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The most successful Formula 1 teams of all time
Here are the top six constructors in the history of the sport...
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How do you measure the most successful Formula 1 teams of all time? Is it the racing team that has won the most Constructors' World Championship titles? Or the team that has delivered the most drivers' championships in the history of Formula One?
Based on the percentage of races won in relation to race starts, here are the top six teams. Can you guess who's number one?
Details correct as of Monaco Grand Prix 2022.
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01
McLaren: 20.3 Percent – 6th place
McLaren is one of the oldest and most successful Formula 1 teams
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New Zealander Bruce McLaren founded the team bearing his name in 1963, primarily to compete in the Can-Am series in North America. (Sadly, McLaren lost his life while test-driving a McLaren M8D, designed for the Can-Am series, at Goodwood in June 1970.)
In 1966, the McLaren team made its Formula 1 debut at the Monaco Grand Prix, making it the second-oldest active team in Formula 1 (behind Ferrari). It is one of the most successful racing teams in the history of the premier class based on the number of drivers' and constructors' world championship titles it has won.
The team won a historic double in 1974 in the form of its first Constructors title and a World Drivers' Championship for its American driver Emerson Fittipaldi. Two more Constructors' World Championships followed in 1984 and 1985 with the legendary duo of Niki Lauda and Alain Prost.
The line-up of Formula 1 world champions in the McLaren cockpit is long and includes some of the best F1 drivers of all time, including legendary names such as Ayrton Senna, Mika Häkkinen and Lewis Hamilton.
There is no arguing that, with eight constructors' titles and twelve drivers' titles, McLaren is one of the most successful Formula 1 teams of all time. However, based on race wins in relation to race starts, their success rate of 20.3% is only good enough for 6th place on this list.
McLaren stats: 902 starts, 183 wins.
Facts about McLaren
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02
Red Bull Racing and Ferrari: 23.1 Percent – 4th place
Red Bull Racing and Ferrari
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Red Bull Racing made its debut at the Australian Grand Prix in 2005. Drivers David Coulthard, Christian Klien and Mark Webber were to do the groundwork in the first few years before the big breakthrough came in the 2009 season.
The duo of Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber brought Red Bull Racing four consecutive constructors' titles between 2010 and 2013, and since then they have finished at least fourth in every Formula 1 season. Red Bull Racing has competed 325 times in Formula 1 and has won 75 races - a win rate of 23.1 percent.
Red Bull Racing stats: 325 starts, 75 wins.
Ferrari is tied for fourth place in this list with 23.1 percent. The difference is that the traditional Italian racing team has been competing since 1950. Not only are they the oldest team in Formula 1, but they're also the most consistent. The team have amassed an incredible 238 victories from 1,030 Grand Prix starts. On these numbers alone, there can be no competition – Ferrari has raced the most and won the most Grands Prix.
Ferrari stats: 1,030 starts, 238 wins.
The successes of Red Bull Racing
Ferrari
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03
Vanwall: 32.1 Percent – 3rd place
Sir Stirling Moss was the dominant driver for the Vanwall team.
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Now, this may come as a surprise. British racing team Vanwall was active in Formula 1 between 1954 and 1960 and was crowned the first-ever World Constructors' Champion (or International Cup for F1 Manufacturers, as it was referred to then)in the 1958 season. Behind the wheel that season were the legendary combo of Sir Stirling Moss – infamously, the greatest-ever driver never to win a World Championship – and Tony Brooks, who would later race for Ferrari.
Even though this was to remain Vanwall's only title as World Constructors' Champion, the racing team was able to win nine of its 28 Grands Prix, which corresponds to a victory rate of 32.1 percent.
Vanwall stats: 28 starts, 9 wins.
04
Brawn GP: 47.1 Percent – 2nd Place
Brawn GP was only in Formula 1 for one season and won everything
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The Brawn GP team, which was only active in Formula 1 for the 2009 season, has even fewer starts. The team was created following the withdrawal of the Honda Racing F1 Team in late 2008.
Guided by team boss Ross Brawn, the innovative, Mercedes-powered Brawn BGP 001 exploited a loophole in regulations to employ a double-diffuser and create extra downforce. This was enough to power the experienced driver team of Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello to dominance.
Brawn GP finished the season with eight victories, 15 podiums and five pole positions. The 172 world championship points they amassed were enough to grab the World Constructors' Championship title, while Button's blistering start to the season – where he won six of the first seven races – set him up to claim the only World Drivers' Championship title of his career.
At the end of the 2009 season, it was all change. Button left to partner fellow Brit Lewis Hamilton at McLaren-Mercedes. Brawn was bought by Mercedes and rebranded as Mercedes GP. Whatever happened to them, eh? Well, there's only one spot left on this list...
Brawn stats: 17 starts, 8 wins.
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05
Mercedes: 49.8 Percent – 1st Place
Red Bull Racing vs Mercedes: The last few years of Formula 1 duel
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Since re-entering Formula One in 2010, Mercedes have been the most dominant team in the history of the sport.
F1 legend Michael Schumacher joined for the start of the 2010 season, with emerging talent Nico Rosberg at his side. Two of the best German F1 drivers of all time.
For the 2013 season, a certain Lewis Hamilton took over the cockpit from Schumacher. Right away, they secured second place in the World Constructors' Championships with 360 points, which went to Red Bull Racing with 596 points. With the start of the hybrid era in the 2014 season, however, Mercedes dominance began, as since then the World Constructors' Championship title has belonged to Mercedes, winning an incredible eight titles in a row.
However, the team's origins go back a long way: between 1954 and 1955, Mercedes had already competed once in Formula 1, at that time under the name Daimler-Benz AG. Both times, a certain Juan Manuel Fangio was crowned Formula 1 World Champion. If you take both eras together, Mercedes have competed 249 times in Formula 1 and won an incredible 124 races. That corresponds to a win rate of 49.8 percent - the best the sport has ever seen.
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