Who is the most successful German F1 driver of all time?

F1, with the passage of time, has become one of the most watched sports in the World. The pinnacle of motor racing has got everything in abundance, from die-hard fans to prolific racing drivers who, on most occasions, leave the spectators in complete shock with their slick overtaking moves and fearless racing skills.

There is a saying that goes, ‘sport is nothing without the fans, ‘ but taking into account the entertainment value that the F1 drivers have been able to provide over the years, it would not be wrong to say that the huge chunk of F1 becoming a global phenomenon, is because of the driving skills of the drivers who take their respective cars for a spin during races at high speeds.

Germany has always been a powerhouse when it comes to motorsports after all the country prodcees some the premier vehicles ever produced in the worlds. In F1’s long history, there have been quite a decent number of German drivers who have, during their respective era lit the F1 stage, but only a few have been able to find a place in the fans’ hearts.

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Here is a list of the Top 5 German F1 drivers ever

5. Wolfgang Von Trips

Wolfgang Von Trips is a German F1 driver who took part in F1 during the sport’s early years. F1 as a competition began in 1950, and Von Trips made his first start in the competition in 1956 at the iconic British Grand Prix. While his F1 career lasted until 1961, he did not take part in a lot of races. He only managed to make starts in 27 races. However, despite this fact, he was able to score two race wins along with one pole position. His last outing came at the Italian Grand Prix in 1961.

4. Ralf Schumacher

The second name on the list is the former F1 driver, Ralf Schumacher. The German made his trade at the pinnacle of motor racing between 1997-2007 and was able to amass quite a few accolades. While his F1 career did not live up to his brother, Michael Schumacher’s lofty standards, he still was able to score 6 wins in his career, along with a respectable 27 podiums.

Moreover, during his time in the sport, he made his trade with reputed teams like Jordan, Williams, and Toyota. His first F1 entry came in 1997 at the Australian Grand Prix, and his last outing in the sport was at the Brazilian Grand Prix of 2007. He had a 10-year spell in the sport, and for that, he deserves a lot of applause as it is not easy to keep racing in F1 for longer periods because of the stiff competition.

3. Nico Rosberg

The next person to find a spot on this esteemed list of drivers is the 2016 F1 World Champion, Nico Rosberg. He is the only driver who was able to get the better of Sir Lewis Hamilton on the team during Mercedes’s golden years in the sport. Rosberg’s F1 career also started in 2006, and he called it a day in the sport after winning the 2016 World Championship.

During his remarkable career, he took part in the sport for only Williams and Mercedes, and during that time, he was able to take part in 206 races. Moreover, he was also able to win 23 races and was able to land his car on the podium an impressive 57 times. He is an absolute F1 legend, and there are only a few other German drivers who have a better record than him.

2. Sebastian Vettel

With the bottom three German F1 drivers out of the way, it’s time to look at the heavy hitters. Sebastian Vettel is the penultimate name on the list, and he really does not require any introduction. He is adored by F1 fans, and there are very good reasons for it. Firstly, he has held the F1 World Championship on four separate occasions, and second, he is the protagonist of change in the sport.

While he is no more active in F1, he has left a big impression on the fans with his on-track as well as off-track exploits. Vettel’s F1 career began at the 2007 United States Grand Prix and came to an end at the 2022 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. During his time in the sport, he took part in a total of 300 races and was able to land his car on the podium 122 times. Moreover, he managed to amass a humongous total of 3098 points during his time in the sport.

1. Michael Schumacher

Whenever someone talks about German F1 drivers, there is one name that immediately pops up in the minds of the ardent followers of the sport. Michael Schumacher is the hands-down best F1 driver that Germany has produced in its motorsports history. Moreover, the man’s record speaks for itself, Schumacher has won the F1 World Champion, for a record 7 times, and is equal to Lewis Hamilton in that category.

His F1 career began in 1991 with the Jordan team, but most of his glory years came with the Maranello-based Ferrari F1 team. He achieved unprecedented success with the outfit, and there were not many drivers during his prime, who were able to match him on track during F1 races. His career at the pinnacle of motor racing came to an end in 2012, and by then, he had amassed 91 wins, 77 fastest laps, and a staggering 155 podium finishes.

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