Formula 1: Facts and figures through the sport’s first 999 races

Before the 1,000th Formula 1 race, the Chinese Grand Prix, takes place this Sunday, take a look at some facts and figures through the sport’s first 999 races.

The Chinese Grand Prix, which is the third race on the 21-race 2019 Formula 1 schedule and is scheduled to take place this Sunday, April 14. But this race is no ordinary race in terms of Formula 1 history.

When the 20 active Formula 1 drivers line up on the starting grid for this 56-lap race around the 16-turn, 3.388-mile (5.452-kilometer) Shanghai International Circuit road course in Jiading, Shanghai, China and the lights go out, the 1,000th race in Formula 1 history will officially be underway.

Before that happens, let’s take a look back at some of the key facts and figures from the first 999 Formula 1 races, a race total that includes races from as far back as 1950.

A total of 764 drivers have competed in at least one Grand Prix. Rubens Barrichello has completed in an all-time record 322 Grands Prix. Among active drivers, Kimi Raikkonen, who drives for Alfa Romeo Racing, is the highest on the all-time Formula 1 starts list, as he sits in fifth place with 293 career starts and a great chance to break the all-time record next season.

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Of these 764 drivers who have competed in at least one Grand Prix, 107 have won at least one Grand Prix and 99 have taken at least one pole position. Under half of these 107 winners have won at least five Grands Prix, as only 52 of them have done so, and under half of these 99 polesitters have taken at least five pole positions, as only 49 of them have done so.

Michael Schumacher is the all-time Formula 1 wins leader with 91 career victories, although Lewis Hamilton, who currently drives for Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport, is closing in on that record in second place on the wins list with 74 career victories of his own.

Sebastian Vettel, who currently drives for Scuderia Ferrari, sits in third place on this list with 52 career victories. Alain Prost, who sits in fourth on this list with 51 career victories, is the only other driver aside of Hamilton and Vettel whose career win total is more than half of Schumacher’s.

Hamilton is the all-time Formula 1 pole positions leader with 84 career pole positions, a record that may very well continue to climb but never be broken. Schumacher sits in second place on the pole positions list with 68 career pole positions. Ayrton Senna, who took 65 career pole positions, and Vettel, who has taken 55 of them, are the only two drivers aside of Schumacher whose career pole position totals are more than half of Hamilton’s.

A total of 33 drivers have won at least one of the 69 Formula 1 championships that have been decided. Under half of these 33 champions have won at least two championships, as only 16 of them have done so.

Schumacher is the only seven-time Formula 1 champion, but Hamilton is chasing down this record as well with five of his own. He and Juan Manuel Fangio both have five career championship to their names. Vettel and Prost are both four-time champions.

Meanwhile, the constructor championship was not awarded until the 1958 season. A total of 15 teams have combined to win the 61 constructor championships that have been decided. Ferrari lead all teams with 16 constructor championships.

Williams, which have won nine constructor championships, and McLaren, which have won eight, are the only two teams that have constructor championship totals that are more than half of Ferrari’s.

Of course, there are literally thousands of other notable facts and figures from the first 999 Formula 1 races, many of which are quite interesting to look back on and well worth reading about considering the sport is now in its 70th season and things have changed so much since Giuseppe Farina and Alfa Romeo won the inaugural Formula 1 race and championship back in 1950.

Be sure to tune in to the live broadcast of the 1,000th Formula 1 race at 2:05 a.m. ET this Sunday, April 14. ESPN2 is set to air this race, the Chinese Grand Prix, live from Shanghai International Circuit. Who will take the pole position for this historic race, and who will win it?