Past Driver Profile: Arturo Merzario

Arturo Merzario was born on March 11, 1943 in Civenna, Italy near the Swiss border. He got his first racing experience driving an Abarth in various GT races and mountain-climbing races. Merzario had some early racing success by winning the Sardinia Rally in 1963 driving an Alfa Romeo Giulietta and then he won the 1969 and 1970 Mugello Grand Prix driving an Abarth. The success Merzario had led to Ferrari signing him to drive for its sports car team. At the 1970 24 Hours of Daytona while driving for Ferrari, Merzario finished in 3rd place alongside team mates Mario Andretti and Jacky Ickx. 1971 was a successful year for Merzario as he won races at Imola and Vallelunga. He continued this success in 1972 as he won the 1000 km. of Spa alongside Brian Redman and then won the Targa Florio alongside Sandro Munari. These wins helped propel Ferrari to win the 1972 World Sportscar Championship.

During the 1972 Formula 1 season, Ferrari driver Clay Regazzoni broke his arm and Ferrari needed a replacement. They decided to go with Merzario as he had scored strong results for the team in sports car events. His first race was the 1972 British Grand Prix at Brands Hatch. Merzario had a strong qualifying performance of 9th for his first race and then did even better in the race by finishing 6th. This allowed Merzario to score points in his first career race in Formula 1. Regazzoni returned for the German Grand Prix but Ferrari decided to allow Merzario to drive a third car for the race. This race was not as successful for Merzario as he only qualified in 22nd position and then only climbed up to 12th in the race. After this Ferrari did not run him for the rest of the season.

At the end of the 1972 season Clay Regazzoni left Ferrari so the team decided to put Merzario in the car to replace him for 1973. Unfortunately for Merzario Ferrari was struggling at the time and he could not produce many strong results. His two best results were 4th place finished at Brazil and South Africa and were the only two times all year he scored points. He also scored two 7th place finishes throughout the year in which he just missed out on points. Merzario continued to race sports cars for Ferrari in 1973 and he achieved 2nd place finishes at the 1000km. of Nurburgring and the 24 Hours of LeMans which helped Ferrari to a 2nd place finish in the World Sportscar Championship for the year.

After the 1973 Ferrari let Merzario go and he signed with the Williams in Formula 1 and Alfa Romeo in sports cars for 1974. The Formula 1 season was largely unsuccessful for Merzario as he had many retirements throughout the year but there were a few bright spots along the way. For the South African Grand Prix Merzario qualified in 3rd position and even though he dropped to 6th in the race it still gave him a point. The other bright spot for Merzario was a 4th place finish at his home Italian Grand Prix which equaled his best career finish. This gave Merzario a total of four points for the season which placed him in 17th for the championship. Merzario had a bit more success in the World Sportscar Championship by winning the season opening 1000 km. of Monza alongside Mario Andretti. This was the only time the Matra team was defeated all season and Merzario helped Alfa Romeo to a 4th place finish in the championship.

Merzario started the 1975 Formula 1 season with Williams again but he was not having any success as he did not finish any of the first six races. At this time Merzario decided to quit and fully concentrate on racing sports cars for the season. He did however return to race the Italian Grand Prix with Copersucar but only managed an 11th place finish. In the World Sportscar Championship Merzario once again raced for Alfa Romeo in 1975 and he had a lot of success during the year. He won four races including the 1000km. of Nurburgring. This helped Alfa Romeo win the championship for the season.

For 1976 Merzario came back to Formula 1 and started the year driving for March. This was once again a struggle for him as he only achieved one finish in the top ten and by the middle of the season he switched to race for Wolf. This was even more disappointing for Merzario as he retired from every race he started with Wolf in 1976. However one of Merzario's biggest moments in Formula 1 came in 1976. At the German Grand Prix during Niki Lauda's near fatal accident, Merzario was one of the drivers who stopped to try to rescue Lauda. Lauda later credited Merzario by saying that he helped save his life. Merzario also raced sports cars in 1976 but did not have too much success.

For 1977 Merzario decided to start his own Formula 1 team called Merzario in which he used a privately owned March chassis. This was a very difficult season for Merzario as he often struggled to qualify for races. His only finish throughout the year was a 14th at the Belgian Grand Prix. The sports car season was a lot more successful for Merzario. He won four more races for Alfa Romeo which helped them to once again win the World Sportscar Championship.

For the 1978 season Merzario mostly concentrated on Formula 1 as he built his own chassis for his team. This turned out to be a disaster for him however as he once again struggled just to qualify for races and did not finish any races all season. Merzario continued to try to race his own car in 1979 but he only qualified twice during the year and both times he retired. After 1979 Merzario never raced in Formula 1 again.

After Formula 1 Merzario continued to race mostly sport cars and he even won the 1985 Italian Prototype Championship. Merzario did not score any strong results in any major races but has continued to race in many smaller series even in the past few years. Merzario came into Formula 1 looking as if he might turn into a highly rated driver but unfortunately for him the success did not pan out.

Greatest Formula 1 Cars: 16-20

Today we look at cars 16-20 on our Greatest Cars list. If you have missed any of the previous rankings click the Greatest Cars link at the top of the page.

20. McLaren MP4/6

Years Used: 1991-1992

Wins: 8

Championships: 1991 Drivers' & Constructors'

The McLaren MP4/6 was designed to start competing in 1991 and used a brand new Honda V12 engine. McLaren was dominating the sport at the time and the MP4/6 looked to continue that domination. The team started the 1991 season out on the right foot as lead driver and defending champion Ayrton Senna took pole and won the first four races of the year. Team mate Gerhard Berger did not have as much success over this time but still managed a second and third place finish along with two retirements during these first four races. After this McLaren had a bit of a dip in performance as both cars retired from the Canadian Grand Prix and then Senna finished 3rd at the next two races as Berger retired from both to extend his streak to four consecutive retirements. Berger finally finished again as he finished in 2nd position at the British Grand Prix as Senna could only manage 4th and then at the German Grand Prix Berger finished 4th as Senna finished out of the points. At the next race in Hungary Senna took victory to give McLaren its first win of the season since the first four races while Berger finished 4th and then at the Belgian Grand Prix Senna led home a McLaren 1-2 finish. Senna continued his strong form with 2nd place finished at the next two races while Berger managed a 4th and a retirement while at the Spanish Grand Prix Senna only finished 5th while Berger once again retired. At the Japanese Grand Prix, Berger led home a McLaren 1-2 finish as Senna had allowed Berger to take the victory on the last lap. This result was good enough to allow Senna to clinch the Drivers' Championship as rival Nigel Mansell spun out into a retirement. The season ended in Australia as Senna took one more victory while Berger claimed a strong 3rd place finish. McLaren continued to use the MP4/6 for the first two races of the 1992 season as the continued to get their next car ready but the best they could do was a 3rd place by Senna in South Africa.

