List of Formula One World Drivers' Champions - Wikicars List of Formula One World Drivers' Champions Wikicars, a place to share your automotive knowledge Grand Prix Drivers Association (GPDA) The Formula One World Drivers' Championship (WDC) is awarded by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) to the most successful Formula One race car driver over a season, as determined by a points system based on Grand Prix results. The Drivers' Championship was first awarded in 1950 , to Nino Farina . The first driver to win multiple Championships was Alberto Ascari , in 1952 and 1953 . The FIA do not officially declare the Champion until the end of the season, but a driver is said to have "clinched" the Championship after it is no longer possible for another to obtain more points than them, even if the former driver were to not compete in the remaining races of the season, and the latter to score the maximum number of points possible. The Drivers' Championship has been clinched in the final race of the season 23 times in the 58 seasons it has been awarded.

The earliest in a season that the Drivers' Championship has been clinched was in 2002 , when Michael Schumacher secured the title with six races remaining. Overall, twenty-nine different drivers have won the Championship, with German Michael Schumacher holding the record for most titles, at seven. Schumacher also holds the record for most consecutive Drivers' Championships, winning five from 2000 to 2004 . The current Drivers' Champion is Jenson Button, who won his first World Championship in 2009 . Contents * Indicates the team also won the Constructors' Championship (awarded since 1958 ). ↑ Fangio shared the win of the 1951 French Grand Prix with Luigi Fagioli . ↑ Fangio competed in the 1954 Argentine and Belgian Grands Prix with Maserati , then completed the season with Mercedes . ↑ Fangio shared the win of the 1956 Argentine Grand Prix with Luigi Musso . ↑ Fangio shared 2nd position in the 1956 Monaco and Italian Grands Prix with Peter Collins .

↑ Hill won the Championship at the 1961 Italian Grand Prix , where teammate Wolfgang von Trips died after an accident in the race. ↑ Surtees became the first person to win World Championships on motorcycles and cars, having previously won seven titles in both 350cc and 500cc. ↑ Rindt died during practice for the 1970 Italian Grand Prix , but his Championship was not confirmed until two rounds later, making him Formula One's first (and only) posthumous World Drivers' Champion. ↑ Andretti became Champion after teammate Ronnie Peterson died following an operation due to a collision at the 1978 Italian Grand Prix . ↑ Narrowest margin of victory ever, after half points were awarded at Monaco due to early finish because of bad weather. ↑ Ayrton Senna won the 1989 Japanese Grand Prix , but was disqualified for cutting the chicane after receiving a push-start from track-side marshalls. McLaren appealed the decision but lost, handing Prost the title.

↑ Damon Hill is the son of Graham Hill, who won the Drivers' Championship in 1962 and 1968 , making them the first father-son pair to both win Drivers' Championships. ↑ Michael Schumacher scored 78 points during the 1997 season , only 3 points behind Villeneuve. However, Schumacher was disqualified from the championship, leaving Villeneuve with a 39 point margin over Heinz-Harald Frentzen with 42 points. ↑ Britain's top 10 F1 drivers - F1 - Autosport Plus Autosport Plus Britain's top 10 F1 drivers British drivers have collectively taken 14 world championships in Formula 1 history, but who is the greatest individual? Edd Straw speaks to those who shared the track with such luminaries to compile the top 10 drivers to have emerged from these shores Britain has been fortunate enough to have 10 Formula 1 world champions, plus a litany of other exceptional successful grand prix drivers. The question of who is the greatest is an impossible one to answer objectively. So let's go for subjective opinion, and who better to ask than Britain's F1 drivers themselves?

This top 10 has been generated using votes from a representative sample set of British drivers to have competed in F1. This means it includes the opinions of those who have shared the track with, raced wheel-to-wheel with, and even beaten (on occasion) the best this country has to offer. Here's what they reckon... 10. Damon Hill Fastest laps: 19 Titles: 1 (1996) When Hill made his grand prix debut in a Brabham that could barely qualify, he was a couple of months short of his 32nd birthday. You would have got long odds on him becoming world champion just four years later. Nigel Mansell's move to Indycars gave Hill his big break. After just two starts, he was promoted to a Williams race seat as back-up to Alain Prost for 1993, and over the next four seasons he won 21 races and the 1996 title. "Damon won 22 grands prix, and you don't do that by being an idiot," says David Coulthard, Hill's team-mate for two seasons. "He is probably one of the most underrated world champions of the modern era.

"He had a lot of complications, having to carry the team after Senna's death and probably mismanagement from his own people in misjudging his worth. But I remember Suzuka in 1994 - a remarkable victory from Schumacher in awful weather on one of the most challenging tracks in the world." 9. Jenson Button Fastest laps: 7 Titles: 1 (2009) After nine seasons in F1 and with his future uncertain after Honda's pull-out (and two years of dire equipment), Button's reputation as a future world champion had long been forgotten. But with the 2009 Brawn he won six out of the first seven races that season to lay the foundations for an unlikely title. Since then he has gone from strength to strength with McLaren, and his long-term deal means that there will surely be more wins to come. The days when he struggled even to get podiums with Williams, Benetton and BAR are long behind him, notwithstanding his current dip. David Coulthard, who has plenty of experience of racing against Button in F1, knows his compatriot's game better than most.

