austin, Texas. After being cancelled in 2011 due to civil protests, the Bahrain Grand Prix also returned to the calendar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 Korean Grand Prix</span> Motor car race

The 2011 Korean Grand Prix, formally the 2011 Formula 1 Korean Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race that was held on 16 October 2011 at the Korea International Circuit in Yeongam, South Jeolla, South Korea. It was the sixteenth round of the 2011 Formula One season, the second running of the Korean Grand Prix, and the first race after Sebastian Vettel claimed the 2011 World Drivers' Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 Australian Grand Prix</span> Motor car race

The 2012 Australian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 18 March 2012 as the opening round of the 2012 Formula One season. It was the 77th race in the combined history of the Australian Grand Prix that dates back to the 100 Miles Road Race of 1928, and the 17th time the event has been held at the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit at Albert Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 Bahrain Grand Prix</span> Motor car race

The 2012 Bahrain Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 22 April 2012 at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain. It was the first time Formula One returned to Bahrain after the 2011 race was cancelled due to ongoing anti-government protests. The race, the eighth running of the Bahrain Grand Prix, was contested over 57 laps and was the fourth round of the 2012 Formula One season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 Belgian Grand Prix</span> 12th round of the 2012 Formula One season

The 2012 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race that took place, at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps near the village of Francorchamps, Wallonia, Belgium on 2 September 2012, the first event after a five-week summer break. It was the twelfth race of the 2012 Formula One World Championship, and the seventy-seventh running of the Belgian Grand Prix.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 Brazilian Grand Prix</span> Formula One motor race held in 2012

The 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race that took place at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace in São Paulo, Brazil, on 25 November 2012. The race was the twentieth and final round of the 2012 Formula One World Championship, and marked the forty-first running of the Brazilian Grand Prix. The race was won by Jenson Button driving for McLaren, scoring the 15th and last victory of his Formula One career, as well as McLaren's last Grand Prix victory until the 2021 Italian Grand Prix.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 European Grand Prix</span> 8th round of the 2012 Formula One season

The 2012 European Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race that was held at the Valencia Street Circuit in Valencia, Spain on 24 June 2012. It was the eighth round of the 2012 championship season, and the final time the circuit hosted the European Grand Prix or any other Formula One race. It was Fernando Alonso's second Grand Prix win in Spain after the 2006 Spanish Grand Prix held at Barcelona. Michael Schumacher finished third at the age of 43 years and 173 days, the oldest driver to climb to the podium since Jack Brabham's second-place finish at the 1970 British Grand Prix. It was Schumacher's best result since his comeback in 2010 and the final podium finish of his Formula One career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 Italian Grand Prix</span> Motor car race

The 2012 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race that took place at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza in Monza, Italy on 9 September 2012. It was the thirteenth race of the 2012 season, and the final race in Europe before the teams returned to Asia for the Singapore Grand Prix.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 Monaco Grand Prix</span> Motor car race

The 2012 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race that took place in the principality of Monaco on 27 May 2012. It was the sixth round of the 2012 season, and the seventieth running of the Monaco Grand Prix. The race was supported by the GP2, GP3 and Formula Renault 3.5 series. Mark Webber's victory created a new record for Formula One in that there had never been six different winners of the opening six Grands Prix of the season before. Mercedes' Nico Rosberg came in second place, his second podium in the 2012 season, and Ferrari's Fernando Alonso third and taking the Formula One championship lead by three points over Vettel and Webber.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 Japanese Grand Prix</span> Motor car race

The 2012 Japanese Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race that took place at the Suzuka Circuit in Mie Prefecture, Japan on 7 October 2012 at 15:00 local time. The race was the fifteenth round of the 2012 season, and marked the 38th running of the Japanese Grand Prix.

The 2013 FIA Formula One World Championship was the 67th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 64th FIA Formula One World Championship, a motor racing series for Formula One cars, recognised by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) – the governing body of motorsport – as the highest class of competition for open-wheel racing cars. Eleven teams and twenty-three drivers contested the nineteen Grands Prix that made up the calendar for the 2013 season, with the winning driver being crowned the World Drivers' Champion and the winning team the World Constructors' Champions. The season started in Australia on 17 March 2013 and ended in Brazil on 24 November 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Formula One drivers from Finland</span> List of Formula One drivers who competed as Finnish