19. Red Bull RB7

Years Used: 2011

Wins: 12

Championships: 2011 Drivers' & Constructors'

The RB7 was the challenger used by Red Bull during the 2011 season. The team was coming off its first Constructors' Championship and Sebastian Vettel had won his first Drivers' Championship the year before as well. The year started out strong for Red Bull as Vettel won the first two races of the year but team mate Mark Webber did not fare as well with a 5th and then 4th place finish. At the third race of the year in China, Vettel was defeated for the first time by McLaren's Lewis Hamilton but the team still managed a 2nd place finish for Vettel and a 3rd for Webber. The team returned to its winning ways at the next race in Turkey as Vettel led home a 1-2 finish for the team which started a streak of three consecutive wins for Vettel. Vettel was finally defeated again in Canada in a chaotic wet race in which he was passed on the last lap by McLaren driver Jenson Button after making a mistake. Vettel still managed to come home 2nd while Webber was behind in 3rd. Vettel then won again at the European Grand Prix as Webber finished third and the team then took a 2-3 finish at the British Grand Prix. Webber led the way for Red Bull at the German Grand Prix with his fourth consecutive 3rd place finish as Vettel could only manage a fourth place finish. Vettel scored another podium in Hungary with a 2nd place finish and then at the next race in Belgium Vettel led home a Red Bull 1-2. This started a streak of three consecutive wins for Vettel as Webber also managed a 3rd place finish at the Singapore Grand Prix. At the next race in Japan the team only managed a 3rd and 4th place finish with Vettel leading the way but it was still enough to clinch Vettel his second consecutive Drivers' Championship. At the next race in Korea, McLaren won the pole which was the only time all season a Red Bull was not on pole. The team recovered for the race though as Vettel won and Webber finished in 3rd. Vettel repeated this victory at the Indian Grand Prix while Webber was off the podium in 4th position and then at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix neither Red Bull was on the podium for the only time all season. Vettel had qualified on pole but retired on the opening lap due to a puncture while the best Webber could manage was 4th. The team came back at the season ending Brazilian Grand Prix as Webber led home a 1-2 victory for the team.

18. Lotus 79

Years Used: 1978-1979

Wins: 6

Championships: 1978 Drivers' & Constructors'

The Lotus 79 was one of the most important cars in Formula 1 history as it is one of the first cars to introduce ground effects. This gave the car a lot more downforce than many of its competitors had. The Lotus 79 did not arrive until the middle of the 1978 season at the Belgian Grand Prix but Mario Andretti brought home pole and victory for the car's first race. Andretti completed this feat again at the next race in Spain as team mate Ronnie Peterson finished 2nd in the other Lotus 79. Andretti retired from the Swedish Grand Prix but Peterson was still able to manage a 3rd place finish for the team. The team was back on top again in France as Andretti once again led home a Lotus 1-2 finish. Both Lotus cars qualified on the front row for the British Grand Prix however both of them retired from the race. Andretti then won the German Grand Prix as Peterson retired while Peterson won in Austria as Andretti retired. At the Dutch Grand Prix Andretti led home another 1-2 finish for Lotus. At the Italian Grand Prix Andretti once again won but was given a one-minute penalty for jumping a restart which dropped Andretti to 6th. However at the beginning of the race there was a large crash involving the other Lotus of Ronnie Peterson. Peterson was taken to the hospital and a few days later died due to embolism. Since Peterson was tragically killed this clinched the Drivers' Championship for Andretti. The team replaced Peterson with Jean-Pierre Jarier for the final two race but did not score any points with either driver. The team continued to use the Lotus 79 for the 1979 season but by then many other teams had caught up. Andretti was paired with the experienced Carlos Reutemann who finished 2nd at his first race with the team at his home Argentine Grand Prix. Reutemann matched this result at the Spanish Grand Prix which would be the best results for the team all year. Reutemann also managed two 3rd place finished during the season while Andretti didn't score a podium all season. After a difficult year the team only managed to finish in 4th place in the Constructors' Championship.

17. Williams FW11

Years Used: 1986-1987

Wins: 18

Championships: 1986 Constructors', 1987 Drivers' & Constructors'

The Williams FW11 debuted at the beginning of the 1986 season and at the opening Brazilian Grand Prix Nelson Piquet took victory. Piquet and team mate Nigel Mansell each scored a 2nd place finish at the next two races while the other Williams retired. Mansell scored the only points for Williams with a 4th place at Monaco but Mansell then won the next two races. Mansell scored the only points again for Williams at the Detroit Grand Prix with a 5th but then again won the next two races after that including a 1-2 finish for Williams at the British Grand Prix. Piquet then responded by winning the two following races while Mansell finished 3rd both races. The team then had a double retirement in Austria but Piquet then led home another 1-2 finish for the team at the Italian Grand Prix. Mansell then won the Portuguese Grand Prix while Piquet finished 3rd and the team then had a disappointing Mexican Grand Prix in which neither car finished on the podium. The team headed to the last race of the year in Australia with both drivers in contention for the Drivers' Championship against McLaren driver Alain Prost. Qualifying went well as Mansell was on pole and Piquet 2nd but the race ended in disappointment. Mansell was running in 3rd place near the end of the race which was enough for him to clinch the title but his tire exploded causing him to retire from the race. Williams then called in Piquet for a precautionary pit stop while he was leading which handed the lead to Prost. Prost went on to win the race along with the title. Despite neither Piquet or Mansell winning the title, Williams still scored enough points throughout the year to win the Constructors' Championship. Williams returned in 1987 with an updated version of the FW11 chassis and Piquet started off the year strongly with a 2nd in Brazil. Mansell then won the San Marino Grand Prix after Piquet did not start due to an injury in a practice crash. Both Williams cars retired in Belgium and then Piquet scored a 2nd place finish in Monaco. This started a streak of four consecutive 2nd place finished for Piquet. During these last two races, Mansell won to give the team two straight 1-2 finishes. After this, Piquet then won two consecutive races while Mansell did not score any points. Mansell then responded by leading home a Williams 1-2 in Austria and then both Williams cars finished on the podium in Italy with Piquet winning and Mansell 3rd. Piquet was the only Williams to finish in Portugal with a 3rd place finish and Mansell then won the next two races including another 1-2 finish for the team in Mexico. At the Japanese Grand Prix, Mansell had a major crash in qualifying which ended his season. This clinched the championship for Piquet. The Williams team did not score any points in the last two races but they already had enough points to win the Constructors' Championship along with Piquet's Drivers' Championship.