"Jenson's strengths are that he is a consistent driver and delivers in transitional conditions," says the Scot. "Only this year and in 2001 with Benetton has he looked out of form in race trim, and I believe that's not solely down to him." 8. James Hunt Fastest laps: 8 Titles: 1 (1976) James Hunt is best remembered as the anti-establishment figure of 1970s motor racing, but it's important that his off-track character isn't allowed to overshadow his achievements. He wasn't always the most diligent of drivers, often going missing during test sessions, but when it came to the serious business of qualifying and racing he was capable of mixing it with the best. When he came into Formula 1 in 1973, neither Hunt nor the Hesketh Racing team were taken particularly seriously. But impressive results soon followed, with victory in the 1975 Dutch Grand Prix the crowning glory. This earned him a place at McLaren, where he emerged as a regular winner.

While Niki Lauda's Nurburgring crash played a part in Hunt winning the title in '76, he was unquestionably a worthy world champion, although McLaren's declining fortunes thereafter prevented a run at a second title. He was unconventional; Stirling Moss and Jackie Stewart have commented on his unusual attire. But both are quick to also hail his ability behind the wheel. And Hunt's charisma continued to make him popular for years after his retirement through his incisive F1 commentary. 7. John Surtees Fastest laps: 10 Titles: 1 (1964) Six victories in world championship races doesn't do justice to his ability. From the moment Surtees started in F1, with little experience in cars, he showed his class, finishing second for an emerging Team Lotus in the 1960 British GP. Over the next couple of years he impressed for Reg Parnell's team, which earned him his big chance at Ferrari. During his four seasons there he won four world championship races and the 1964 title, but differing views about car development meant that the relationship between him and Ferrari went sour and he left during '66, never again to drive for a genuine top team.

Stirling Moss recently pointed out that Surtees's sheer talent was there to see from the moment the seven-times world motorcycle champion turned his attention to four wheels: "When John came into Formula 1, his car control was amazing. If you were following, you saw more of the front than the back! The control was unbelievable. He came in and immediately went to the top. We realised that driving fast - cars, two wheels, whatever - he had fantastic talent." 6. Lewis Hamilton Fastest laps: 11 Titles: 1 (2008) Few grand prix drivers, British or otherwise, divide opinion to the extent that Hamilton does. But you will find few arguing that he is anything other than a searingly fast racing driver, capable of producing performances that stand shoulder to shoulder with the greatest seen in the sport. There has been plenty of controversy along the way. After almost winning the title in his rookie season, claiming an improbable record of nine podiums in his first nine races, he took the 2008 title with a last-gasp pass on Timo Glock. That second title has proved elusive, but his quality is there for all to see.

"His main strength is his raw speed," says David Coulthard. "He's supremely talented and doesn't make many mistakes when he's driving alone. You never see him making mistakes in qualifying. "Sometimes his confidence gets the better of him in racing. I think what we saw last year were the inevitable growing pains of living his life in the public eye. But still, if you give him a car capable of it and ask him to deliver a mega qualifying lap, you'd be very confident that he could do it." 5. Graham Hill Fastest laps: 10 Titles: 2 (1962, 1968) Graham Hill has the reputation of the artisan racer in comparison to the artistry of friend, rival and sometime team-mate Jim Clark. Yet 'Mr Monaco' proved himself time and time again, helping BRM to go from joke to title winner, picking up the pieces at Lotus after Clark's death, and establishing himself as one of the great drivers of the 1960s. His enthusiasm was unquestionable. After breaking both legs in a massive accident at Watkins Glen in 1969, his top-line career in F1 machinery was effectively over.

Yet he continued until '75, when failure to qualify in Monaco confirmed that age and injury had caught up with him. "I saw in Graham a talent not as great as Jim Clark's, in sheer driving skill, but also an enormous determination and a wealth of knowledge and information I could learn from," reckoned Jackie Stewart of Hill. "Funnily enough, I didn't think there was as much I could learn from Jimmy because his natural talent was so great that sometimes I don't think he knew how he did it." 4. Nigel Mansell Fastest laps: 30 Titles: 1 (1992) Mansell had more than his fair share of doubters during the early years with Lotus, but a surprise move to Williams to partner Keke Rosberg in 1985 proved to be the making of him. At Brands Hatch that year he claimed his first win, and he never looked back. After several near misses, 1992 was his crowning glory as he utterly dominated in the Williams-Renault FW14B. Becoming world champion proved all of the naysayers wrong.

