I honestly expected Lewis Hamilton to have the crown locked down by now, but as of June 22, 2026, our community of 3 rankers has kept Michael Schumacher firmly in the driver's seat. It is an incredibly tight race at the top, but the iconic red car still holds the lead.
Schumacher peaking at the top spot makes sense to me. There is a specific kind of nostalgia for the early 2000s Ferrari dominance that feels untouchable, even when Hamilton went on his historic run with Mercedes. Hamilton lands in second, right on his tail. Personally, I think Hamilton has the stronger claim if we look at the variety of tracks and conditions he conquered, but the community is still favoring the German legend for now.
Ayrton Senna takes third place, which feels historically correct. He represents the soul of F1 for so many people. What I find fascinating is how he still comfortably beats his legendary rival Alain Prost, who sits in fourth. Even decades later, Senna's raw speed and tragic mystique carry more weight with fans than Prost's calculated, "Professor" style of driving, even though Prost has more championships. You can see how the rest of the grid matches up on our live [greatest F1 drivers](https://ranklist.io/list/best-f1-drivers) list.
Then we have Max Verstappen settling into fifth. He is breathing down Prost's neck, which is wild considering how young he still is. I suspect Verstappen is held back slightly because his era of dominance is still so fresh. Sometimes, fans need a bit of distance and retirement to truly appreciate just how historic a driver's run was. Give it a few more years, and I bet he climbs past Prost and maybe even Senna.
That is how the grid looks for now, but these rankings are always shifting. Do you think Hamilton deserves the top spot over Schumacher, or is Senna being overlooked in third? Disagree? [Rank it yourself](https://ranklist.io/list/best-f1-drivers) and change the order.