16. Ferrari 312T

Years Used: 1975-1980

Wins: 27

Championships: 1975 Drivers' & Constructors', 1976 Constructors', 1977 Drivers' & Constructors', 1979 Drivers' & Constructors'

The Ferrari 312T debuted at the third race of the 1975 season in South Africa but the team only scored two points in the cars first two races. Lead driver Niki Lauda took the first victory for the 312T at Monaco and then won the next two races after that. The team continued to succeed throughout the year as Niki Lauda took two more victories and Clay Regazzoni also won a race in the other Ferrari. These wins combined with consistent points finishes allowed Lauda to take his first Drivers' Championship and the Ferrari team took the 1975 Constructors Championship. The team used an updated version of the 312T for 1976 and started out strong by winning the first three races of the year. This included Lauda winning the first two and Regazzoni leading a Ferrari 1-2 in the third race. Lauda could only finish 2nd in Spain but then went on to win the next two races. Lauda had another win at the British Grand Prix but then at the German Grand Prix Lauda had an accident that almost cost him his life. The team then did not race in the next race in Austria and Regazzoni then scored a 2nd place finish at the Dutch Grand Prix. Lauda returned in Italy but only finished in 4th while Regazzoni scored another 2nd place finish. Lauda had one more 3rd place finish before the last race in the year in Japan in which Lauda voluntarily pulled out because he thought the conditions were too dangerous. This decision allowed the McLaren of James Hunt to win the Drivers' Championship while Ferrari still claimed the Constructors' Championship. Ferrari continued with even more updates to the 312T for 1977 and replaced Clay Regazzoni with Carlos Reutemann. Reutemann scored the first win for Ferrari during the season at the second race of the year in Brazil. Lauda then followed this up with a win in South Africa. The team did not win any of the next seven races but Lauda picked up four 2nd place finished during that time while Reutemann had three podiums as well. Lauda finally won again at the German Grand Prix and won again two races later at the Dutch Grand Prix. Lauda eventually clinched his second championship with a 4th place at the United State Grand Prix and then did not enter the final two races of the year as he was leaving the team and his relationship with them was deteriorating. The team also clinched the Constructors' Championship for the third straight year. For 1978 Ferrari replaced Lauda with young Canadian Gilles Villeneuve but the season was not as strong for the team as the previous years. They were going up against a strong Lotus team but still managed to win five races during the year with four of them by Reutemann and one by Villeneuve. Lotus was too far ahead but Ferrari still managed to finish 2nd in the Constructors' Championship for the year. With more updates to the 312T for 1979 the team once again had a strong year. South African Jody Scheckter joined the team and both drivers won three races during the year including three 1-2 finishes. This allowed the Ferrari drivers to finish 1st and 2nd in the Drivers' Championship as the team also won the Constructors' Championship. The team continued to use the 312T for one more year in 1980 but struggled to score points and only scored eight points all year which put them in 10th in the Constructors' Championship.

What is your opinion about these rankings? Do you feel any of these cars are not ranked in the right spot? Also don't forget to check back Thursday as we reveal the next five cars in our rankings.

Greatest Formula 1 Cars: 21-25

Today we look at cars 21-25 on our Greatest Cars list. If you have missed any of the previous rankings click the Greatest Cars button at the top of the page.

25. Ferrari F1-2000

Years Used: 2000

Wins: 10

Championships: 2000 Drivers' & Constructors'

The Ferrari F1-2000 was the challenger that Ferrari had built for the 2000 season. Ferrari had hired Rubens Barrichello to replace the outgoing Eddie Irvine while Michael Schumacher was returning for his fifth year at Ferrari. The season started in wonderful fashion for the team as Schumacher won and Barrichello finished second in the season opening Australian Grand Prix after the two McLaren's had retired. Schumacher continued to have success as he won the next two races while Barrichello only managed a retirement and a fourth place finish at those two races. Schumacher was finally defeated at the British Grand Prix as he finished third and then at the Spanish Grand Prix he was in contention for the win but a poor pit stop dropped him to fifth while Barrichello managed to finish on the podium in third. Schumacher returned to his winning ways at the wet European Grand Prix but then retired from the lead in Monaco. He then rebounded by winning another wet race in Canada. Barrichello was able to score consistent points throughout these races including two second place finishes. Schumacher then went into a slump as he retired from the next three races which drastically closed up the championship chase while Barrichello scored two straight third place finishes and then claimed his first career victory at the German Grand Prix. Schumacher finally managed to finish again as he finished second at the next two races but then ended the season strongly as he won the last four races of the year which included a 1-2 finish for Ferrari at the United States Grand Prix. Schumacher's success allowed him to claim the first Drivers' Championship for Ferrari since 1979 and the strong results of Barrichello throughout the year allowed the team to retain its Constructors' Championship from the previous season.

