Top 10 Best Ferrari F1 Drivers Of All Time

If you’re as avid a Ferrari fan as I am, then you’ve probably been watching Formula 1 for a long time. Even though we haven’t won an F1 constructors’ title in over a decade, Ferrari still boasts an illustrious list of talented drivers. Surprisingly, despite being in the sport since its inaugural season in 1950, Ferrari has only seen nine separate drivers crowned the F1 Drivers’ World Champion. However, not all the drivers on this list of the best Ferrari F1 drivers won a championship for the Prancing Horse.

My logic for picking these drivers depended on my personal connection to them as a lifelong Ferrari fan, their achievements while driving for Ferrari, their historical significance to the sport, and how well they performed for Ferrari even if they didn’t win a Drivers’ World Championship. So, let’s take a look at the first driver to make his way onto the greatest Ferrari Formula 1 drivers of all time list…

10. Felipe Massa

I imagine some Formula 1 fans might wonder what Felipe Massa is doing on a list of the best Ferrari drivers of all time. However, although Massa never won a Formula 1 Drivers' World Championship, he contributed to two Constructors' World Championships in 2007 and 2008 alongside Kimi Raikkonen.

It's not as if Felipe Massa contributed nothing during his time at Ferrari, with 11 wins and 36 podiums. But I believe the Brazilian will forever be immortalised because of his 2008 season for the Scuderia. Massa controversially missed out on the Formula 1 Drivers' World Championship by one-point behind then Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton. This controversy is well documented by now, but the Tifosi will always wonder what might had been if it wasn't for the cloudy circumstances.

9. Sebastian Vettel

Although Sebastian Vettel had his fair share of troubles during his time at Ferrari, I believe he deserves a place among the best Ferrari drivers. Vettel spent six seasons at Ferrari after a highly successful career at Red Bull, winning four Formula 1 Drivers' World Championships. Despite not winning a single Drivers' World Championship for the Scuderia, Vettel still had a successful stint driving for the Prancing Horse, getting 14 wins and 55 podiums over the course of 118 races.

As mentioned, Sebastian Vettel didn't win an F1 Drivers' World Championship at Ferrari, nor did he help us win a constructors' title. However, Vettel finished runner-up twice in 2017 and 2018, and third in his debut season for the Scuderia in 2015. It was Lewis Hamilton who also stopped Vettel winning the DWC in both '17 and '18, so it's interesting to see that Ferrari's former biggest enemy is now driving for us in 2026!

8. Rubens Barrichello

Rubens Barrichello might have had the hardest job in motorsport. When he joined Ferrari in 2000, Barrichello was already an established Formula 1 driver, finishing the 1999 season in seventh during his final season at Stewart. But during his time at Ferrari, not only were the expectations much higher than that at Stewart, he also had to compete against a rather talented teammate called Michael Schumacher. Now, like a few of the men on this best Ferrari drivers of all time list, Barrichello also never won a F1 Drivers' World Championship for Ferrari or any other team for that matter. Yet, the success he brought for Ferrari as a team, is still remembered today.

In Rubens Barrichello's 102 Formula 1 races for Ferrari, he secured nine wins and 55 podiums. This might not sound like the greatest stats in the world, however, getting a podium in over 50% of the outings he had for the Scuderia helped seal five Formula 1 Constructors' World Championships, alongside his teammate Michael Schumacher. I think this sort of success deserves nothing less than a mention on this list, and also lifelong recognition from the Tifosi!

7. Jody Scheckter

Although Jody Scheckter is hardly a household name among most modern Formula 1 fans, his contribution towards Ferrari's F1 success cannot go unnoticed on my list. Scheckter had a relatively brief career in open-wheel racing's highest tier, first debuting in F1 in 1972 and retiring eight years later. However, Scheckter's legacy has stood the test of time, with his records still standing today.

Jody Scheckter only raced for Ferrari 28 times, with most of his Formula 1 appearances taking place in the Tyrrell. But these 28 races were extremely fruitful, with Scheckter not only becoming the first African driver to win a race in F1, but also the first African driver to win a Formula 1 Drivers' World Championship. The South African born racing driver is still the only African born driver to have won in F1, and is also still the only African driver to win a F1 Drivers' World Championship. Scheckter won his world championship while driving for Ferrari in 1979, with none other than Gilles Villeneuve as his teammate.

6. John Surtees

John Norman Surtees had a long and successful career in Formula 1 during the '60s and '70s, which is largely considered one of the most dangerous periods in F1 history, with driver casualties a common occurrence during a race weekend. However, Surtees was no stranger to speed even before entering the world of formula racing, with the British driver spending his time racing motorcycles before joining the F1 grid. But, to say that Surtees "raced motorcycles" is very much understating his success, with the Ferrari man winning seven world championships on two wheels before entering Formula 1.

The former motorcycle champion joined Scuderia Ferrari in 1963, and finished fourth overall in his debut season. However, after just one year in the car, John Surtees secured the Formula 1 Drivers' World Championship and the Constructors' World Championship in 1964. Surtees only won four races during his entire Ferrari career, but if you couple that with 13 podiums and the world championship success he brought back to Italy, I think it's clear that Surtees is one of the best Ferrari drivers of all time.

5. Kimi Raikkonen

Surely, the "Ice Man" Kimi Raikkonen requires no introduction. Formula 1 has had many characters over the years, but none are quite like Kimi. From his one-word answers on the grid, to lighting-fast driving for Ferrari, Raikkonen is easily one of my favourite drivers ever. Now, the flying Finn wasn't just a gimmick at Ferrari, he was as serious as they come in terms of competitors, and the numbers speak for themselves. 52 podiums, 10 wins, and a F1 Drivers' World Championship in 151 races for Ferrari is no joke.

