VOTE: McLaren’s Greatest Formula 1 Driver

McLaren statistics   World Championships: 1988, 1990, 1991  Grands Prix wins: 35  Grands Prix: 96

Ayrton Senna actually tested for McLaren Racing during his pre-Formula 1 career, but declined an offer that would have committed him to the team upon stepping up to F1. Instead, he began his F1 career with Toleman, before moving to McLaren in 1988 via Honda-powered Lotus.

Ayrton and Honda arrived at McLaren at the same time, forming one of the most dominant partnerships in Formula 1 history. Alongside Alain Prost, Ayrton drove the McLaren-Honda MP4/4 to victory in 15 of the 16 races that season. Ayrton won eight races to Alain’s seven, clinching the title by three points. After losing out to Alain in 1989, at the height of their fierce rivalry, Ayrton reclaimed the crown in 1990 and 1991 following the Frenchman’s departure to Ferrari.

Ayrton’s reputation at McLaren was that of an intensely driven competitor. He is often credited as one of the first drivers to take diet and physical preparation truly seriously, pioneering a more professional approach to fitness in Formula 1. His intensity softened somewhat with the arrival of Gerhard Berger in 1990, who helped bring out a more playful side to the Brazilian, though his competitive edge never faded.

McLaren statistics   World Championships: 1984  Grands Prix wins: 8  Grands Prix: 58

Eight years on from his infamous battle with McLaren’s James Hunt as a Ferrari driver, Niki Lauda was on the other side of F1’s most famous team-to-team rivalry, fighting for the title with McLaren.

Niki had initially left F1 in 1979, but new McLaren boss Ron Dennis was determined to coax him out of retirement. He kept calling, and eventually, Niki said yes, allowing himself to be persuaded into a race seat for 1982, curious as to whether he still had the speed to fight for top honours. The answer was, of course, yes.

He was on the pace from the outset and later said he might even have won the title in 1982 had he realised his competitiveness earlier in the season. Instead, his comeback was crowned in 1984, when he secured his third World Championship by half a point over teammate Alain Prost - the closest finish in Formula 1 history.

Few drivers have commanded as much respect as Niki. ‘No-nonsense’ is often the simplest way to describe him. He spoke his mind, did things his own way, and moved through the paddock with complete authority. While still supremely quick in his later years, it was his analytical mind and relentless focus that truly set him apart. In a sport packed with intelligent, motivated characters, Niki stood out amongst the very best of them.

McLaren statistics   World Championships: 2008  Grands Prix wins: 21  Grands Prix: 110

McLaren’s last Drivers’ Champion before Lando Norris was Lewis Hamilton, who secured the title in 2008 after a dramatic final day in Brazil. Lewis had been on McLaren’s books since 1998, rising through the ranks to widespread acclaim before being promoted to the Formula 1 team for 2007. After one of the sport’s most impressive rookie seasons, he became a regular race winner in 2008 and clinched his first World Championship at the final corner of the final lap of the race in Brazil.

A genuine homegrown talent, the Lewis Hamilton who arrived as a 22-year-old rookie was exceptionally fast and fearlessly competitive. He was also still developing, but eager to learn and relentlessly committed to improvement - a combination that quickly marked him out as a future champion.

He also built a strong connection with fans, taking time at events to engage with supporters and ensure everyone left happy. Nearly two decades on, Lewis remains at the pinnacle of motorsport, having built a global following that began during his early years at McLaren.

McLaren statistics   Grands Prix wins: 9   Grands Prix: 87

Moody, driven and intensely focused, Kimi Räikkönen proved a worthy successor to fellow Flying Finn Mika Häkkinen at McLaren, replacing his compatriot in 2002.

Kimi’s rookie campaign with Sauber in 2001 had already marked him out as blisteringly quick, alongside a calm, unflappable demeanour that suggested he would not be overwhelmed by the step up to a race-winning, championship-contending team.

He went on to score nine wins, 11 Pole positions and 36 podiums during a memorable stint with McLaren, delivering both the speed and consistency the team expected.

One of his most iconic victories came at Suzuka in 2005, when he charged from 17th to first, passing Giancarlo Fisichella’s Renault on the final lap for the win.

