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Five of Ferrari's best ever driver line-ups

As the only Formula 1 team to have completed every season since 1950, suffice to say Ferrari have had some mightily impressive driver line-ups throughout the years. Here though, are five of the very best from the team's long and storied history.

Alberto Ascari and Giuseppe Farina (1952)

In only the third season of F1, Ferrari had already created one of the most iconic driver partnerships the sport would ever see. Giuseppe Farina won the first-ever world championship, while Ascari would himself go on to win it twice - including in the year these two were partnered together. It was to be a very one-sided all-Italian rivalry, however, as Ascari won six out of eight races in 1952 - while Farina managed only a solitary pole. In an era where teams would use more than two drivers in a world championship campaign, this wasn't strictly a 'line-up' in the conventional sense. Nevertheless, two legendary Italian drivers competing in Ferrari's at the same time is simply too good not to include.

Gilles Villeneuve and Jody Scheckter (1979-1980)

Gilles Villeneuve is regarded as one of the greatest F1 drivers to have never won a world championship - and it's not hard to see why. The Canadian was a trail-blazer, but he would tragically pass away in a 1982 accident at the Belgian Grand Prix. His best chance to win a title came in 1979, though in the end, he was bested by South African teammate Jody Scheckter. The fact that Scheckter won the title against a driver who is regarded as one of the greatest only goes to show just how remarkable this line-up was. Both drivers won three races each in 79, but it was Scheckter who ultimately triumph by just four championship points.

Nigel Mansell and Alain Prost (1990)

The late 1980s and early 1990s were halcyon days for F1. Senna, Prost, Mansell and Piquet all went toe-to-toe in what was a true golden age for the sport - but amidst the many rivalries, an often forgotten sub-plot is what transpired at Ferrari in 1990. Alain Prost joined the Italian team following a tempestuous relationship with Ayrton Senna at McLaren, but for 1990 he was paired alongside Nigel Mansell, another fierce competitor in his own right. The relationship was frosty throughout, as Mansell struggled massively during his time in Italy. The Brit won one race to Prost's five, as the latter narrowly - and controversially - missed out on the world championship to Ayrton Senna that year.

Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello (2000-2005)

When one thinks about the perfect harmonious driver line-up, it's hard not to picture Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello - crossing the finish line in tandem. Between 2000 and 2005, the pair would help steer Ferrari to five consecutive constructors world titles. Schumacher also won five straight drivers championships during this period, and while Rubens won't go down in the history books as one of the greatest racers to ever live, he was quite possibly the sports greatest ever number two. 'The Michael' could scarcely have asked for a better wing-man. His Brazilian teammate won nine races during this spell, all without ever really threatening to supersede the clear number one driver.

Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen (2014)

Okay, let me explain. While the 2014 season was a disaster for Ferrari, (they failed to win a race for the first time since the 1993 season) the driver combination is simply too good to leave off this list. Between them, Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso won every F1 driver's world championship between 2005 and 2007, cementing the duo as the heirs to Michael's crown in the process. Raikkonen would even win his 2007 title in the scarlet of Ferrari, making him the last driver to do so as of 2020. The two drivers would unite for their one and only season as teammates after Kimi moved from Lotus - following a successful comeback to the sport. Ferrari finished fourth in the 2014 constructors championship, with Alonso claiming the team's one and only podium in China. It's a bittersweet tale that leaves you to ponder what might have been possible if only the pair had been given a half-decent car.

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