5. Ferrari 500
Years Used: 1952-1957
Wins: 14
Championships: 1952
& 1953 Drivers'
The Ferrari 500 was used by the Ferrari team during the 1952
and 1953 seasons which were ran to Formula 2 regulations instead of Formula 1
but the results still counted towards the Formula 1 World Championship. During
the time the Ferrari 500 was used it was one of the most dominating cars of all
time. The car debuted at the 1952 Swiss Grand Prix and Piero Taruffi claimed
victory in the cars first race. The Indianapolis 500 was next and Alberto
Ascari entered for Ferrari but was not successful. After this Alberto Ascari
won the remaining six races of the season and also won the Drivers'
Championship. This meant Ferrari won every race in the season except the
Indianapolis 500 which many European teams did not enter. Ferrari also scored
pole position at every race during the year except the Indianapolis 500 and
also topped it off with scoring the fastest lap of every race except the
Indianapolis 500. The Ferrari 500 was used again in 1953 as Formula 1 once
again used Formula 2 regulations and Ferrari started the season right where
they left off. Ascari won the first three races of the season not counting the
Indianapolis 500 as Ferrari did not enter any cars this time. Ascari's streak
of nine consecutive wins finally came to an end at the French Grand Prix but Mike
Hawthorn brought the Ferrari home to victory. Ascari was back at the front for
the British Grand Prix and this was followed by Giuseppe Farina winning at the
German Grand Prix. Ascari won once more at the Swiss Grand Prix which meant
Ferrari entered the season ending Italian Grand Prix trying to win every race
for two seasons in a row. Unfortunately for Ferrari they were not able to win
the race but they still had cars finish 2nd, 3rd, and 4th for its home race.
Despite this Ascari had already clinched the Drivers' Championship for the
second consecutive year. The regulations changed in Formula 1 for 1954 so the
team used a different chassis for the season. The Ferrari 500 was still used as
a privateer on occasion over the next few years though but no significant
results were achieved.
4. Williams FW14
Years Used: 1991-1992
Wins: 17
Championships: 1992
Drivers' & Constructors'
The Williams FW14 was designed for use in the 1991 season
for drivers Nigel Mansell and Riccardo Patrese. The car had a lot of pace early
on but had difficulty finishing races as the car had six retirements in its
first eight races. The two times the car did finish however were both 2nd place
finishes with one for Mansell and one for Patrese. Both cars finished for the
first time at the Canadian Grand Prix although the cars only came home in 3rd
and 6th. At the next race in Mexico the FW14 scored its first win in a 1-2
finish with Patrese leading the way. After this Mansell won the next three
races including a 1-2 finish at the German Grand Prix. The team then had a
double podium finish at the Hungarian Grand Prix and after a disappointing
Belgian Grand Prix the team won three consecutive races with Mansell winning
two and Patrese one. The season then ended with each driver scoring one podium
each during the last two races. The team came on very strong throughout the
year but the disappointing start cost the team winning a championship. The team
came back in 1992 with an updated version of the FW14 though which was able to
dominate the season. The team retained both Mansell and Patrese for the season
and to begin the year Mansell won the first five races which included four 1-2
finishes. Mansell looked to be on for another win at the sixth race of the year
in Monaco but ended up losing the race on a late pit stop. Mansell was still
able to finish in 2nd place and Patrese came home in 3rd as Williams was
defeated for the first time in the 1992 season. Both Williams cars then retired
at the Canadian Grand Prix but Mansell then won the next three races after that
which included two more 1-2 finishes for the team. Patrese then retired in
Hungary and Mansell could only finish in 2nd but the was enough for him to
clinch the Drivers' Championship with five races left in the year. Both
Williams cars finished on the podium at the Belgian Grand Prix and then had a
disappointing result at the Italian Grand Prix. The team recovered though by
winning the next two races as Mansell and Patrese each scored a win. The season
then ended with both cars retiring at the Australian Grand Prix. The dominant
performance of the car throughout the season also allowed the team to clinch
the Constructors' Championship.