24. Tyrrell 002/003

Years Used: 1971-1972

Wins: 9

Championships: 1971 Drivers' & Constructors'

The Tyrrell 002 driven by Francois Cevert and the Tyrrell 003 driven by Jackie Stewart were the both the same car just a different chassis number. The car was raced through the 1971 and 1972 seasons. Cevert debuted the car at the 1971 South African Grand Prix and retired from the race while Stewart debuted his version of the car at the next race which was the Spanish Grand Prix. Stewart won his first two races in the car while Cevert was still struggling to score points. After a disappointing Dutch Grand Prix, Stewart came back and won the three following races while Cevert managed two second place finishes which gave the team two 1-2 finishes. Stewart then had two consecutive retirements while Cevert picked up a podium with a third at the Italian Grand Prix but Stewart then rebounded by winning the Canadian Grand Prix. Cevert then ended the year on a high note by winning his first career race at the United States Grand Prix. Over the year Stewart managed to almost double the points of anyone else to secure his second Drivers' Championship while Tyrrell scored its first ever Constructors' Championship. 1972 started off just as strongly for Stewart as he won the first race of the year in Argentina but he then retired from the next two races as Cevert had still not scored any points. Cevert finally scored his first points of the year with a second place finish at the Belgian Grand Prix while Stewart finally picked up his second win of the year at France. Stewart scored his last points in the 003 at the British Grand Prix with a second place finish and then used the car one last time at the German Grand Prix in which he only finished eleventh. Cevert continued to use the car over the next few races but was not able to score any more points.

23. Alfa Romeo 159

Years Used: 1951

Wins: 4

Championships 1951 Drivers'

The Alfa Romeo 159 was an updated version of the 158 the team used to win the first ever Formula 1 Championship the previous season. The team started the 1951 season where it left off 1950 at the season opening Swiss Grand Prix. Alfa Romeo took four of the first five positions in the race led by Juan Manuel Fangio taking victory. At the Belgian Grand Prix, defending champion Giuseppe Farina took victory for Alfa Romeo by almost three minutes over the Ferrari of Alberto Ascari but he was the only Alfa Romeo to score points. The following French Grand Prix continued the success of Alfa Romeo as Fangio and Luigi Fagioli shared victory for the team. The victory for Fagioli made him the oldest driver to ever win a Grand Prix. Farina also brought home more points for Alfa Romeo with a fifth place finish. Alfa Romeo was defeated for the first time at the next race for the first time at a World Championship race excluding the Indianapolis 500. This streak continued over the next two races however Alfa Romeo finished on the podium at all three races. Heading into the season ending Spanish Grand Prix Fangio was fighting Ascari for the championship but was able to hold him off as he won the race and took home his first of five Drivers' Championships. Farina made it a double podium for the team with a third place finish. The team later announced they were pulling out of Formula 1 after the 1951 season and would not defend its title.

22. McLaren MP4/13

Years Used: 1998

Wins: 9

Championships 1998 Drivers & Constructors'

1998 saw some changes in the regulations to Formula 1 and McLaren took advantage of this. This was the first McLaren that Adrian Newey had full input to the design. At the season opening Australian Grand Prix, the McLaren cars were the class of the field as Mika Hakkinen led David Coulthard home for a 1-2 finish as both McLaren drivers lapped the field. McLaren's success continued over to the next race in Brazil as Hakkinen led home another McLaren 1-2 as the two drivers won by over a minute. The team was finally defeated at the next race in Argentina but they were still able to score points with both cars including a second place finish by Hakkinen. McLaren returned to the top after this by winning the next three races. Coulthard won in San Marino and Hakkinen won in Spain and Monaco including a 1-2 finish at Spain. The team suffered a bit of a difficult stretch over the next three races though as they had a double retirement in Canada followed by a third by Hakkinen and sixth in Coulthard in France and then Hakkinen finished second at the British Grand Prix while Coulthard retired. The team rebounded as Hakkinen led home a 1-2 finish for them at the next two races but they then hit another difficult stretch as they only scored one podium over the next three races. This put Hakkinen in a tie for the Drivers' Championship with the Ferrari of Michael Schumacher but Hakkinen came back to win the Luxembourg Grand Prix as Coulthard finished third and then both drivers scored the same result at the season ending Japanese Grand Prix. This was enough for Hakkinen to hold off Schumacher in the Drivers' Championship and the team had enough points to win the Constructors' Championship as well.

21. Lotus 72

Years Used: 1970-1975

Wins: 20

Championships: 1970 Drivers' & Constructors', 1972 Drivers' & Constructors', 1973 Constructors'

The Lotus 72 was introduced into Formula 1 for the first time in 1970 at the Spanish Grand Prix in which John Miles did not qualify and Jochen Rindt retired from the race. At the 1970 Dutch Grand Prix, Rindt won the first race for the Lotus 72. This started a streak of four consecutive victories for Rindt. Both Lotus 72 cars retired at the Austrian Grand Prix although Rindt qualified on pole. At the next race the Italian Grand Prix Jochen Rindt was tragically killed in the qualifying session but he scored enough points throughout the year to win the Drivers' Championship. The team withdrew from the race and sat out the next race in Canada but returned for the United States Grand Prix. At this race Emerson Fittipaldi took his first career win in just his fourth race and Reine Wisell finished 3rd in his first career race. This was the first time two Lotus 72 cars finished on the podium. The car had a more difficult season in 1971 as it did not win any races during the championship although Fittipaldi had a 2nd and two 3rd place finishes. 1972 saw an improvement for the Lotus 72. Lead driver Emerson Fittipaldi retired from the season opening Argentine Grand Prix but recovered to finish 2nd at the next race in South Africa. This started a string of six straight podium finishes for Fittipaldi including three wins. Neither Lotus 72 finished in Germany but Fittipaldi recovered to win the next two races after that. The season did ended with two races without any points but Fittipaldi and the team had done enough to win the Drivers' and Constructors' Championships for the year. 1973 started out strongly for Fittipaldi as he won the first two races in the year. Fittipaldi followed this up with a 3rd in South Africa, a win in Spain, another 3rd in Belgium, and a 2nd in Monaco. The second Lotus 72 of Ronnie Peterson also finished 3rd in Monaco and followed this up with a 2nd in his home race in Sweden. Peterson then continued his strong form with a win in the French Grand Prix as Fittipaldi started a streak of three consecutive retirements. At the Austrian Grand Prix Peterson scored his second win of the year and then followed this up with another win at the Italian Grand Prix as Fittipaldi finished 2nd. Fittipaldi finished 2nd again at the Canadian Grand Prix and then Peterson followed this up with a win at the season ending United States Grand Prix. Neither Fittipaldi or Peterson scored enough points throughout the year to win the Drivers' Championship but the two combined for enough for Lotus to win the Constructors' Championship. Fittipaldi left for McLaren at the end of 1973 which left Ronnie Peterson as the lead driver. The Lotus 72 did not win its first race of the year until the sixth race in Monaco by Peterson. Peterson went on to win two more races during the year in France and Italy but the team only scored enough points to finish 4th in the Constructors' Championship. Lotus used the 72 for one more year in 1975 and the team had a difficult season. Jacky Ickx scored the only podium for the car during the season with a 2nd place in Spain. The Lotus 72 was finally replaced at the end of the 1975 season after sustaining success during the first half of the 1970s.

