This ranking system is based purely on my opinions. This post is intended for debate and discussion, supporting your views with rhymes or reasons. One where we can share on social media together.
10. Pablo Montoya
It’s very rare to have a Columbian in F1, let alone one of this high standard. Montoya is considered to be a great driver across many different series. Such as people’s high regard of him, and his fairly decent record in F1, he deserves his position in my Top 10. He was a bit underrated in my opinion – he found his McLaren days hard, as the car was just not behaving. However, once he hooked it up, he scored a few wings and many podiums. He only pips tenth to Jenson Button (who I believe, if he didn’t strike lucky with Braun GP then his career could’ve gone into obscurity).
9. David Coulthard
For me, along with Rubens Barrichello, he is the best No.2 driver of the past 20 years. He has never had the ability to push further reaching the heights of titles. However, he won 13 Grand Prixs, 62 podiums obtaining 535 points in the process. That is quite a lot of points – do you see what I mean by how useful it would be to have David on your team? There is a reason why McLaren kept him on board for 9 seasons – it’s not hard to see why.
8. Jacques Villeneuve
1997 World Champion, Villeneuve spent 10 seasons in F1 scoring 235 points (must take into consideration the lower points allocated back then). Obtaining 13 poles, and 11 wins, he was known as a very fast driver. However, he wasn’t particular easy to get along with and was known (still is to this day) to be very outspoken. A team could take on this baggage due to his natural talent in the car, which was also shown in other series such as Indy Car and Le Mans.
7. Damon Hill
He took the battle to one of the greatest F1 drivers of all time in Michael Schumacher, and even triumphed once to become a World Champion. With 22 wins and 42 podiums, this was a mean feat in a period of German domination. Might I add that he even could be slightly underrated in the F1 world?
6. Kimi Raikkonen
A pure out and out racer. Kimi has, or should I say, HAD, all the abilities to carve open drivers to glory – winning himself a World Championship along the way. He almost added another one to his solitary effort but this doesn’t take away the fact that over many years, Kimi has been a reliable points scorer – effective for any team. It’s a shame that his decline is becoming so evident, so fast right now…not the type of fastness he would prefer!
5. Sebastian Vettel
Why is a four time World Champion only number 5 on my list? Simple. He has proven to be a consistently reliable and fast driver…but never the best. His Red Bull car was far and wide dominated on the grid with very little competition. He had to lead it from A to B. Don’t get me wrong, he did this well…very well. But I won’t consider him to be top 3 material unless he wins another Championship with another team.
4. Mika Hakkinen
If you thought that Damon Hill did well to beat off German competition, well, this Finn did it twice! Two years in a row, Mika Hakkinen managed to get the beat of Schumacher in nerve-jangling races delivering masterful performances. No-one is more thankful of the medics than Mika for that day in Adelaide 1995, performing a tracheotomy to save his life. To come back from that and win 2 World Championships – you have my upmost respect.
3. Fernando Alonso
Temporarily halted the Schumacher juggernaut by becoming double World Champion in 2005 and 2006. He capitalised on a revived Renault car that was able to bring the fight to the battle – and he seized the initiative. Despite being a bit difficult to manage now and then, as well as Spygate year, he has always been a useful asset to any team. Alonso is considered one of the best due to his all round game – his outright pace, intelligence, calculation, overtaking abilities and reliability.
2. Lewis Hamilton
A two time World Champion, and maybe soon to be three time…Lewis Hamilton is truly the best driver of our current generation. Whether you like him or not off the track, on the track it is hard to question his ability or natural talent. He is ruthlessly dominating current drivers around him and is true box office material. His statistics of pole laps, laps lead, race wins combined with his gallery of breath-taking overtaking moves, Hamilton deserves his spot this high up.
1. Michael Schumacher
Well…what can I say? Seven World Championships not good enough for you? Many people would criticise the German for the fact he had a dominate car and overstepped the mark on and off the track. His motto was to win, and win at any cost. It was this ruthless attitude that ensured his successful and legend status in the history of all F1. He already took two World Championship titles with Benetton in 1994 and ’95 so his success wasn’t down to one dominate team car, i.e. Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel. 91 wins, 155 podiums, 68 poles, 77 fasted laps and 7 titles – can’t argue with that!
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