3. Mercedes F1 W05
Hybrid
Years Used: 2014
Wins: 16
Championships: 2014
Drivers' & Constructors'
Mercedes developed the W05 Hybrid for the beginning of the
new turbo era of Formula 1 in 2014 and the car produced one of the most
dominating seasons ever. The season opened with the Australian Grand Prix with
Nico Rosberg taking victory as the other Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton retired.
After this the team scored five consecutive 1-2 finishes with Hamilton leading
the way for four of them and Rosberg winning the fifth. The team looked to be
on for another 1-2 finish at the Canadian Grand Prix but reliability issues
cost them as Hamilton retired and Rosberg only finished 2nd. The team returned
to the front with Rosberg leading home a 1-2 finish at the Austrian Grand Prix
. Hamilton then took victory at the British Grand Prix as Rosberg retired but
Rosberg then won again at the German Grand Prix. The team then did not win the
next two races although they had one driver on the podium each time but the
team then managed to win the last seven races of the year. Hamilton won the
first five of these which included four 1-2 finishes during the five races.
Rosberg then led home a 1-2 finish at the Brazilian Grand Prix to set up a
title decider at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Hamilton took victory in this race
as Rosberg had reliability issues which meant Hamilton was the World Champion.
The dominant pace of the car also meant that the team won the Constructors'
Championship.
2. Ferrari F2002
Years Used: 2002-2003
Wins: 15
Championships: 2002
Drivers' & Constructors', 2003 Drivers' & Constructors'
The F2002 debuted at the third race of the 2002 season in
Brazil Michael Schumacher driving the only F2002 in the race to victory. At the
next race in San Marino Ferrari also provided an F2002 to Rubens Barrichello
and the team was able to score a 1-2 finish with Schumacher leading the way.
Schumacher won again in Spain as Barrichello failed to start but the team then
scored another 1-2 finish at the Austrian Grand Prix. Schumacher could only
manage a 2nd place finish in Monaco while Barrichello was out of the points but
the team then won the remaining ten races of the season. This included six wins
for Schumacher and four for Barrichello. This also included seven 1-2 finishes
along with 1-2 finishes for the last five races of the year. Michael Schumacher
had such a dominant season that he was able to clinch the Drivers' Championship
with six races remaining in the season and the team also clinched the
Constructors' Championship early on. The team then continued to use the F2002
for the first four races of the 2003 season and although it struggled early on
Schumacher was able to take victory for the cars last race while Barrichello
picked up two podiums during these four races. Schumacher was able to use the
points he scored with the F2002 to help him win the 2003 Drivers' Championship
while the team once again won the Constructors' Championship.
1. McLaren MP4/4
Years Used: 1988
Wins: 15
Championships: 1988
Drivers' & Constructors'
The McLaren MP4/4 was designed for the 1988 season which was
the last year in the first turbo era in Formula 1 and the car was one of the
most dominating Formula 1 cars of all time. The team was able to take advantage
of Honda engines as Honda switched from supplying Williams to McLaren. The team
also had two of the greatest Formula 1 drivers of all time with Ayrton Senna
and Alain Prost driving in the team. The season started with a victory for
Prost in Brazil as Senna was disqualified but Senna took the top step of the
podium at the following San Marino Grand Prix with Prost following in 2nd.
Prost then won the next two races which included a 1-2 finish at the Mexican
Grand Prix which was followed by Senna winning the two following races with
Prost finished 2nd both times. Prost then won the French Grand Prix with Senna
finishing 2nd which made it four consecutive 1-2 finishes for the McLaren team.
Senna then won the British Grand Prix with Prost retiring and Senna then
claimed victory at the three following races with Prost finishing behind him in
2nd all three times. This meant the team had won the first 11 races of the
season and looked to be heading for victory again at the Italian Grand Prix
until Senna tripped over Jean-Louis Schlesser while he was trying to lap him
with two laps to go. This would be the only time all season that the McLaren
team was defeated as Prost won the next two races and then in the final two
races Senna and Prost each won once while both races were 1-2 finishes for the
team. Senna was able to clinch the Drivers' Championship and the dominance of
the MP4/4 meant that McLaren also claimed the Constructors' Championship.
What is your opinion about the cars in the rankings? Do you
think that any cars were ranked out of position? Also now that you have seen
the full list what do you consider to be the greatest cars in Formula 1? Please
share your thoughts in the comments section below.
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