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Since the start of the championship, nine British drivers have won the world title. From Mike Hawthorn to Lewis Hamilton, this marks two decades of domination by drivers from across the Channel.
British drivers have won 20 of the 71 Formula 1 world championship titles awarded since the sport's inception, a success rate of nearly 28%. No other nation comes close; the next best, Germany's Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel, and Nico Rosberg combined, have a total of 12 titles.
From Mike Hawthorn to Lewis Hamilton, nine Britons have had their names added to the list of champions.
1958 – Mike Hawthorn
The first in a long line, Mike Hawthorn, born in Mexborough, is a motorsport legend whose achievements are often underestimated. In the 1950s, he competed in single-seater and endurance races, taking on the big names of the day: Farina, Fangio, Ascari, and the ever-present Stirling Moss. Hawthorn won his only title in 1958, beating Moss after a controversial finish in Portugal. Moss won the race, but his rival was disqualified. Moss then pressured the stewards to reinstate Hawthorn, awarding him six points instead of zero and handing the championship to the Briton by a narrow margin.
1962 and 1967 – Graham Hill
Unlike the first British champion, Graham Hill was already well known when he made his debut in the sport. Nicknamed “Monsieur Monaco” because of his sideburns, he became a true F1 icon, his speed on the Monaco street circuit cementing his reputation. After his first title in 1962, he had to contend with the rise of Jim Clark, but regained the crown five years later.
1963 and 1965 – Jim Clark
A champion whose career ended tragically, Jim Clark drove with a purity and fluidity that still inspires today. His fellow Scotsman Jackie Stewart once described him as one of the best drivers in the world. Although his life was cut short by a fatal accident at Hockenheim in 1968, Clark's record was extraordinary: 25 wins (a record at the time) and 33 pole positions in just 72 Grand Prix starts. Under the guidance of Colin Chapman, he also distinguished himself in Formula Tasman, Formula 2, the Indianapolis 500, the BTCC, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
1964 – John Surtees
From two wheels to four, John Surtees proved his versatility. After seven world titles in motorcycle racing, he turned to Formula 1 in 1960, learning the ropes while continuing to race on two wheels. Three seasons later, Ferrari gave him his chance, and he seized it, becoming the first driver to win world championships in both of motorsport's premier disciplines. He remained the only Briton to have won the championship at the wheel of a Ferrari until Niki Lauda's triumph eleven years later.
1969, 1971, and 1973 – Jackie Stewart
Jackie Stewart's relatively short F1 career earned him a long list of successes. The three-time champion not only won races and titles in his 99 starts, but also became a champion of safety. As president of the GPDA, he campaigned for better track protection, improved medical facilities, and safer racing conditions overall. Stewart also mentored his teammates, notably Frenchman François Cevert, who tragically lost his life during qualifying for the 1973 United States Grand Prix.
1976 – James Hunt 1976 was the peak of James Hunt's career. After a fierce rivalry with Niki Lauda that began the previous year, the two friends turned competitors battled it out on the track. Lauda's accident at the Nürburgring weakened the Austrian, allowing Hunt to dominate the second half of the season. In a dramatic final race, Lauda voluntarily retired and Hunt finished third, securing the title.
1992 – Nigel Mansell
After 16 years of drought, Nigel Mansell broke the spell in spectacular fashion. In 1992, he finally combined a dominant car with his own peak form, winning the championship in convincing fashion and later adding more trophies in the United States.
1996 – Damon Hill
Like father, like son. While family ties are common in F1, a father-son duo both winning the world title was unprecedented until Damon Hill's triumph in 1996. After narrowly missing out on victory in 1994, notably in a controversial collision with Michael Schumacher that cost him the crown, Hill finally seized his chance, becoming champion 29 years after his father Graham's last title.
When the dust settled on the 2009 starting grid, a phoenix rose from the ashes of Honda's departure. Ross Brawn's brand-new Brawn GP team provided Jenson Button with a platform that would transform an uncertain season into a championship triumph. The Briton took victory in the very first race and racked up six wins in the first half of the season, the only ones the team would achieve. Although the second half of the season saw his rivals Rubens Barrichello, Sebastian Vettel, and a young Lewis Hamilton climb onto the podium, Button's consistency earned him the world championship title, capping off a year that also marked Vettel's entry into the sport's elite.
Ten years later, the narrative has shifted from that of a surprise winner to that of a record breaker. Lewis Hamilton's early career suggested a great career ahead, but a heartbreaking second place in 2008 denied him the title. The following season, he seized his chance, beating Felipe Massa in a dramatic finale to win his first crown. A turbulent period with an underperforming McLaren followed, but the arrival of Mercedes in 2010 ushered in a new era. The hybrid era proved perfect for the German team and Hamilton's unwavering determination. For years, he raced with virtually no competition, with only his teammate Nico Rosberg and the ever-present Sebastian Vettel managing to dent his dominance. It was only with the emergence of Max Verstappen in 2020 that Hamilton's grip finally loosened, and the 2021 season marked the end of his title streak. By that point, the British driver had racked up 103 Grand Prix victories, 103 pole positions, and seven world championships, figures that secure his place among the greatest Formula 1 drivers of all time.
