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The most successful Formula 1 teams of all time
Let us introduce you to the most successful teams in the history of Formula 1 racing.
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How do you measure the most successful Formula 1 teams of all time? Is it the team with the most titles in the Constructor's Championship? Or, is it the team that has yielded the most World Champion drivers? Here, we bring you the top six teams based on the percentage of races won in relation to race starts. The results might surprise you.
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01
6th place: McLaren – 20.3 percent
McLaren is one of the oldest and most successful Formula 1 teams
© GEPA pictures / Red Bull Content Pool
The McLaren racing team was founded by New Zealander Bruce McLaren in 1963, and made its Formula 1 debut three years later at the Monaco Grand Prix. This makes it the second oldest active team in Formula 1 (behind Ferrari) and one of the most successful racing teams in the history of the premier class—with eight constructors' titles and twelve drivers' titles.
The team won its first title during the 1974 season, and two more constructors' world championships followed in 1984 and 1985 with the successful duo of Niki Lauda and Alain Prost behind the wheel. Over the years, McLaren has hosted some of the best drivers in the world, including legendary names like Ayrton Senna, Emerson Fittipaldi, Mika Hakkinen, and Lewis Hamilton.
Despite an all-star lineup of drivers and numerous titles, McLaren only ranks sixth in relation to race victories versus race starts. With 902 starts, the team has only won 183 times.
Facts about McLaren
- World Constructor's Championship wins: 8
- World Drivers' Championship wins: 12
02
4th place: Red Bull Racing and Ferrari – 23.1 percent
Red Bull Racing and Ferrari
© Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
With its debut at the F1 Grand Prix of Australia in 2005, the newly founded Red Bull Racing team began its triumphal procession. David Coulthard, Christian Klien, and Mark Webber established the groundwork over the first few years before a big breakthrough came in the 2009 season.
The duo of Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber gave Red Bull Racing four consecutive constructors' titles between 2010 and 2013, and since then, the team have finished at least fourth place in every Formula 1 season. To date, Red Bull Racing has competed 325 times in Formula 1 and has won 75 races – which corresponds to a win rate of 23.1 percent.
Facts about Red Bull Racing
- World Constructor's Championship wins: 4
- World Drivers' Championship wins: 5
With the same number of points, Ferrari also ranks 4th on our list at 23.1 percent. However, the difference is that the traditional Italian racing team has been at the start-line since 1950. That equates to an incredible 1,030 Grand Prix starts and 238 victories.
Facts about Ferrari
- World Constructor's Championship wins: 16
- World Drivers' Championship wins: 15
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03
3rd place: Vanwall – 32.1 percent
Sir Stirling Moss was the dominant driver for the Vanwall team.
© Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
In third place, we have our first surprise. The British racing team, known as Vanwall, was active in Formula 1 between 1954 and 1960 and earned a constructors' world championship win during the 1958 season.
Even though that remain Vanwall's sole title, the racing team was able to win nine of its 28 Grand Prix', which corresponds to a win rate of 32.1 percent.
04
2nd place: Brawn GP – 47.1 percent
Brawn GP was only in Formula 1 for one season and won everything
© Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
The Brawn GP team, which was only active in Formula 1 for one season, has even fewer starts than our bronze medallist. The racing team emerged from the Honda Racing F1 team in early March 2009 and began racing a few weeks later Australian season opener.
Team principal Ross Brawn pulled off a real stroke of genius with an early season upset, as Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello secured a double victory. By the end of the season, the team had eight victories, 172 world championship points, and both the drivers' and constructors' world championship titles. The team was sold to Mercedes Benz the following year.
05
1st place: Mercedes – 49.8 percent
Red Bull Racing vs Mercedes: The last few years of Formula 1 duel
© Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
The purchase of Brawn GP culminated for the Mercedes team in the most dominant era in the history of Formula 1. Starting the 2010 season, the racing team secured the skills of F1 legend Michael Schumacher, who was supported Nico Rosberg—two of the best German F1 drivers of all time.
Then in 2013, Lewis Hamilton took over the cockpit from Schumacher and the team immediately progressed into the hybrid era. Since then, the team has won eight straight constructors' world championship titles. In total, Mercedes started 249 times in Formula 1 and was able to win an incredible 124 races. That corresponds to a rate of 49.8 percent.
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