There have been nine Formula One drivers from Finland who have taken part in races since the championship began in 1950. Three drivers have won the World Drivers' Championship, with Keke Rosberg being the first in 1982. Mika Häkkinen won it in 1998 and retained it in 1999, becoming the first - and so far only - Finnish double world champion. Kimi Räikkönen is the most recent Finnish champion having won the title in 2007. Finland is considered to have an unusually high amount of successful Formula One drivers for a country of its relatively small size.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 Malaysian Grand Prix</span> Motor car race

The 2015 Malaysian Grand Prix, formally titled the 2015 Formula 1 Petronas Malaysia Grand Prix, was a Formula One motor race that was held on 29 March 2015 at the Sepang International Circuit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It was the seventeenth running of the Malaysian Grand Prix as a World Championship event.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 Italian Grand Prix</span> 2015 Formula 1 race

The 2015 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 6 September 2015 at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza in Monza, Italy. The race was the twelfth round of the 2015 season, and marked the 85th running of the Italian Grand Prix.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 Singapore Grand Prix</span> Motor car race

The 2015 Singapore Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 20 September 2015 at the Marina Bay Street Circuit in Marina Bay, Singapore. The race was the thirteenth round of the 2015 season. It was the eighth time the race was run as a round of the Formula One World Championship.

References

  1. ↑ "Formula One World Drivers' Champions". ESPN F1. ESPN EMEA Ltd. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
  2. 1 2 "Wolfgang von Trips". ESPN F1. ESPN EMEA Ltd. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  3. ↑ Baldwin, Alan (15 April 2012). "Rosberg takes first win with Mercedes". Reuters. Archived from the original on 4 April 2019. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Donaldson, Gerald. "Michael Schumacher (driver profile)". Formula1.com. Formula One World Championship Limited. Archived from the original on 28 June 2007. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
  5. ↑ "Sebastian Vettel". ESPN F1. ESPN EMEA Ltd. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  6. ↑ "Nico Rosberg". ESPN F1. ESPN EMEA Ltd. Retrieved 7 September 2012.
  7. 1 2 "Ralf Schumacher". ESPN F1. ESPN EMEA Ltd. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
  8. 1 2 "Heinz-Harald Frentzen". ESPN F1. ESPN EMEA Ltd. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  9. ↑ "Jochen Mass". ESPN F1. ESPN EMEA Ltd. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  10. ↑ "Nico Hulkenberg (biography)". Formula1.com. Formula One World Championship Limited. Retrieved 7 September 2012.
  11. ↑ "Hulkenberg records career-best fourth position at Belgian Grand Prix". The Times of India . 2 September 2012. Archived from the original on 3 January 2013. Retrieved 7 September 2012.
  12. ↑ "Mick Schumacher and Haas to part ways at the end of 2022 | Formula 1®". www.formula1.com. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  13. ↑ "Nico Hulkenberg seals F1 comeback with Haas in 2023". www.motorsport.com. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  14. 1 2 3 4 "Michael Schumacher". Autosport . Retrieved 5 September 2012.
  15. ↑ Murtagh, Paul (14 July 2008). "Michael Schumacher: F1's Greatest Driver?". Bleacher Report . Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
  16. 1 2 3 Manishin, Glenn (19 October 2010). "All-Time F1 Records" . Retrieved 5 September 2012.
  17. ↑ Benson, Andrew (15 April 2012). "Dominant Nico Rosberg wins Chinese Grand Prix". BBC News. Retrieved 7 September 2012.
  18. 1 2 "Stefan Bellof". Autosport . Retrieved 8 September 2012.
  19. ↑ "Ayrton Senna". ESPN F1. ESPN EMEA Ltd. Retrieved 7 September 2012.
  20. 1 2 Hallbery, Andy (31 May 2011). "Stefan Bellof: Monaco magician and 'Ring raider". motorsportretro.com. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
  21. ↑ Collantine, Keith (11 April 2011). "Heidfeld sets record for most podiums without a win". F1 Fanatic. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
  22. 1 2 Stubbs, Dave (10 June 2012). "Timo Glock's 2004 maiden F1 race memorable". Montreal Gazette. Postmedia Network Inc. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
  23. ↑ "Timo Glock". Race of Champions. Archived from the original on 19 August 2012. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
  24. ↑ Benson, Andrew (5 September 2012). "Formula 1's greatest drivers. Number 8: Sebastian Vettel". BBC. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
  25. ↑ Taranto, Steven (17 November 2022). "Entire Formula 1 field goes out to dinner to celebrate Sebastian Vettel's retirement". CBS Sports.
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