"I raced against Nigel many times, first in a BMW one-make series at Silverstone, then in Formula 1," says Martin Brundle. "He's a complex character who unleashed all of his emotions and skills at the wheel of a racing car in a most forceful, defiant and brilliant manner, and seemingly always despite often-told personal challenges. The fans and media alike loved Nigel; he guaranteed entertainment and surprise in one form or another. I was privileged to share the Silverstone podium with him in 1992 and so I know how it felt to be Nigel for a few minutes as the fans went wild. "Everybody in motorsport has a view on the enigma that is Nigel Mansell. His character, style and success simply demand it." 3. Stirling Moss Fastest laps: 19 Titles: 0 Would he have won that (those) elusive world championship(s) had he not spent much of his career driving British machinery? Quite possibly. But to focus on Moss's quartet of runner-up spots is to miss the point, for there is a wealth of evidence proving that he was a faster, better racing driver than some of those who were crowned during his career.

He was the first Briton to win a world championship race in a British car (the Vanwall in the 1957 British Grand Prix) and the first to win in a Lotus (Monaco 1960). But for his career-ending shunt at Goodwood in April 1962, there would have been far more successes. He also set the template for the modern driver, pushing on car development even though it potentially cost him in terms of reliability. "Stirling unfairly gained a reputation for being hard on his cars," wrote Tony Brooks in his excellent autobiography. "I think his attempts to try to gain an edge over his competitors instead of being satisfied with a standard car increased the risk of unreliability." 2. Jim Clark Fastest laps: 28 Titles: 2 (1963, 1965) That Clark finished second only once in world championship races tells you everything that you need to know about him. A winner through and through, he was recognised as the gold standard for drivers through much of the 1960s until his death in the Deutschland Trophy Formula 2 race at Hockenheim on that infamous day - April 7 1968.

The quietly-spoken gentleman farmer was universally liked and drove for Colin Chapman throughout his entire F1 career. Searingly fast and capable of emphatically dominating race after race, his runs to both his world titles were as good as unchallenged. Team-mate at Lotus and long-time rival Graham Hill best summed him up in Paul Hamlyn's book, Portrait of a Racing Driver: "There was no single quality which made him what he was, except perhaps his competitive nature and his will to win. "He wasn't going to take second best, but he wasn't reckless. He had superb control over his machine and a very intelligent approach to his racing. He applied this to the technicalities and got to know how to explain everything to Colin." 1. Jackie Stewart Fastest laps: 15 Titles: 3 (1969, 1971, 1973) It's all too easy to let Stewart's achievements since retiring from Formula 1, his ongoing media presence and memories of his sport-changing safety crusade overshadow the most significant aspect of the great Scot - that he was a remarkable racing driver.

The magic of Stewart was that he combined prodigious speed with smoothness, consistency and an Alain Prost-like capacity to calculate the best way to win a race. He didn't need to lead from start to finish or crush the opposition - for Stewart, all that mattered was being up front when the chequered flag flew. Fast, analytical, intelligent and largely error-free, he had no obvious weaknesses. That is reflected in his remarkable record, which made him the gold-standard driver in his pomp. The best drivers of their times raise the bar for the generation that follows, and that is exactly what Stewart did. Ultra-professional in everything he took on, he set the template for the modern racing driver. To continue reading this feature, subscribe to Autosport Plus today. Get back on track. Subscribe today for unlimited access to all Autosport news and features. Are you an Autosport magazine subscriber? Activate your online account Your Autosport Plus subscription includes: Unlimited access to Autosport's news - no monthly cap. Read the best motorsport features, analysis and opinion. Explore Forix, our comprehensive motorsport stats database. Choose from a monthly or yearly membership.

About Edd Straw Edd Straw is Editor-in-Chief of Autosport, overseeing both print and digital versions of the brand. Edd has worked for Autosport since joining as a junior reporter in 2002. He became Editor in November 2014, having previously worked as National Editor, News Editor and Grand Prix Editor. Originally from Guernsey in the Channel Islands, he joined Autosport shortly after graduating from university. He went on to cover a wide range of categories from club motorsport to the World Touring Car Championship and Le Mans to Formula 3 before switching to F1 full-time at the 2008 French Grand Prix. He continues to cover a range of international events in his position as Editor-in-Chief. In his spare time, he was formerly a club racer whose abilities did not match his enthusiasm in a variety of categories. © 2016 Autosport More from Edd Straw Why Formula 1 is under threat from driverless cars How does Formula 1's future look alongside the inevitable rise of driverless cars on the road?

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To try to ensure everyone featured on this site have full biographical details, including full places of birth and death To try to have a photograph of each personality - both when involved in racing and later in life. To try to give each person a small biography to establish their significance to the sport. We aim to provide as up-to-date and accurate information on everyone featured on this site. We are always indebted to the many contributors who help with information or correct any mistakes and regret that space doesn't allow us to thank everyone here. However, please feel free to contact me on with any information you might have.

