Lando Norris became the 11th British driver to win the Formula One World Championship when securing his maiden title at the season decider in Abu Dhabi. Here, BOYLE Sports takes a look at the previous British drivers to be crowned world champion.
Mike Hawthorn
Mike Hawthorn (1958)
The Yorkshireman became Britain’s first champion when beating Stirling Moss to the title by a single point before announcing his retirement following his triumph for Ferrari.
Graham Hill
Graham Hill (1962, 1968)
Hill won the first of his two titles with BRM in 1962 before fending off Jackie Stewart to clinch his second for Lotus. Hill is a five-time winner of the Monaco Grand Prix and is the only driver to complete motorsport’s ‘triple crown’, having also won the Indianapolis 500 and 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Jim Clark
Jim Clark (1963, 1965)
The Scottish driver clinched two titles in three seasons with Lotus. Clark was leading the standings in 1968, but he was killed aged 32 in an accident during a Formula Two race at Hockenheim, with Graham Hill going on to take the title.
John Surtees
John Surtees (1964)
The only man to win world championships on two and four wheels, Surtees clinched his only F1 crown for Ferrari in 1964, having already banked seven Grand Prix Motorcycle World Championships.
Jackie Stewart
Jackie Stewart (1969, 1971, 1973)
The ‘Flying Scot’ won three titles with Tyrell and, between 1997 and 1999, was also team principal of his Stewart Grand Prix team.
James Hunt
James Hunt (1976)
The exhilarating English driver beat Niki Lauda by a single point to win the title for McLaren in 1976. Famed for his edge-of-the-seat driving and Playboy lifestyle, Hunt went on to become a commentator for the BBC before dying aged 45 from a heart attack in 1993.
Nigel Mansell
Nigel Mansell (1992)
Mansell is the second most successful British driver of all time in terms of wins, with 31, nine of which came during his title-winning season in 1992.
Damon Hill
Damon Hill (1996)
Son of two-time champion Graham, Damon clinched eight wins to beat Jacques Villeneuve and Michael Schumacher to the championship in 1996 with Williams.
Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton (2008, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020)
Hamilton is the most successful British driver of all time, with seven championships – the joint record alongside Schumacher – and holds the all-time record for the most Grand Prix wins. His first championship came with McLaren in 2008 before winning six more with Mercedes.
Jenson Button
Jenson Button (2009)
Button is the most recent addition to the list of British champions, having won his only title during Brawn GP’s astonishing season in 2009.
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