How do you feel about the cars ranked on this list? Do you think any of these should be any higher or lower? Please share your opinion in the comments section below. Also don't forget to check back next Tuesday as we reveal the next 5 cars on the list. 

Past Driver Profile: Ukyo Katayama

Ukyo Katayama was born on May 29, 1963 in Tokyo, Japan. He got his first experience with racing in 1982 when in Tsukuba he became a mechanic. In 1983 Katayama started racing in the Japanese FJ1600 and then in 1984 he won the title. For the 1985 season, Katayama then moved up to the Japanese Formula 3 series in which he drove for Nissan Hasemi Motorsports and had a fairly successful season by finishing 6th in the championship. In 1986 Katayama started racing in Europe in Formula Renault but he had a severe crash that almost ended his racing career at Clermont-Ferrand in which he broke his neck and both of his legs.

For 1988 when Katayama was fully recovered and returned to racing, he went home to Japan and entered the Japanese Formula 3000 Series. Katayama did not have that much success that year as he only had one point scoring finish with a 5th place finish which placed him 11th in the championship. Katayama also competed in the 24 Hours of LeMans in 1988 in which he suffered another heavy crash but was not hurt. For 1989 Katayama continued in the Japanese Formula 3000 series but he did not manage to score any points throughout the season. He also competed in the first four races of the International Formula 3000 series. He was not able to qualify for two of those races and did not score points in the two he started.

For 1990 things started to get better for Katayama. Still competing in the Japanese Formula 3000 series he was able to finish on the podium three times during the season and finished 5th in the championship. He returned to the series for a fourth time in 1991 and won the season opening race at Suzuka and continued to have success the rest of the season. He won a second race at Suzuka later in the season and then had three 2nd place finishes near the end of the year which was enough for him to win the championship.

Katayama's success in Japan allowed him to secure a seat in Formula 1 for the first time in 1992 with the Larrousse team. Katayama started his career off by qualifying in 18th position for his debut race in South Africa which was a better result than team mate Bertrand Gachot achieved. Through attrition in the race Katayama was able to climb up to a 12th place finish although he was four laps behind winner Nigel Mansell. Katayama able to replicate the 12th place finish at the next race in Mexico and then at the following Brazilian Grand Prix he was able to finish 9th. Katayama then could not qualify for the race in Spain, retired in San Marino, and then failed to pre-qualify for the Monaco Grand Prix. Katayama looked a lot stronger at the Canadian Grand Prix as he qualified 11th which was eight spots better than team mate Gachot and he was then running in 5th during the race until his engine blew in the closing stages. Katayama then again retired from the next four races until finally finishing again at the Belgian Grand Prix in 17th position. At the Italian Grand Prix Katayama after qualifying in 23rd place, he was able to equal his best finish of the year with a 9th place finish despite a transmission failure with three laps to go. After a retirement in Portugal Katayama finish 11th for his home race in Japan and then once again retired at the season finale in Australia. Katayama had some decent results with the struggling Larrousse team for his debut season but did not manage to score any points.

1993 saw Katayama switch to the Tyrrell team. The team was really struggling at this time and the results showed. Katayama retired from the first six races of the season and struggled to qualify in the top 20. Katayama finally finished a race at the Canadian Grand Prix although it was only a 17th place finish in which he was five laps down from the winner. Katayama then retired in France and then finished the British Grand Prix in 13th position. Tyrrell brought a new chassis to the German Grand Prix but the results were the same. Katayama once again retired but at the following Hungarian Grand Prix he was able to achieve a season best 10th place finish. Katayama was able to finish the next two races with a 15th in Belgium and a 14th in Italy but the reliability would not last as he retired from the final three races of the season although he put in a season best qualifying performance with 13th in his home race of Japan. The season ended once again with no points for Katayama.

Katayama stayed with Tyrrell for 1994 and results instantly became better than the previous years. At the first race in Brazil Katayama qualified in 10th place and then in the race got all the way up to 5th place for his first career points in Formula 1. After a retirement at the Pacific Grand Prix, Katayama put in another points finish with a 5th place at the San Marino Grand Prix. Katayama then retired from the next four races although he was able to consistently qualify in or near the top 10. At the British Grand Prix Katayama put in a strong qualifying performance of 8th and was able to once again score points with a 6th place finish. The German Grand Prix looked as if it could have been a strong race for Katayama after qualifying in 5th. After many retirements on the first lap of the race Katayama was running in 3rd place and looked as if he could have been on for a podium but he retired on lap 6 as his throttle stuck open. Katayama matched his 5th place in qualifying in Hungary but was then taken out on a first lap collision possibly costing him more points. Katayama then retired from the next three races until he finally managed to finish again at the European Grand Prix. He achieved a 7th place finish just outside of the points and then retired from the final two races of the season. Despite just finishing four races throughout the year three of them were in the points. This gave Katayama a total of 5 points which placed him 17th in the championship. Katayama later revealed that following his performance in 1994 he was offered a contract by a top team in Formula 1 but could not take it. He also later revealed that he had cancer in his back during the season although it did not threaten his life his Formula 1 commitments delayed treatment.

