Who holds the record for most F1 wins in a season? A ranked list

Who holds the record for most F1 wins in a season? A ranked list

Helix Odhiambo
updated at June 7, 2023 at 7:22 AM

Over the years, the number of races in a Formula One season has increased significantly, from around seven to over 20 competitions in different locations. While some drivers struggle to win at least one in a season, others finish with multiple titles. The drivers with the most F1 wins in a season are known for their incredible driving skills and dominance.

Record for most F1 wins in a season
Germany's Michael Schumacher (L) is among the most successful F1 drivers. Next to him is British driver Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen of the Netherlands, and Sebastian Vettel (R) of Germany. Photo: Clive Mason, Lars Baron, Mark Thompson, Vince Mignott (modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

F1 has had outstanding drivers like Max Verstappen, Michael Schumacher, and Lewis Hamilton, who have won over ten races in their best calendar years. They have millions of followers globally and have inspired many young drivers to achieve their dreams. So, who has the most F1 wins in a season? Which team has dominated the races?

Top 10 most F1 wins in a season

Winning a Grand Prix is one of the most challenging tasks for most drivers due to stiff competition. It takes moments of genius and skills to win more than one and manage most podiums in an F1 season. Here is a breakdown of the most wins in a single F1 season.

Driver

Team

Season

Wins

Max Verstappen

Red Bull

2022

15

Michael Schumacher

Ferrari

2004

13

Sebastian Vettel

Red Bull

2013

13

Michael Schumacher

Ferrari

2002

11

Sebastian Vettel

Red Bull

2011

11

Lewis Hamilton

Mercedes

2014

11

Lewis Hamilton

Mercedes

2018

11

Lewis Hamilton

Mercedes

2019

11

Lewis Hamilton

Mercedes

2020

11

Lewis Hamilton x2 & Max Verstappen

Mercedes/Red Bull

2015/2016/2021

10

While Max Verstappen holds the record for the most race wins in a season of F1, Lewis Hamilton has won the most races in Formula One history (103 wins as of May 2023). Many people rank Hamilton as the most outstanding Formula One athlete in history.

The most wins in a single F1 season

Who has the most F1 wins in a season?
Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing celebrates his victory at the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix on 5 March 2023 at Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain. Photo: Gongora
Source: Getty Images

In 2022, Red Bull's Max Verstappen made history by winning 15 Grand Prix races in one season. Following the result, he broke Michael Schumacher's and Sebastian Vettel's record of 13 victories. Verstappen is now F1 driver with the most wins in a season.

He triumphed in Saudi Arabia, Emilia Romagna, Miami, Spain, Azerbaijan, Canada, France, Hungary, Belgium, Netherlands, Italy, Japan, the United States, and Abu Dhabi. Here are highlights of other record-setting drivers.

Michael Schumacher

F1 driver with the most wins in a season
Michael Schumacher of Germany and Mercedes GP stands beside his car during the Australian Formula One Grand Prix qualification at the Albert Park circuit on 17 March 2012 in Melbourne, Australia. Photo: Paul Gilham
Source: Getty Images

The legendary German driver posted 11 wins in the 2002 F1 season before reaching 13 in 2004. Schumacher is one of the best Formula One drivers in history. He competed for Ferrari during his illustrious career.

Sebastian Vettel

Vettel competed for Red Bull in Formula One from 2009-2022, when he retired. In 2011, he registered 11 race victories, and then two years later, he equaled Schumacher's record of 13 wins, which stood for nine years.

Lewis Hamilton

The British racing driver is among the best F1 drivers in history. His best season performance was 11 wins in 2014, 2018, 2019, and 2020. Hamilton also managed ten victories in 2015 and 2016.

Most F1 wins in a season by a team

Most F1 wins in a season by a team
Mercedes team workers prepare Lewis Hamilton's car during the practice session ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Spain at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain, on 2 June 2023. Photo: Burak Akbulut
Source: Getty Images

The competition's history dates back to 1950 when the first championship occurred. Since then, many superb teams have emerged to compete in the races. When it comes to the most F1 wins in a season, Mercedes tops with 19 wins. The brand has had outstanding drivers and some of the fastest F1 cars ever. Meanwhile, Ferrari has the most wins (242) in history.

Most F1 wins in a row

Top 10 most F1 wins in a season
Sebastian Vettel of Aston Martin Aramco waves to fans after the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on 2 November 2022. Photo: Jakub Porzycki
Source: Getty Images

Sebastian Vettel of the Red Bulls holds the record for the most consecutive wins in F1. The German driver won nine Grands Prix in a row, from the 2013 Belgian Grand Prix to the 2013 Brazilian Grand Prix. Alberto Ascari, Nico Rosberg, and Michael Schumacher won seven in a row. Lewis Hamilton won five consecutive races twice, in 2014 and 2020.

Most F1 wins in a season without a championship

Most F1 wins in a season without a championship
Stirling Moss of the Mercedes W196. He was one of the best F1 drivers who failed to capture the championships. Photo: Bernard Cahier, Albert Foster (modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

Formula One has witnessed a few exceptional drivers who won multiple races but failed to secure the coveted World Championship title in their careers. Legendary British driver Sir Stirling Moss is one of the most iconic figures in F1 who never won the championship. Many consider him the greatest driver, never to win the Formula One World Championship.

Driver

Country

Wins

Sir Stirling Moss

British

16

David Coulthard

British

13

Carlos Reutemann

Argentine

12

Rubens Barrichello

Brazilian

11

Felipe Massa

Brazilian

11

Gerhard Berger

Austrian

10

Valtteri Bottas

Finnish

10

Ronnie Peterson

Swedish

10

Mark Webber

Australian

9

Jacky Ickx

Belgian

8

Moss won 16 races out of 66. He finished runner-up four times in the championship and came third on three occasions. In 1958, Moss lost the Drivers' Championship to Mike Hawthorn by just one point.

Most F1 wins in a season percentage

Most podiums in an F1 season
Alberto Ascari was a legendary Italian and Ferarri racing driver. He holds the most F1 wins in a season percentage. Photo: Evening Standard
Source: Getty Images

Alberto Ascari won six out of eight F1 races in 1952, recording a 75% win rate, the highest win percentage in a season. Michael Schumacher's 13 victories out of 18 in 2004 equate to 72.2%, while Jim Clark managed 70% with seven wins out of 10 races in 1963.

Michael Schumacher's record for most F1 wins in a season lasted nine years before Sebastian Vettel equaled it. However, it took 18 years for someone to break the record. So, how long will Max Verstappen's newly-set mark of 15 victories in a season last in the competition?

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Authors
Helix Odhiambo photo
Helix Odhiambo
Helix Odhiambo is an award-winning Kenyan journalist and content creator with over 6 years of experience. In 2016, he won the Goal Blaze Correspondent Award for young writers.