McLaren statistics   World Championships: 1998, 1999  Grands Prix wins: 20  Grands Prix: 131

Mika Häkkinen originally joined McLaren as a Test Driver in 1993, following two years with a struggling Lotus team, deciding that a future seat with McLaren was a better bet than continuing to race an uncompetitive car. When Michael Andretti left McLaren with three races of the season remaining, Mika was given his chance and immediately cemented his place in the team - and began building his reputation - by out-qualifying Ayrton Senna in his first race with the team.

When Ayrton left for Williams ahead of 1994, Mika became the team’s number one driver, but it wasn’t until 1998 that he had a car capable of challenging for the Championship. In the Mercedes-powered MP4/13, Mika went wheel-to-wheel with Ferrari and Michael Schumacher, who would later hail the Finn as “The best opponent I’ve had in terms of quality”, winning the title in the season finale.

Mika was a fearless competitor and almost entirely unflappable, qualities that made him a formidable rival. Supremely quick and precise, he always knew exactly where to place the car and was never one to back out of a wheel-to-wheel battle. Off-track, he was reserved and easy-going, but thoughtful and well-humoured - very much the phlegmatic Finn. He’s still a popular presence in our garage to this day.

McLaren statistics   Grands Prix wins: 4  Grands Prix: 94

Aged 22, Fernando Alonso was the driver to finally break Bruce McLaren’s 43-year-old record, becoming Formula 1’s youngest ever winner at the 2003 Hungarian Grand Prix with Renault. Four years later, he would be driving for Bruce’s team.

By this stage a two-time World Champion, Fernando arrived at McLaren to considerable fanfare and quickly made his mark, winning his second race and re-establishing the team at the sharp end after a disappointing 2006 season.

More victories followed - he led home an emotional McLaren one-two at Monaco, showcased his controlled aggression to snatch victory at the Nürburgring, and dominated at Monza. But his winning momentum was matched by rookie team-mate Lewis Hamilton and, ultimately, bettered by Ferrari’s Kimi Räikkönen, who took the title by just one point at the final race in Brazil.

Fernando departed after a single season but returned to McLaren eight years later, where he once again demonstrated his ability to extract every inch of performance from a car, regardless of its limitations. He also played a key role in McLaren’s historic return to the Indy 500.

McLaren statistics   World Championships: 1976  Grands Prix wins: 9  Grands Prix: 49

A truly mercurial talent, James Hunt’s battle with Niki Lauda across the 1976 season remains one of the most famous in Formula 1 history, and inspired the film Rush.

James was a driver of natural, raw pace. Fiercely competitive, he raced on instinct, always on the edge and never giving an inch. He was also flamboyant, and his name is often associated with F1’s so-called golden era - a racer defined by a work-hard, play-hard approach.

Joining McLaren in 1976 as Emerson Fittipaldi’s replacement, James had big boots to fill, but had already shown with the smaller Hesketh team that he was capable of winning Grands Prix. While his off-track lifestyle became the stuff of legend, the team were happy so long as his focus remained on performing in the car - and he was more than capable of delivering. Though he experienced nerves in the build-up to races, once the visor dropped, he flourished.

James sealed the World Championship at the final round in Japan, in a race that perfectly reflected his reputation for bravery, as he battled heavy fog, torrential rain, and standing water.

McLaren statistics   World Championships: 1985, 1986, 1989  Grands Prix wins: 30  Grands Prix: 207

Alain Prost had been courted by much of the Formula 1 grid before electing to join McLaren in 1980. He left after a single season, returning in 1984 alongside Niki Lauda. Over a six-year spell with the team, he amassed 30 victories and three Drivers’ Championships.

After narrowly missing the title by two points in 1983 with Renault, and by just half a point to Niki in 1984, Alain made no mistake in 1985, dominating the season to secure the Championship with two races remaining. He went on to win further titles in 1986 and 1989, during which time he formed one half of Formula 1’s most iconic intra-team rivalry with Ayrton Senna, culminating in their infamous collision in the decisive 1989 Japanese Grand Prix.

During his time at McLaren, Alain earned the nickname ‘Le Professeur’ for his calm, cerebral approach to racing, though that was not always his early reputation. Paired with Niki, he began as the younger attacker, learning from his more experienced teammate. Niki’s measured, analytical style helped shape Alain’s own approach, as he refined his craft into something more controlled and methodical. The contrast between Alain’s calculation and Ayrton’s instinctive aggression defined one of the sport’s most compelling rivalries.