Katayama returned to Tyrrell again for the 1995 season but the results were not as strong as 1994. He retired from the first race in Brazil and then in the second race in Argentina was able to finish in 8th position. Katayama retired from the next six races on the schedule and his qualifying results were not in the top 10 like they were the previous season. Katayama finally managed to finish a race again in Germany where he took a 7th place finish in a race of high attrition. Following two more retirements, Katayama finished 10th in Italy. At the next race in Portugal Katayama was involved in a heavy accident at the start of the race which left him with a strained neck and bruises. This caused him to sit out the next race but he returned at the Pacific Grand Prix with a 14th place finish. Katayama then retired from the final two races of the season. This left Katayama with a third season in which he did not score any points.

For 1996 Katayama returned to the Tyrrell team one last time. He started the year off with an 11th place finish in Australia and a 9th in Brazil. He then retired in Argentina and was then disqualified for the European Grand Prix for an illegal push start on the formation lap and then retired from the next seven races. The next time Katayama made it to the end of the race was the Hungarian Grand Prix in which he finished in 7th position. Katayama also made it to the end in the next three races with an 8th in Belgium, 10th in Italy, and a 12th in Portugal until retiring from the last race of the year in Japan. Unfortunately for Katayama this meant another year in which he did not score any points.

1997 saw Katayama switch to Minardi but results were difficult to achieve. He did not retire from as many races during the year but the car was to slow in order to produce any significant results. The best results Katayama could achieve during the year were 10th place finishes at Monaco and Hungary. This left Katayama with no points once again and he announced his retirement from Formula 1 near the end of the season.

Katayama continued to race after his career in Formula 1 most notably at the 24 Hours of LeMans. In 1999 Katayama finished 2nd overall and won his class. Katayama also has a passion for mountain climbing and he had achieved climbing some of the highest mountains in the world. While not enjoying mountain climbing these days Katayama is now a commentator for Formula 1 races in Japan.

Greatest Formula 1 Cars 26-30

Today we look at cars 26-30 on our list of Greatest Formula 1 Cars. If you missed any of the previous rankings click the Greatest Cars link at the top of the page.

30. McLaren M23

Years Used: 1973-1978

Wins: 16

Championships: 1974 & 1976 Drivers' & 1974 Constructors'

The McLaren M23 debuted at the 1973 South African Grand Prix at the hands of Denny Hulme who secured a pole position on the car's debut. The race was not as successful as Hulme only finished fifth but the M23 provided some good results through the rest of the year. Hulme picked up the first win for the car during 1973 at the Swedish Grand Prix and just two races later Peter Revson scored another win for the M23 as Hulme finished third to give the car its first ever double podium. Revson picked up one more victory for McLaren in 1973 at the chaotic Canadian Grand Prix. The three wins combined with other strong results throughout the season was enough for McLaren to finish third in the Constructors' standings. For 1974, McLaren hired Emerson Fittipaldi to drive for the team alongside Denny Hulme as they continued using the M23. The season started off strongly for McLaren as Hulme won the first race in Argentina and Fittipaldi won the second race in Brazil. The team only managed two wins for the rest of the season which were both by Fittipaldi. Due to a competitive season this was enough for Fittipaldi to win the Drivers' Championship and McLaren won its first Constructors' Championship in team history. For 1975, Jochen Mass was brought in by McLaren to drive along with Fittipaldi but the team was not able to defend its titles. Despite this, Fittipaldi was able to win two races and Mass scored what would be his only Formula 1 victory in Spain. Fittipaldi was able to use his strong results throughout the year to finish second in the Drivers' Championship behind Niki Lauda and the team still finished third in the Constructors' Title. 1976 was a strong year for McLaren as they brought in James Hunt to replace Emerson Fittipaldi after he left the team. The season did not start off as hoped for the team as Hunt retired from four of the first six races but the two he finished he scored a first and second place finish. During this same stretch, Jochen Mass only managed one podium with a third place finish in South Africa. Hunt rebounded the second half of the year though as he scored points in seven of the last nine races while winning five of them. Hunt also originally won the British Grand Prix as well but was later disqualified. With such a strong second half, Hunt was able to make a comeback and clinch the Drivers' Championship at the Japanese Grand Prix by one point with a third place finish in what would become one of the most historic title deciders in Formula 1 history. Mass was not able to produce as good results which meant the team could only finish second in the Constructors' Championship. McLaren ran the M23 for the first half of 1977 but Hunt and Mass only produced one podium each for the car. The M23 was used in private entries through the 1978 season but with no significant results.

29. Cooper T51

Years Used: 1959-1963

Wins 5

Championships: 1959 Drivers' & Constructors'

The Cooper T51 is one of the most important cars in Formula 1 history as it became the first car to win a championship without its engine in the front of the car. This led Formula 1 to a change as everyone else followed with putting the engine behind the driver. At the first race for the T51 at the 1959 Monaco Grand Prix, Jack Brabham and Stirling Moss finished third to give the car a double podium finish on its debut. The team also scored a double podium in its second race with a second from Brabham and a third place finish by Masten Gregory. After a third place finish in France, Brabham won the next race which was the British Grand Prix while Bruce McLaren brought the T51 to another podium finish in third. After many of the T51 cars retired in Germany, Stirling Moss was able to win the next two races in Portugal and Italy. At the season finale at the United States Grand Prix, Bruce McLaren won his first grand prix in which he would become the youngest grand prix winner at the time excluding the Indianapolis 500. Maurice Trintingnant followed with a second place finish while Jack Brabham pushed his car home to a fourth place finish after running out of fuel to allow him to clinch his first Drivers' Championship. With strong results across the board for the Copper team, they were able to win the Constructors' Championship as well. The car was used for private entries through over the next couple of years through the 1963 season and managed to score some decent results over that time including a second place finish by Olivier Gendebien at the 1960 French Grand Prix.