In typical Kimi Raikkonen fashion, he didn't wait around when joining the Scuderia in 2007. In Australia, he became the first man since the legendary Nigel Mansell to win his debut Grand Prix for Ferrari. He continued this success throughout the season, winning in France, Great Britain, Belgium, China, and Brazil, securing the 2007 Formula 1 Drivers' World Championship. He sadly never repeated this success at Ferrari, or any other F1 team, with his '07 title being the only time he won the championship. However, he helped Ferrari win back-to-back F1 Constructors' Championships in 2007 and 2008, so even after his amazing debut season, the "Ice Man" continued to bring success to the Prancing Horse.

4. Juan Manuel Fangio

Simply put, Juan Manuel Fangio is one of the most successful Formula 1 drivers in history, so to not include him among the best Ferrari drivers ever would be completely unfair. Yes, he only raced seven times for Ferrari, but he won three races and also secured the 1956 Formula 1 Drivers' Championship in his only season for the Scuderia.

During his 1956 season, Fangio won the Germany Grand Prix at the Nürburgring, the Great Britain Grand Prix at Silverstone, and his home Grand Prix in Argentina at Oscar Alfredo Gálvez Circuit. It's also important to remember that when looking at these numbers, Formula 1 drivers didn't race as often as they do now, with Juan Manuel Fangio only competing in 53 F1 races throughout his entire career. But even though the Argentinian was only with Ferrari for one season, I believe for his legacy in the sport he deserves to be included when comparing Ferrari's best ever F1 drivers.

3. Alberto Ascari

Successful Italian Ferrari Formula 1 drivers aren't as common as you'd think. But one man that certainly broke that mould was Alberto Ascari. There are only three F1 drivers to have won more than one Drivers' World Championship while driving for Ferrari, and Ascari is one of them. To be honest, he's probably the most sacred because of the Italian links. I mean, Ascari was as Italian as they came when it comes to motorsport. During his Formula 1 career, he drove for Ferrari, Lancia, and Maserati, so he was obviously a very proud Italian when it came to his choice in cars.

Behind the wheel of a Scuderia Ferrari, Alberto Ascari was simply unstoppable. The Italian won back-to-back Formula 1 Drivers' World Championships in 1952 and 1953, winning 13 races during his 27 Grand Prix for the Prancing Horse. Sadly, it was the spirit of racing that ended Ascari's life, with the legendary driver crashing at one my favourite tracks Autodromo Nazionale Monza. It's hard to imagine a sportsman having as much respect as Ascari did, with over a million people paying their respects to the driver in the streets of Italy after his death. Ferrari might never again have an Italian driver as talented and successful as Alberto Ascari, so for that reason alone, he has to be considered one of the best Ferrari drivers ever.

2. Niki Lauda

Modern Formula 1 drivers are nothing like Niki Lauda, and they never will be. Lauda was the perfect racing driver, he had the technical knowledge, ambition, and a calculated but fearless nature. This not only resulted in success for Ferrari, with three Formula 1 Constructors' World Championships in 1975, 1976, and 1977, but his personal trophy cabinet was full to the brim.

Niki Lauda somewhat bought his way into the sport with a bank loan of £30,000, which is a move that gets a lot of hate these days. However, as mentioned, Lauda always had ambition, so he wasn't going to wait around and watch lesser skilled drivers compete at the highest-level. I for one am very glad he did this, because during his time behind the wheel of a Ferrari, he not only won 15 races, but also the 1975 and 1977 Formula 1 Drivers' World Championship to go along with the three constructors' titles for the Scuderia.

I personally love Niki Lauda's legacy, and he might be the only driver besides Michael Schumacher that I could tolerate hating a Ferrari. I mean, telling his boss at the time, Enzo Ferrari, to his face that his brand new Formula 1 "Car is s**t", wouldn't slide among the Tifosi today. However, as I mentioned, Lauda had a wealth of technical knowledge, which none of the drivers on the grid have today unless they read their handy manual given to them by the teams. But who is going to argue with Niki Lauda being the second-best Ferrari driver of all-time? Maybe Lauda himself if he was still with us, as he certainly never lacked confidence.

1. Michael Schumacher

Michael Schumacher is so good, that even though I'm a biased Schumacher fan, I get to say he's the best Ferrari driver of all time and be correct. Tifosi7 is called Tifosi7 because of Schumacher's seven Formula 1 Drivers' World Championships, with five titles coming while driving for Ferrari. We will never in a million years have a driver like Schumacher at Ferrari ever again, his records are unmatched and the raw talent is impossible to recreate. I understand that Lewis Hamilton also has seven Drivers' World Championships, but the two drivers cannot be compared. The German won 72 of his 180 Grand Prix starts for the Prancing Horse, with 116 podiums to sweeten the deal!

Upon leaving Benetton in 1996, Michael Schumacher had already won two Formula 1 Drivers' World Championships in 1994 and 1995. However, life at Ferrari wasn't easy for the young German driver, with Schumacher having to wait until the 2000 season for his first drivers' title at the Scuderia, with his closest effort coming in the 1998 season, finishing second in the F1 standings behind Mika Hakkinen. But once he got that taste for success in 2000, Schumacher never looked back, winning the '01, '02, '03, and '04 Drivers' World Championships. Amazingly, Michael Schumacher remained competitive into the latter part of his career, coming second and third in the 2005 and 2006 campaigns, but sadly a driver called Fernando Alonso was doing pretty well in F1 at that point.

I think many of you knew who the best Ferrari F1 driver of all time was before clicking this article, which is why it has to be Michael Schumacher. I love every driver that has ever raced for Ferrari, even the bad ones. But Schumacher IS Ferrari, and without him, Ferrari wouldn't have the fanbase it does today.

Who do you think is the best Ferrari F1 driver of all time? Let me know in the comments below!