Who is the most successful Asian driver in F1 history?

These drivers have stood out since their junior category days and continue to impress.

Formula 1, the pinnacle of motorsports, is considered as a European sport by many due to the continental domination. Even today, most of the F1 teams have their offices and constructor bases in the European continent. However, with a growing rich cultural diversity in the sport, we can witness stars from the other parts of the globe as well, especially when it comes to Asia.

Being the most populous continent on earth, Asia has produced competitive athletes for all types of sports and when it comes to motorsports, one or the other Asian driver has ensured a seat on the grid for the last two decades. Currently, the 2023 grid has 3 Asian drivers, namely Alex Albon, Yuki Tsunoda and Zhou Guanyu from Thailand, Japan, and China respectively.

Considering the participation of all the Asian drivers, the following have ensured most success in the F1 history:

3. Takuma Sato

Takuma Sato is a Japanese racing driver who competed in Formula One from 2002 to 2008, driving for Jordan, BAR, and Super Aguri. He scored a total of 44 championship points in his Formula One career, with his best season being in 2004 when he finished 8th in the drivers' standings with 34 points. During the 2004 season, Sato qualified four times in the top-three, including a front row start and an overall lap record at the European Grand Prix. During his career, he achieved podium finishes only once, in 2004 finishing third at the United States Grand Prix after giving a tough fight to all the drivers with some daring overtaking moves.

Sato is best known for his aggressive driving style and his willingness to take risks, which sometimes led to spectacular overtaking moves but also resulted in some high-profile crashes. Sato's last season in Formula One was in 2008 with the Super Aguri team, which folded mid-season due to financial difficulties as they left him without a drive after the first four races.

Overall, he had a solid but not spectacular career in Formula One, but his achievements in other racing series, particularly his two victories at the Indianapolis 500, have made him a hero in his home country of Japan and a respected driver in the international motorsport community.

2. Kamui Kobayashi

The most successful Asian driver currently not on the grid in Formula 1 history is undoubtedly the Japanese driver, Kamui Kobayashi. He has scored a total of 125 points in his F1 career, which spans from 2009 to 2014, driving for Toyota, Sauber, and Caterham.

He achieved only one podium finish in his career, with his best result being a 2nd place finish at the 2012 Japanese Grand Prix. He became the first Japanese driver to finish on a Formula One podium in Japan in 22 years after the legend Aguri Suzuki. 

He made his debut in Formula 1 in 2009 with Toyota, and in his very first race, he finished in sixth place and earned his first championship point. In 2010, Kobayashi moved to Sauber, where he spent three seasons and achieved his only podium finish and his best performances. After leaving Sauber at the end of 2012, Kobayashi spent one season with the struggling Caterham team in 2014 before being dropped from the team. He then took a year off from racing before returning to compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), where he has achieved considerable success, including a victory in the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Known for his aggressive driving style and his ability to overtake other drivers, he is regarded as one of the most talented drivers from Japan and Asia, and his achievements in Formula 1 and other racing series have earned him a dedicated fan base around the world.

1. Alex Albon

Alex Albon is a British-Thai racing driver who started with Toro Rosso (now AlphaTauri) in Formula One for the 2019 season and based on his performance he was roped in by Redbull Racing mid-season as he finished the season on high note taking top-six finishes in eight of his nine 2019 races with Red Bull, winning the Rookie of the Year award at the FIA Prize Giving Ceremony.

In 2020, he couldn’t match the expectations of racing for Red Bull as he went wheel to wheel with Max Verstappen, leading to a situation where he was dropped off from the line up. However, he achieved the feat winning a maiden title for a Thai driver, bagging his first Formula One podium at the Tuscan Grand Prix. As the season came to end, he took his second Formula One podium at the Bahrain Grand Prix after Sergio Pérez retired from third place due to an engine failure, making him the first Asian driver to score more than one podium finish in Formula One.

After not finding a seat for the 2021 season, Albon was back on the grid starting the 2022 season with Williams based on his previous performances and has been a solid lead driver so far.

Overall, Alex Albon had a promising start to his Formula One career and showed flashes of brilliance during his time with Toro Rosso and Red Bull Racing. Although he faced some challenges, he demonstrated his talent and potential as a driver and has returned on the grid with a new team, making him still a contender to carry on the most successful Asian F1 driver feat.