Who is the most iconic figure in motorsport history?
Grand prix drivers, oval kings and two-wheel showmen, judged on the thing that outlives lap times. Fame is not the same as greatness, which is what makes this awkward.
1Michael SchumacherSeven Formula 1 titles and 91 wins, five of them with a Ferrari team he rebuilt around himself.1000pts
2Ayrton SennaThree-time Formula 1 world champion whose death at Imola in 1994 turned him into the sport's defining martyr.776pts
3Giacomo AgostiniItalian who holds the record for premier-class motorcycle titles with eight, and fifteen world championships in total.756pts
4Lewis HamiltonSeven Formula 1 titles and the most race wins in the championship's history, plus a second career in fashion and activism.596pts
5Max VerstappenDutch driver whose 2021 title fight with Lewis Hamilton went to the final lap of the final race.517pts
6Enzo FerrariFounder of the only team to have raced in every Formula 1 season since 1950.517pts
7Colin McRae1995 World Rally champion whose flat-out style sold a video game franchise that carried his name.517pts
8Valentino RossiNine-time world champion whose number 46 and yellow crowds made MotoGP a mainstream sport in Europe.423pts
9Richard PettyNASCAR's record holder with 200 race wins and seven championships, still recognised by his hat and sunglasses.423pts
10Sebastien LoebNine consecutive World Rally Championship titles between 2004 and 2012.423pts
11Niki LaudaThree-time Formula 1 champion who returned to racing six weeks after the burns he suffered at the Nurburgring in 1976.423pts
12Alain ProstFour-time Formula 1 champion nicknamed The Professor for winning races on calculation rather than bravado.423pts
13Dale EarnhardtSeven-time NASCAR Cup champion known as The Intimidator, killed on the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500.310pts
14Mario AndrettiThe only person to win the Indianapolis 500, the Daytona 500 and a Formula 1 world championship.310pts
15Juan Manuel FangioArgentine who won five of the first eight Formula 1 championships with four different manufacturers.172pts
16Marc MarquezSpanish rider with nine world championships across three classes, including seven in MotoGP.172pts
Comments
Two of these sixteen names raced motorcycles, and both are outnumbered by cars and by a driver who died at Imola in 1994: https://youpick.best/articles/rossi-vs-marquez-ranked
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