The top five most successful British F1 drivers

For the first time since 1952, the national anthem for Great Britain and Northern Ireland was not played on the F1 winner's podium last season.

Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez ensured the Dutch or Mexican anthems were played alongside the Austrian tune for all but one of the races, with Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz's Singapore Grand Prix victory earning the right to play the Spanish and Italian anthems.

But British drivers have a rich history in the sport and ahead of a season where Lewis Hamilton, George Russell and Lando Norris will be hoping to add another title to the country's record haul, RacingNews365.com takes a look at the five most successful.

Note the top five are in order of number of Drivers' titles won.

5. Nigel Mansell

Nigel Mansell is one of a number of British drivers to have picked up a single World Championship and if it wasn't for a heartbreaking tyre failure in the final race of 1986 campaign then Mansell would have a second title to his name.

But his overall stats in the sport do more than enough to earn his place in the top five: He has the second most race victories of any British driver with 32, the third most pole positions with 32 and the second most podiums with 59.

Mansell left F1 for CART as World Champion and triumphed straight away, before returning to the F1 grid to help out Williams after the untimely death of Ayrton Senna.

A true legend and fully deserving of his status in the sport.

4. Graham Hill

Part of the first father-son World Championship-winning dynasty, Graham Hill was part of a golden era for British motorsport in the 1960s.

He picked up 14 race wins across his career, bearing in mind this was a time when campaigns were vastly shorter than the current record-breaking effort of 24 events.

Hill also secured 13 pole positions, with his podium record highly impressive - he stood as a top-three driver on 36 occasions.

3. Jim Clark

Many people will tell you that Jim Clark is the best driver to have graced F1 with his presence, such was the Scotsman's talent behind a wheel.

Clark and Lotus were a match made in heaven and that allowed him to pick up two championships in the 1960s before his tragic death in an F2 race at Hockenheim.

He triumphed in an astonishing 25 races, with 33 pole positions to his name - the second-most for a British driver in F1 history despite the lack of races.

Clark also secured 32 podiums. Who knows what numbers he would have posted had it not been for that fateful day in Germany?

2. Jackie Stewart

One of the most important drivers in F1 given his work on safety after the most deadly period in the sport, Jackie Stewart was also rapid behind the wheel.

Three World Championships, 27 race victories, 17 pole positions and 43 podiums underline his success rate in the late 1960s and early 1970s, all with a motto of winning in the slowest time possible.

Until being surpassed by fellow Knight Lewis Hamilton surpassed his championship tally in 2017, Stewart was the most successful driver Britain had enjoyed in F1 and remains an integral figure within the paddock - always wearing his signature tartan trousers!

1. Lewis Hamilton

Seven-time World Champion Hamilton can be matched only by Michael Schumacher when it comes to titles won.

His first title at McLaren came a year after he really should have emerged victorious from his rookie season. His maligned switched to Mercedes paid dividends for almost a decade when the team came good in the turbo-hybrid era. His stats are unbeatable in F1's history books.

Hamilton has 103 victories and counting - though the last came in 2021 - 104 pole positions and a staggering 197 podiums. Yes, there is a difference in the number of races held each season compared to the past, but he still has 138 more podiums than Britain's next-best Mansell.

Noone knows where the numbers will stop for Hamilton but he will be hoping this year's Mercedes will give him a foundation to attack the Red Bulls - specifically Verstappen.