To summarise, there are six categories - the World Championship (including Indianapolis 1950-1960); the Formula 2 championship (1960, 1967-1984); the Formula 3000 championship (1985-2004), Indianapolis 500 from the start, 1911; " North American Racers ", those who drove in CART and IRL, but none of the other categories; and to prove this isn't all driver based, the " World Championship team bosses " - a loose term to describe designers, technical directors, managers and owners. Jackie Stewart | The Formula 1 Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Edit Sir Jackie's family were Jaguar car dealers and had built up a successful business, Dumbuck Garage, in Milton. His father had been an amateur motorcycle racer, and his brother Jimmy was a racing driver. In his early days Jackie was an excellent clay pigeon shooter and was a member of the 1959 British Team. However, in 1961 he followed his brother Jimmy's lead and entered racing in a Marcos sports car, initially using the name "A. N. Other".

Racing career Edit Ken Tyrrell signed him up in 1964 for Formula Three and, after winning his first F3 race at Snetterton, he turned down an opportunity to move up to F1. In 1965 Jackie made his F1 debut when he finished sixth in a BRM in the South African Grand Prix . Only seven GP's later he won his first F1 race when he took the chequered flag for BRM in the Italian Grand Prix . Stewart finished his rookie season with three seconds, a third, a fifth, and a sixth, and third place in the World Drivers' Championship. He also piloted Tyrrell's unsuccessful F2 Cooper T75-BRM, and ran the Rover Company's revolutionary turbine car at Le Mans.

1966 saw him almost win the Indianapolis 500 on his first attempt, in John Mecom's Lola T90-Ford, only to be denied by a broken scavenge pump while leading by over a lap with eight laps to go; however, Stewart's performance, having had the race fully in hand and sidelined only by mechanical failure, won him Rookie of the Year honours, the only occasion to date in race history a rookie winner ( Graham Hill , team mate at Indianapolis as well, and final leader after Stewart) was deemed surpassed in performance by another rookie. Also, in 1966, a crash triggered his fight for improved safety in racing. On lap one of the 1966 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, when sudden rain caused many crashes, he found himself trapped in his overturned BRM, getting soaked by leaking fuel. Any spark could cause a disaster. The marshals had no tools to help him, and it took his teammate Hill and Bob Bondurant , who had both also crashed nearby, to get him out. Since then, a main switch for electrics and a removable steering wheel have become standard.

Also, noticing the long and slow transport to a hospital, he brought his own doctor to future races, while the BRM supplied a medical truck for the benefit of all. It was a poor year all around; the BRMs were notoriously unreliable, although Stewart did win the Monaco Grand Prix . Stewart had some success in other forms of racing during the year, winning the 1966 Tasman Series and the 1966 Rothmans 12 Hour International Sports Car Race. BRM's fortunes did not improve in 1967, during which Stewart came no higher than second at Spa, though he won F2 events for Tyrrell at Karlskoga, Enna, Oulton Park, and Albi in a Matra M5S or M7S. In Formula One, he gambled on a switch to Tyrrell's team, where he drove a Matra - Ford for the 1968 and 1969 seasons. Skill (and improving tyres from Dunlop) brought a win in heavy rain at Zandvoort .

Another win in rain and fog at the Nürburgring, where he won by a margin of four minutes, is considered as one of the finest ever, even though his rain tyres were probably better than those of the competition. He also took Watkins Glen, but missed Jarama and Monaco due to an F2 injury at Jarama, had the car fail at Mexico City, and so lost the driving title to Hill. With wins at Kyalami, Jarama, Zandvoort, Charade, Silverstone, and Monza, Stewart became world champion in 1969 in a Matra MS80-Cosworth. Until September 2005, when Fernando Alonso in a Renault became champion, he was the only driver to have won the championship driving for a French marque and, as Alonso's Renault was actually built in the UK, Stewart remains the only driver to win the world championship in a French-built car. For 1970, Matra (just taken over by Chrysler) insisted on using their own V12 engines, while Tyrrell and Stewart wanted to keep the Cosworths as well as the good connection to Ford.

As a consequence, the Tyrrell team bought a chassis from March Engineering; Stewart took the March 701-Cosworth to wins at the Daily Mail Race of Champions and Jarama, but was soon overcome by Lotus' new 72. The new Tyrrell 001-Cosworth, appearing in August, was extremely fast but suffered problems. Stewart saw better days for it in 1971, and stayed on. Tyrrell continued to be sponsored by French fuel company Elf, and Stewart raced in a car painted French Racing Blue for many years. Stewart also continued to race sporadically in Formula Two, winning at the Crystal Palace and placing at Thruxton; a projected Le Mans appearance, to co-drive the muscular 4.5 litre Porsche 917K with Steve McQueen, did not come off, for McQueen's inability to get insurance. He also tried Can-Am in the revolutionary Chaparral 2J, but the car broke down in his only appearance. Stewart went on to win the Formula One world championship in 1971 using the excellent Tyrrell 003-Cosworth, winning Spain, Monaco, France, Britain, Germany, and Canada.

