The 24 Best McLaren Formula 1 Drivers in F1 History

This lineup spans title-winning legends of Formula 1's golden era to the sharp young talents steering the team today, with a few underrated cult favorites mixed in between. Who gets your vote for the top step?

1

John Watson

Race winner across five seasons with McLaren from 1979 to 1983, known for remarkable from-the-back victories.

1000pts

2

Ayrton Senna

Won three world championships with McLaren between 1988 and 1993 and is regarded by many as the team's greatest driver.

952pts

3

Alain Prost

The Professor won three of his four world titles with McLaren between 1984 and 1989.

898pts

4

Jenson Button

2009 world champion who scored multiple victories for McLaren between 2010 and 2016.

857pts

5

Gerhard Berger

Austrian race winner who partnered Senna at McLaren across two spells between 1990 and 1993.

659pts

6

Lewis Hamilton

Won the 2008 World Championship as a McLaren rookie sensation and stayed with the team through 2012.

659pts

7

Niki Lauda

Won his third world title and McLaren's first drivers' championship in 1984 by half a point, the closest finish in F1 history.

659pts

8

Nigel Mansell

1992 world champion who made a brief, high-profile return to McLaren for two races in 1995.

571pts

9

David Coulthard

Scottish driver who scored twelve wins across eight seasons with McLaren from 1996 to 2004.

571pts

10

Sergio Perez

Mexican driver who spent the 2013 season racing for McLaren before moving on.

571pts

11

Daniel Ricciardo

Australian race winner who took McLaren's 2021 Italian Grand Prix victory.

571pts

12

James Hunt

Won the dramatic 1976 World Championship for McLaren in one of Formula 1's most famous title battles.

571pts

13

Bruce McLaren

Team founder and driver from 1966 to 1970 who won the 1968 Belgian Grand Prix in a car bearing his own name.

571pts

14

Oscar Piastri

Rising Australian talent who has delivered race wins for McLaren since joining the team in 2023.

467pts

15

Peter Revson

American driver who won two grands prix for McLaren during the 1971 and 1972 seasons.

467pts

16

Carlos Sainz Jr

Spanish driver who scored multiple podiums for McLaren between 2019 and 2020.

467pts

17

Kimi Raikkonen

The Iceman narrowly missed the title with McLaren in 2003 and 2005 before winning it elsewhere.

343pts

18

Heikki Kovalainen

Finnish driver who won the 2008 Hungarian Grand Prix during his three seasons at McLaren.

343pts

19

Denny Hulme

The 1967 world champion who spent seven seasons at McLaren from 1968 to 1974, racking up multiple grand prix wins.

343pts

20

Jochen Mass

German driver who won the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix during his four years with McLaren from 1974 to 1977.

343pts

21

Lando Norris

British driver who has taken multiple wins for McLaren and became a world champion with the team in the 2020s.

343pts

22

Keke Rosberg

1982 world champion who closed out his F1 career driving for McLaren in 1986 and 1987.

190pts

23

Fernando Alonso

Two-time world champion who returned to McLaren for a difficult but memorable stint from 2015 to 2018.

190pts

24

Mika Hakkinen

The Flying Finn won back-to-back world titles with McLaren in 1998 and 1999.

190pts