28. Benetton B195

Years Used: 1995

Wins: 11

Championships: 1995 Drivers' & Constructors'

The Benetton B195 was built as the successor to the B194 which led Michael Schumacher to his first title. The main change in the B195 from the previous year was the change from Ford power to Renault power. This gave Benetton access to the same engine that their main rival Williams was using. On the cars debut at the 1995 Brazilian Grand Prix, Michael Schumacher took victory but was disqualified after the race because his fuel did not match the sample given to the FIA. The victory was later reinstated however. Team mate Johnny Herbert failed to finish the race after a collision with Aguri Suzuki. The next two races did not bring as much success to the Benetton team as Schumacher and Herbert were third and fourth in Argentina and then did not score any points at the San Marino Grand Prix. The team rebounded at the Spanish Grand Prix with Schumacher leading home a 1-2 finish for Benetton and Schumacher took victory again at the next race in Monaco. After just a fifth place for Schumacher in Canada Schumacher was back on top in France. At the British Grand Prix, Schumacher was leading but then collided with Williams driver Damon Hill which put both cars out of the race. This left Johnny Herbert to take his first career victory. Schumacher followed this up with another victory at Germany. After a disappointing race at Hungary, Schumacher came from 16th position on the grid to claim victory in Belgium. Schumacher and Hill once again collided at the next race in Italy and once again this left Johnny Herbert to take his second victory for Benetton. Schumacher could only manage a second at the next race but then won the next three races after that while Herbert scored points in all three. Both cars retired from the last race but Schumacher already had enough points to claim his second straight championship while finished in fourth and the team was able to claim its first and only Constructors' Championship by 25 points over rival Williams.

27. Williams FW07

Years Used: 1979-1982

Wins: 15

Championships: 1980 Drivers' & Constructors', 1981 Constructors', & 1982 Drviers'

The Williams FW07 was the car designed by the Williams team during the ground effects era of Formula 1. The car debuted at the fifth race of the 1979 season and had difficulty finishing races early as both car did not finish the first two races with the FW07. At its third race in Monaco, Alan Jones retired again but Clay Regazzoni in the other Williams finished in second place. After a fourth and a sixth place finish in France, the car went on to win five of the next six races. Regazzoni won the team's first race at the 1979 British Grand Prix after Alan Jones retired from the lead in the other Williams. Jones won the next three races including a 1-2 finish at the German Grand Prix and Jones then won again in Canada. The team ended the year with a double retirement but it was clear Williams had the fastest car the second half of the season. For 1980 Carlos Reutemann was brought into the team to replace Regazzoni. Alan Jones got the season started off right for Williams by winning the first race and then finishing third at the second race. The team's only points over the next two races came from a fifth place by Reutemann but they then rebounded with a second and third place finish at the Belgian Grand Prix. Reutemann followed this up by winning at Monaco while Jones won the two races after that. The team did not win any of the next four races but they still managed six podiums over those races between the two drivers. The season then finished strongly for the team as Jones led Reutemann home for a 1-2 finish in the last two races of the season. The strong results over the year allowed Jones to win the Drivers' Championship while Reutemann finished third and the team took home the Constructors' Championship by almost doubling the points title of second place Ligier. This was the first time that Williams had won both the Drivers' and Constructors' Championships. 1981 started off where 1980 finished as the team scored a 1-2 finish at the first two races of the year with one victory for Jones and one victory for Reutemann. After that the team did not enjoy as much success as they had achieved the previous year. Jones and Reutemann each won just one more race during the season as they struggled to get along although with consistent point scoring finishing Reutemann was leading the championship heading into the final race. Reutemann only finished eight at the last race which was not enough for him to win the title but the two drivers had earned enough points throughout the year the claim the Constructors' Championship. The FW07 was used for the last time for the first three races for the 1982 season before being replaced. During those three races the car managed two more second place finishes including one by Keke Rosberg who would go on to win the Drivers' Championship that year.

26. Ferrari 156

Years Used: 1961-1964

Wins: 7

Championships: 1961 Drivers' & Constructors' & 1964 Constructors'

The Ferrari 156 is one of the most recognizable cars in the history of Formula 1. The 156 is also known as sharknose because of the pointed nose at the front of the car. The 156 first competed on the Formula 1 grid in 1961 and at its first race in Monaco the car achieved a second, third, and fourth place finish. After this, the Ferrari team dominated the rest of the 1961 season as it won five of the next six races. The wins were spread out with Phil Hill winning twice, Wolfgang von Trips also winning twice, and Giancarlo Baghetti picking up the final win. This led to Ferrari having a commanding lead in both championships and the Drivers' Championship came down to Phil Hill and von Trips. At the Italian Grand Prix von Trips was tragically killed in a crash which handed the title to Hill. After this Ferrari did not compete in the last race of the year. The following year in 1962 was not as successful for Ferrari. The team did not manage to win a race all season and despite a few podium finishes along the way, the team only finished sixth in the final Constructors' Championship. The team showed up in 1963 with an updated version of the 156 which did not feature the sharknose design. Results were better as John Surtees won the German Grand Prix and had two other podium finishes but the team struggled to finish races and still only finished fourth in the Constructors' Championship. The team had a new chassis for the 1964 season but still ran the 156 on occasion mostly for Lorenzo Bandini. Bandini had some strong results with the car including a win at the Austrian Grand Prix. These strong results Bandini had using the 156 helped Ferrari win the Constructors' Championship for the season.

What is your opinion about these rankings? Do you feel any of these cars should be higher or lower on the list? Please feel free to share your opinion in the comments section below. Also, don't forget to check back on Thursday as we reveal cars 21-25 on the list. 

Malaysian Grand Prix Thoughts

The Malaysian Grand Prix yesterday was a highly interesting race and gave us many talking points for the next few weeks. Here we are going to take a look at some of those.

Obviously the biggest story of the week was Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari taking the fight to Mercedes. For the first time in this turbo era someone made Mercedes look beatable. Kimi Raikkonen also had a strong race for Ferrari. If not for his puncture early on sending him to the back of the field it would have been interesting to see if he could have challenged for a podium as well. Either way though Raikkonen had an outstanding recovery drive.

As for Ferrari as a team the next couple of races will be huge. If Ferrari continues to look like they can be close to Mercedes then we may have a title fight on our hands this year between someone other than Hamilton and Rosberg. Mercedes will also be looking to bounce back and learn from where they went wrong this weekend. Mercedes definately made a error on strategy during the race in which they pitted under the first safety car. It is still difficult to say whether Mercedes would have won without pitting under the safety car but I think it would have been a fight right to the end.