He also did a full season in Can-Am, managing to beat the juggernaut McLarens at St. Jovite and Mid-Ohio driving a Lola T260. In the 1972 season he missed the Belgian GP at Nivelles, due to gastritis which was developed following frequent travelling, and had to cancel plans to drive a Can-Am McLaren, but won the Argentine, French, U.S., and Canadian Grands Prix, to come second to Emerson Fittipaldi in the drivers' standings. Stewart also competed in a Ford Capri RS2600 in the European Touring Car Championship, with F1 teammate François Cevert and other F1 pilots, at a time where the competition between Ford and BMW was at a height. Stewart shared a Capri with Cevert in the 1972 6 hours of Paul Ricard, finishing second. He also received an OBE. Entering the 1973 season, Stewart had decided to retire at the end of the season. He nevertheless won at South Africa, Belgium, Monaco, Holland, and Germany.

His last (and then record-setting) 27th victory came at the Nürburgring with a convincing 1-2 for Tyrrell. "Nothing gave me more satisfaction than to win at the Nürburgring and yet, I was always afraid." Stewart later said. "When I left home for the German Grand Prix I always used to pause at the end of the driveway and take a long look back. I was never sure I'd come home again." After the fatal crash of his teammate (and close friend) François Cevert in practice for the 1973 United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, Stewart retired one race earlier than intended and missed what would have been his 100th GP. Formula One Statistical Overview Ayrton Senna | The F1 History Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Edit Senna started racing karts at Interlagos and entered a karting competition at the age of 13. He started his first race on pole position. Senna faced rivals who were some years older than him, but managed to lead most of the race before retiring after colliding with a rival. His father supported his son and Senna was soon managed by Lucio Pascal Gascon.

Senna won the South American Kart Championship in 1977. He contested the Karting World Championship each year from 1978 to 1982, finishing runner-up in 1979 and 1980. He was the team-mate of Terry Fullerton in 1978, from whom Senna later felt was the rival he got the most satisfaction racing against. In 1981, Senna moved to England to begin single-seater racing, winning the RAC and Townsend-Thoreson Formula Ford 1600 Championships that year with the Van Diemen team. Despite this, Senna initially did not believe he would continue in motorsport. At the end of the season, under pressure from his parents to take up a role in the family business, he returned to Brazil. Before leaving England however, Senna was offered a drive with a Formula Ford 2000 team for £10,000. Back in Brazil, he decided to take up this offer and returned to live in England. As Silva is a very common Brazilian name, he adopted his mother's maiden name, Senna.

Senna went on to win the 1982 British and European Formula Ford 2000 championships under that surname. In 1983, Senna drove in the British Formula Three Championship with the West Surrey Racing team. He dominated the first half of the season until Martin Brundle , driving a similar car for Eddie Jordan Racing , closed the gap in the second part of the championship. Senna won the title at the final round after a closely fought and, at times, acrimonious battle. In November that year, he triumphed at the inaugural Macau Formula 3 Grand Prix with Teddy Yip's Toyota powered Theodore Racing Team. Senna competing in karting Edit In 1983, Senna tested for Formula One teams Williams , McLaren , Brabham , and Toleman . Peter Warr of Lotus , Ron Dennis of McLaren, and Bernie Ecclestone of Brabham made offers for testing in 1984 and presented long-term contracts that tied Senna to driving later on. Neither Williams nor McLaren had a vacancy for the 1984 season .

During his test for Williams at the 3.149-km (1.957-mi) Donington Park circuit, Senna completed 40 laps and was quicker than the other drivers, including Williams' reigning World Champion Keke Rosberg . Senna's test for Brabham occurred at Paul Ricard in November 1983, and he set lap times two seconds slower than the team's lead driver, Nelson Piquet . Senna impressed the team and was linked to their second seat, however it was eventually shared by brothers Teo and Corrado Fabi . His only option was to join Toleman, a relatively new team, partnering Venezuelan Johnny Cecotto , a former Grand Prix motorcycle racing world champion. Senna testing the Williams FW08 Senna testing the Brabham BT52B Edit Senna made his debut at the Brazilian Grand Prix in Rio de Janeiro. He scored his first World Championship point in his second race at the South African Grand Prix with severe muscle spasms, replicating that result two weeks later at the Belgian Grand Prix .

A combination of tyre issues and a fuel pressure problem resulted in his failure to qualify for the San Marino Grand Prix , the only time this happened during his career.Senna's best result of the season came at the Monaco Grand Prix , which was affected by heavy rain. Qualifying 13th on the grid, he made steady progress in climbing through the field, passing Niki Lauda for second on lap 19. He quickly began to cut the gap to race leader Alain Prost , but before he could attack Prost the race was stopped on lap 31 for safety reasons, as the rain had grown even heavier. At the time the race was stopped Senna was catching Prost at 4 seconds per lap.Senna finally passed Prost during the 32nd lap at the end of which the red flag was shown. However according to the rules, the positions counted were those from the last lap completed by every driver, lap 31, at which point Prost was still leading. Senna's second place was his first podium in Formula One, and his performances in rainy conditions became a hallmark of his career.

