A 2009 Study Ranked the Greatest F1 Driver—And It’s NOT Schumacher or Senna!

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For decades, Formula 1 fans have debated the GOAT (Greatest of All Time). Schumacher? Senna?

But a 2009 econometric study by researchers Reiner Eichenberger and David Stadelmann analyzed 57 years of F1 data (1950-2006) to separate driver skill from car performance. The results might surprise you:

🥇 #1 – Juan Manuel Fangio (5-time champion, won 47% of his races) 🥈 #2 – Jim Clark (Dominated in the 1960s, but often held back by reliability issues) 🥉 #3 – Michael Schumacher (Brilliant, but the study suggests his Ferrari advantage played a role)

Other notable rankings: 🔹 Fernando Alonso (6th) & Kimi Räikkönen (11th) – Higher than you might expect! 🔹 Ayrton Senna (25th) – His aggressive style and higher crash rate impacted his ranking 🔹 Mark Webber (27th) – The top-ranked Australian driver, ahead of Jack Brabham (47th)

The study argues that Fangio’s consistency, adaptability, and raw driving talent made him the greatest, as he won whenever his car didn’t break down. Meanwhile, Schumacher dominated his era but had significant car advantages.

📊 Full rankings & study breakdown here: Article link