Behind the front two teams Red Bull had a difficult race. There has been lots of tension between Red Bull and engine suppliers Renault lately and this will definitely not help. To make things even worse, Red Bull finished below the two Toro Rosso cars who also use Renault engines. Most people probably thought Red Bull could challenge to be the best behind Mercedes before the year started but the team looks as if podiums will be a struggle. If this type of form continues for the team the tension between them and Renault will become a huge storyline throughout the year.

The two Toro Rosso drivers both had good races for the team. Max Verstappen finished 7th to become the youngest points scorer in Formula 1 history which is a record that won't be broken anytime soon with the new Superlicense rules. It is surprising to see how they have seemed to be quicker than Red Bull at times this year considering they both use Renault engines and the inexperience of both of the Toro Rosso drivers. I think Verstappen has answered critics who have said he is not ready for Formula 1 but it still is early days. We have yet to see him go through a truly difficult time yet which will be the biggest test if he can handle Formula 1. Despite Verstappen's good form this year I have been even more impressed with Carlos Sainz this year. He finished one spot below Verstappen but I feel he has slightly more speed although that might change as Verstappen gets more experience.

McLaren had another difficult weekend towards the end of the grid but they will have hopefully learned more from the data that they gathered. Both cars did not break down during practice and as a team they got more laps in during the race than in Australia despite neither one finishing. I find it surprising to see Honda struggling as much as they have but I still think that we will eventually see Honda back up near the front hopefully sooner rather than later. If McLaren is still struggling near the end of the year it will be interesting to see how Alonso handles it. We knew he took a risk going to McLaren but I don't think anyone expected him and Button to struggle getting out of Q1.

One more positive note for the weekend was seeing Manor on track. The team had no preseason testing and did no running in Australia and also had limited running during practice. Despite all this, the team came close to getting within the 107% rule. The team should hopefully get slightly faster and not have as much of a struggle to qualify throughout the season. Bernie was not to impressed with how the team did not get on track in Australia but I think he needs to find a way to help the team make sure they can stay on the grid as Formula 1 is struggling with the number of cars they have on the grid. I think below 20 is too few so the sport should try to help Manor or any other potential entrants in the sport.

As for the race itself, I found this to be quite an interesting race. I liked the fact that the top three cars were all on different strategies and it made it uncertain who was going to win until the final pit stops. I think it would be good if there are more races like this because I think that differing strategies between the front runners tend to make for good races. They also help on tracks where it will be more difficult to pass as a unique strategy gives a way to overtake that is not on the track.

Overall I think this weekend was a very positive one for Formula 1. We saw a team take the fight to Mercedes and defeat them and we saw Ferrari get there first win in almost two years. I think the sport needed someone to challenge Mercedes and it is also a good thing for the sport when Ferrari is competitive. Hopefully as the year goes on we will see more weekends like this than like we saw in Australia.

What were your thoughts about the Malaysian Grand Prix? Do you feel Ferrari can challenge Mercedes all year? What did you think of the racing? Please share any thoughts you have in the comments section below.

Vettel shocks Mercedes to take victory in Malaysia

Sebastian Vettel took his first victory for Ferrari as the team took advantage of a strategy mistake by the Mercedes team in the Malaysian Grand Prix. Mercedes was able to recover as Lewis Hamilton came home in 2nd place and Nico Rosberg in 3rd. Vettel's team mate Kimi Raikkonen recovered from a difficult start of the race to claim 4th. The win is the first for Ferrari since Fernando Alonso won the Spanish Grand Prix in 2013.

Lewis Hamilton got away first as the lights went out but on lap 4 the safety car was brought out after Marcus Ericsson spun trying to pass Nico Hulkenberg. The two Mercedes cars went into the pits to change to a prime set of tires as Vettel stayed out in the Ferrari. Vettel was able to build a gap over Hamilton as he had to work his way through the field back up to second. Vettel was able to hold the gap through the rest of the race as he only made two pit stops as opposed to three by Mercedes.

Kimi Raikkonen's race started out difficult as he got a puncture after contact with Felipe Nasr's front wing on the second lap. Raikkonen went to the back of the field after having to drive a whole lap with the puncture but was able to make up ground through the safety car. Using the speed of his Ferrari, Raikkonen made it back up to 4th.

The two Williams drivers both had fairly quiet races as they finished 5th and 6th with Valtteri Bottas leading the way over Felipe Massa. Behind Williams were the two Toro Rossos of Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz. With a 7th place finish, Max Verstappen became the youngest point scorer in the history of Formula 1.

Red Bull had a difficult race with a 9th and 10th place finish with Daniil Kvyat leading the way over Daniel Ricciardo. Even more difficult to Red Bull is that they finished below the Toro Rossos and also got lapped for the second straight race.

McLaren had another difficult day as both car failed to see the finish of the race. Fernando Alonso retired on lap 21 due to an ERS cooling issue while Jenson Button retired on lap 43 with a turbo issue. The laps they put in should still be valuable to the team for data though.

Also of note was Roberto Merhi finishing the race for Manor despite being 3 laps down. This was significant for Manor to get the car in the race and finishing. Team mate Will Stevens was unable to start after having a fuel systems problem.

Pos.	Driver	Team
1	Sebastian Vettel	Ferrari
2	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes
3	Nico Rosberg	Mercedes
4	Kimi Raikkonen	Ferrari
5	Valtteri Bottas	Williams-Mercedes
6	Felipe Massa	Williams-Mercedes
7	Max Verstappen	Toro Rosso-Renault
8	Carlos Sainz Jnr	Toro Rosso-Renault
9	Daniil Kvyat	Red Bull-Renaut
10	Daniel Ricciardo	Red Bull-Renault
11	Romain Grosjean	Lotus-Mercedes
12	Felipe Nasr	Sauber-Ferrari
13	Sergio Perez	Force India-Mercedes
14	Nico Hulkenberg	Force India-Mercedes
15	Roberto Merhi	Manor-Ferrari
	Pastor Maldonado	Lotus-Mercedes
	Jenson Button	McLaren-Honda
	Fernando Alonso	McLaren-Honda
	Marcus Ericsson	Sauber-Ferrari