He took two more podium finishes that year—third at the British and Portuguese Grands Prix—and placed 9th in the Drivers Championship with 13 points overall. He did not take part in the Italian Grand Prix after he was suspended by Toleman for being in breach of his contract by signing for Lotus for 1985 without informing the Toleman team first. Senna at the 1984 South African GP Edit Senna was partnered in his first year at Lotus- Renault by Italian driver Elio de Angelis . At the second round of the season, the Portuguese Grand Prix , Senna took the first pole position of his Formula 1 career. He converted it into his first victory in the race, which was held in very wet conditions, winning by over a minute from Michele Alboreto .He would not finish in the points again until coming second at the Austrian Grand Prix , despite taking pole three more times in the intervening period.

(His determination to take pole at the Monaco Grand Prix had infuriated Alboreto and Niki Lauda; Senna had set a fast time early and was accused of deliberately baulking the other drivers by running more laps than necessary, a charge he rejected.)Two more podiums followed in Holland and Italy , before Senna added his second victory, again in the wet, at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium .Senna's relationship with De Angelis soured over the season, as both drivers demanded top driver status within Lotus and, after spending six years at the team, De Angelis departed for Brabham at the end of the year, convinced that Lotus were becoming focused around the Brazilian. Senna and De Angelis finished the season 4th and 5th respectively in the driver rankings, separated by five points. In terms of qualifying, however, Senna had begun to establish himself as the quickest in the field: his tally of seven poles that season was far more than that of any of the other drivers.

Senna celebrates his first win at the 1985 Portuguese GP Edit De Angelis was replaced at Lotus by Scottish peer Johnny Dumfries after Senna vetoed Derek Warwick from joining the team, saying that Lotus were not able to run competitive cars for two top drivers at the same time. Senna later admitted "It was bad, bad. Until then I had a good relationship with Derek."Senna started the season well, coming second in Brazil and winning the Spanish Grand Prix by just 0.014s from Nigel Mansell —one of the closest finishes in Formula One history—to find himself leading the World Championship after two races.However, poor reliability, particularly in the second half of the season, saw him drift behind the Williams pairing of Mansell and Piquet, as well as eventual champion, Alain Prost. Nonetheless, Senna was once more the top qualifier, with eight poles, and he took a further six podium finishes that season, including another victory at the Detroit Grand Prix , and finished the season fourth in the driver's standings again, with 55 points.

After winning the Detroit Grand Prix, two days after Brazil was eliminated in 1986 World Cup, Senna asked a supporter for the Brazilian Flag and drove one lap waving the flag. Later on, he repeated that act every time he won a race. Senna at the 1986 Detroit GP Edit Lotus had a new engine deal in 1987, running the same Honda engines as Williams had used to win the previous year's Constructors' Championship, and with them came a new team-mate, 34 year-old Japanese driver, Satoru Nakajima . Senna started the season with mixed fortunes: a podium at the San Marino Grand Prix was tempered by controversy at the following race at Spa-Francorchamps, where he collided with Mansell and was confronted by the angered Englishman in the pits afterwards.Senna then won two races in a row: the ensuing Monaco Grand Prix (the first of his record six victories at the Principality) and the Detroit Grand Prix , his second victory in two years at the Michigan street circuit, to take the lead in the World Championship.

As the championship wore on however, it became evident that the Williams cars had the advantage over the rest of the field, the gap between the Honda-engined teams made most obvious at the British Grand Prix where Mansell and Piquet lapped the Lotuses of Senna and Nakajima. Senna became dissatisfied with his chances at Lotus and at Monza it was announced that he would be joining McLaren for 1988.Senna finished the season strongly, coming second in the final two races in Japan and Australia , however post-race scrutineering at the final race found the brake ducts of his Lotus to be wider than permitted by the rules and he was disqualified, bringing his last and most successful season with Lotus to a sour end.Senna was classified third in the final standings, with 57 points, one pole position and six podium finishes. This season marked a turning point in Senna's career as, throughout the year, he built a deep relationship with Honda, a relationship which would pay big dividends, as McLaren had secured Williams' supply of Honda's V6 turbo engines for 1988.

Senna at the 1987 Monaco GP Edit In 1988, thanks to the relationship he had built up with Honda throughout the 1987 season with Lotus, and with the approval of McLaren's number one driver and then-double world champion, Alain Prost , Senna joined the McLaren team.The foundation for a fierce competition between Senna and Prost was laid, culminating in a number of dramatic race incidents between the two over the next five years.At the 1988 Portuguese Grand Prix , Prost got away slightly faster than Senna at the start but the Brazilian dived into the first corner ahead. Prost responded and went to pass Senna at the end of the first lap. Senna swerved to block Prost, forcing the Frenchman nearly to run into the pitwall at 180 mph (290 km/h). Prost kept his foot down and soon edged Senna into the first corner and started pulling away fast. Though Prost was angered by Senna's manoeuvre, the Brazilian got away with a warning from the FIA. Senna would later apologize to Prost for the incident.

