Top 25 Formula 1 drivers of all-time
By Asher Fair
Top Formula 1 drivers of all-time: #13 – Nigel Mansell
Nigel Mansell comes in at #13 on this list, although we would have no argument against ranking him a few spots higher based on how he wrapped up his career in the 1990s. He won 31 races throughout his Formula 1 career, but his success wasn’t limited to that.
Unfortunately for Mansell, despite ranking seventh on the all-time wins list, he was only crowned world champion one time and is the winningest driver not to win at least two titles. He finished in the runner-up position on three occasions.
The next highest driver on the wins list to only win one world title is Nico Rosberg, who won 23 races and won the 2016 title. Rosberg sits five spots below Mansell on the wins list in a 12th place tie with three-time champion Nelson Piquet.
Rosberg, like Mansell, never competed full-time again after winning his title, going out on top, although Mansell did return to Formula 1 for a few more races following his 1992 triumph after going to IndyCar full-time in 1993 and 1994. In fact, Mansell ended up getting another victory in 1994 before officially retiring in 1995.
Let’s also not forget what he did in IndyCar in what was arguably the most successful crossover story in the history of the two series. He won the title in the first of his two seasons with five victories in 15 races in 1993, and that included a third place finish in his Indy 500 debut.
One other knock against him, however, is that he is also the winningest Formula 1 driver not to win the Monaco Grand Prix at least twice, and he never managed to take the checkered flag once. Still, his career achievements make it hard to not have him in the discussion for a top 10 spot on this list, and he comes up just shy.