List of Formula One World Drivers' Champions

The Formula One World Drivers' Championship (WDC) is awarded by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) to the most successful Formula One racing 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 current Drivers' Champion is Sebastian Vettel, who won his first World Championship in 2010 and successfully defended it in 2011. He is only the second German to win the title, after Michael Schumacher.

The FIA does 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 mathematically possible for another to obtain more points than he has, 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 won in the final race of the season 25 times in the 61 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, thirty two 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 United Kingdom has produced the most World Championship winning drivers with ten; Brazil and Finland are next with three each. Of the 32 drivers to win the World Championship, 21 are still alive. The most recently deceased is Phil Hill (1927–2008).

By driver


Drivers in bold are competing in the 2012 World Championship.

By constructor
Constructors in bold are competing in the 2012 World Championship.

By engine
 Engine manufacturers in bold are competing in the 2012 World Championship.

By tyre manufacturer
Tyre manufacturers in bold are competing in the 2012 World Championship. Numbers in parentheses indicate championships won as the sole tyre supplier.

Youngest Drivers' Champion
* Bold text indicates driver is competing in the 2012 World Championship

** Measured at the race where the driver secured the championship

Oldest Drivers' Champion
Bold text indicates driver is competing in the 2012 World Championship.

Consecutive Drivers' Championships
Nine separate drivers have achieved consecutive wins in the Formula One Drivers' Championship. Michael Schumacher is the only driver to have won two sets of consecutive Formula One Drivers' Championships.

Bold text indicates driver is competing in the 2012 World Championship.