Ultimately, the pair won 15 of 16 races in the McLaren MP4/4 in 1988 with Senna coming out on top, winning his first Formula One world championship title by taking 8 wins to Prost's 7 (Prost had scored more points over the season, but had to drop three 2nd places as only the 11 best scores counted). Senna at the 1988 British GP Edit The following year, the rivalry between Senna and Prost intensified into battles on the track and a psychological war off it.Tension and mistrust between the two drivers increased when Senna overtook Prost at the restart of the San Marino Grand Prix , a move which Prost claimed violated a pre-race agreement. Senna took an early lead in the championship with victories in three of the first four races, but unreliability in Phoenix, Canada, France, Britain and Italy, together with collisions in Brazil and Portugal swung the title in Prost's favour. Prost took the 1989 world title after a collision with Senna at the Suzuka Circuit in Japan, the penultimate race of the season , which Senna needed to win to remain in contention for the title.

Senna had attempted an inside pass on Prost who turned into the corner and cut him off, with the two McLarens finishing up with their wheels interlocked in the Suzuka chicane escape road. Senna then got a push-start from marshals, pitted to replace the damaged nose of his car, and rejoined the race. He took the lead from the Benetton of Alessandro Nannini and went on to finish first, only to be disqualified by the FIA for cutting the chicane after the collision, and for crossing into the pit lane entry (not part of the track).A large fine and temporary suspension of his Super License followed in the winter of 1989 and an irate Senna engaged in a bitter war of words with the FIA and its then President Jean-Marie Balestre.Senna finished the season second with six wins and one second place. Prost left McLaren for rivals Ferrari for the following year. Alain Prost and Senna collide at the 1989 Japanese GP Edit In 1990, Senna took a commanding lead in the championship with six wins, two second places and three thirds.

His most memorable victories were at the opening round in Phoenix , in which he diced for the lead for several laps with a then-unknown Jean Alesi before coming out on top, and at Germany where he fought Benetton driver Alessandro Nannini throughout the race for the win. As the season reached its final quarter however, Alain Prost in his Ferrari rose to the challenge with five wins, including a crucial victory in Spain where he and teammate Nigel Mansell finished 1–2 for the Scuderia. Senna had gone out with a damaged radiator and the gap between Senna and Prost was now reduced to 11 points with two races remaining. At the penultimate round of the Championship in Japan at Suzuka (the same circuit where Senna and Prost had their collision a year before), Senna took pole ahead of Prost. The pole position in Suzuka was on the right-hand, dirty side of the track. Prost's Ferrari made a better start and pulled ahead of Senna's McLaren.

At the first turn Senna aggressively kept his line, while Prost turned in and the McLaren ploughed into the rear wheel of Prost's Ferrari at about 270 km/h (170 mph), putting both cars off the track, this time making Senna the Formula 1 world champion.A year later, after taking his third world championship, Senna explained to the press his actions of the previous year in Suzuka. He maintained that prior to qualifying fastest, he had sought and received assurances from race officials that pole position would be changed to the left-hand, clean side of the track, only to find this decision reversed by Jean-Marie Balestre after he had taken pole.Explaining the collision with Prost, Senna said that what he had wanted was to make clear he was not going to accept what he perceived as unfair decisions by Balestre, including his disqualification in 1989 and the pole position in 1990.Prost would later go on record slamming Senna's actions as "disgusting" and that he seriously considered retiring from the sport after that incident.

Senna crashes into Prost at the 1990 Japanese GP Edit Senna captured his third title in 1991 , taking seven wins and staying largely clear of controversy. Prost, due to the downturn in performance at Ferrari, was no longer a serious competitor. Senna won the first four races, however by mid-season, Mansell in the more advanced Williams was able to put up a challenge. There were some memorable moments, such as at the Spanish Grand Prix when Senna and Mansell went wheel to wheel with only centimetres to spare, at over 320 km/h (200 mph) down the main straight, a race that the Briton eventually won. Quite a different spectacle was offered following Mansell's victory in the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. Senna's car had come to a halt on the final lap but he was not left stranded out on the circuit, as Mansell pulled over on his parade lap and allowed the Brazilian to ride on the Williams side-pod back to the pits.

Though Senna's consistency and the Williams' unreliability at the beginning of the season gave him an early advantage, Senna insisted that Honda step up their engine development program and demanded further improvements to the car before it was too late. These modifications enabled him to make a late season push and he managed to win three more races to secure the championship, which was settled for good in Japan (yet again) when Mansell, who needed to win, went off at the first corner while running third and beached his Williams-Renault into the gravel trap. Senna finished second, handing the victory to teammate Gerhard Berger at the last corner as a thank-you gesture for his support over the season. Senna at the 1991 United States GP Nigel Mansell gives Senna a lift at the 1991 British GP Edit In 1992, Senna's determination to win manifested itself in dismay at McLaren's inability to challenge Williams' all-conquering FW14B car.McLaren's new car for the season had several shortcomings.

