Between the impressive cars and imposing tracks, car racing is and has always been a fascinating sport, attracting novices, experts, and fans from around the globe. There are numerous car race formats around the world, each with unique features and requirements. Formula 1 and NASCAR are the most well-known. Regardless of a race’s format, race car drivers are the ones that gain true popularity and the responsibility of continuing racing traditions and honors.
Here’s what you need to know about the history of the sport, as well as information about some of the drivers that have made it so exciting.
Formula 1 Top 3 Drivers
In addition to determination and training, a Formula 1 race car driver, sometimes referred to as a pilot, needs strength and endurance to withstand all of the challenges that come with racing a car at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour. Here are three who have stood the test of time and left an unforgettable impact on the racing world.
1. Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton, a native of Britain and a former school football (“soccer”) star, is possibly F1’s most popular driver. He first debuted in the racing world in 2007. Since then, he has already won six world championship titles and had 90 race victories. Hamilton is best known as a Formula One Grand Prix race car driver.
2. Michael Schumacher
She Michael Schumacher is a German-born racecar driver who started racing at the age of 14. He would go on to win seven F1 championships before his retirement. For roughly a decade, Schumacker was also known as the face of Ferrari and was well known to be one of the higher earners in this industry.
3. Niki Lauda
Niki Lauda emerged victorious with the title of F1 World Drivers’ Champion three times, although he did not escape the industry unscathed. At one point, he was almost killed in an accident. He went on to serve as the Jaguar Formula One’s racing team manager. In addition to being a racecar driver, Lauda is an Austrian aviation magnate who founded and operated three airlines. He died in 2019.
NASCAR Top 3 Drivers
As with many other racing sports, a high level of dedication is needed to train and prepare for a good race. Among these attributes are fast reflexes, good instincts, experience, technical skills, sharpness, and professionalism. These 21st-century NASCAR drivers have proven to be some of the few worthy of winning its races.
1. Joey Logano
Aside from being one of the top-paid race car drivers in the 21st century, Joey Logano is the winner of three NASCAR major events and counting. At 19, he became the youngest Sprint cup Series Winner, followed by being named 2009’s Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year.
2. Aric Almirola
Aric Almirola made his first appearance in the professional NASCAR racing world in 2005 and went on to win events in 2007, 2010, and 2014. He retired in 2012 after the Texas WinStar World Casino 350K race.
3. Brad Keselowski
Also with three big wins in 2008, 2009, and 2014 is driver Brad Keselowski. He also won several awards and honors, including Nationwide Series Most Popular Driver from 2008 to 2010. He appeared along with colleague Joey Logano as himself in the 2015 film Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!
Other Great Drivers
Whether it’d be drag racing, sports car racing, stock car racing, or rallying, it’s undeniable the effect drivers have on the sport itself. Due to longevity, skill, the number of races, awards, and other factors, here are a few more race car drivers worthy of mention.
Mario Andretti
Mario Andretti was a stock car racer, an IndyCar series driver, and an F1 race car driver. The Andretti family name is etched on the racing world and pop culture—he’s considered by many—including rappers, who seem to enjoy invoking his name—to be the greatest race car driver of all time.
Fernando Alonso
F1 legend Fernando Alonso first stepped into the world of racing via a go-kart, eventually making his first professional debut in 2001. Alonso achieved consecutive wins in 2005 and 2006, and he won the F1 championship between 2010 and 2012. Other wins include the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 24 Hours of Daytona.
Jim Clark
With two F1, Indianapolis 500, and other global titles, Jim Clark was one of the earliest to turn car racing into a profession. Clark is known as one of F1’s drivers with the highest percentage of wins in a single season. Regrettably, the industry lost him too soon. He died in a crash at a race in West Germany in 1968.
Beyond the Drivers
It’s easy to fall in love with car racing. The sounds, the sights, and the energy of a historically competitive sport all add up to create an exciting experience. Yet, without the men and women who compete, there would be no sport to enjoy. It’s these special and unique individuals that make the sport what it is and are the reason it continues to take place all over the world.