There was delay in getting the new model running (it debuted in the third race of the season, the Brazilian Grand Prix) and in addition to lacking active suspension, the new car suffered from reliability issues, was unpredictable in fast corners, while its Honda V12 engine was no longer the most powerful on the circuit. Senna scored wins in Monaco, Hungary, and Italy that year. During qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix, French driver Érik Comas crashed heavily and Senna was the first to arrive at the scene. He got out of his car and ran across the track to aid the Frenchman, disregarding his own safety in an effort to aid a fellow driver. He later went to visit Comas in hospital. Senna finished fourth overall in the championship, behind the Williams duo of Mansell and Patrese, and Benetton's Michael Schumacher . Senna at the 1992 Monaco GP Edit Questions about Senna's intentions for 1993 lingered throughout 1992, as he did not have a contract with any team by the end of the year.

He felt the McLaren cars were less competitive than previously (especially after Honda bowed out of Formula 1 at the end of the 1992 season). Joining Williams alongside Prost (who had secured a drive for the team for 1993) became impossible, since Prost had a clause on his contract vetoing Senna as a team-mate, even though the Brazilian offered to drive for free. An infuriated Senna called Prost a coward in a press conference in Estoril. In December, Senna went to Phoenix, Arizona and tested Emerson Fittipaldi 's Penske IndyCar. McLaren boss Ron Dennis meanwhile was trying to secure a supply of the dominant Renault V10 engine for 1993.When this deal fell through, McLaren was forced to take a customer supply of Ford V8 engines which were two specifications behind that of Ford's factory team, Benetton. McLaren hoped to make up for the inferior horsepower with mechanical sophistication, including an effective active suspension system. Dennis then finally persuaded Senna to return to McLaren.

The Brazilian, however, agreed only to sign up for the first race in South Africa, where he would assess whether McLaren's equipment was competitive enough for him to put in a good season. After driving McLaren's 1993 car, Senna concluded that the new car had a surprising potential, albeit the engine was still down on power and would be no match for Prost's Williams Renault.Senna declined to sign a one-year contract but agreed to drive on a race-by-race basis, eventually staying for the year. After finishing second in the opening race in South Africa ,Senna won in changing conditions in Brazil and Donington .

The latter has often been regarded as one of Senna's greatest victories.He was fifth at the first corner and led the race at the end of the first lap going on to lap the entire field in a race where up to seven pit stops were required by some drivers for rain or slick tyres.Senna then scored a second-place finish in Spain and a record-breaking sixth win at Monaco .After Monaco, the sixth race of the season, Senna unexpectedly led the championship from Prost in the Williams-Renault.As the season progressed, Prost and Damon Hill asserted the superiority of the Williams-Renault car, with Prost securing the drivers' championship while Hill moved up to second in the standings. Senna concluded the season and his McLaren career with two wins in Japan and Australia , finishing second overall in the championship.The penultimate race was noted for an incident where Jordan's rookie Eddie Irvine unlapped himself against Senna. The incensed Brazilian later appeared at Jordan's garage and after a lengthy and heated discussion, punched the Irishman in the face.

Senna at the 1993 European GP Main Article: Ayrton Senna/1994 Season The 1994 Formula One season was Ayrton's eleventh and last season in Formula One and his first for the Williams Team. In all three races he competed in before his death at the third; the San Marino Grand prix, he achieved pole position. At Imola, fighting to stay ahead of Schumacher, he crashed at the 190mph Tamburello corner. He should have walked away - several drivers before him had done so after accidents at the same place. But a suspension arm pierced his helmet and caused fatal head injuries. Senna's death at the age of 34 left behind memories of a multi-faceted and complex man who was so much more than a racing driver. Senna at the 1994 Brazilian GP Edit In his karting days, Senna's helmet consisted of a plain white background with notable features absent.

He experimented with several designs to satisfy him such as a white, yellow and green helmet before settling on a design that included a yellow background with a green stripe that surrounded the upper visor and a light metallic blue stripe surrounding the lower visor (both stripes are delineated in the other stripes color) that was first seen in 1979 with the design having been created by Sid Mosca who also painted helmets for Emerson Fittipaldi and Nelson Piquet . According of Mosca, the blue and green stripes symbolised movement and aggression. The helmet never had significant changes, apart from sponsorship. One such change that was Senna would occasionally alter the blue stripe to black. The tone of yellow changed a number of times, while usually a rich sunburst yellow, in 1985 and 1986 in some races he used a fluorescent neon yellow colour. In 1994 the helmet was a lighter, paler yellow to complement the blue and white of the Williams car. He used a number of helmet brands throughout his career.

From 1984 to 1988 he used Bell, from 1990 to 1991 Honda's own Rheos brand, 1992 to 1993 he used Shoei and for 1994 he returned to using Bell. 1984-1994 design

Question: What surname is shared by the Formula 1 champions in 1962, 1968, and 1996?
Answer: HILL