Top six earliest F1 World Championship wins in history

These F1 drivers wasted little time establishing themselves among the sport’s elite.

Winning a Formula 1 World Championship is one of the greatest achievements in motorsport for a driver. While many spend years chasing the coveted title and manage to clinch it in nail-biting finishes, others have dominated the field and secured the title with several races to spare

Here we will take a look at the select few who have etched their names in history by wrapping up the title well before the season finale. F1 drivers who clinched the World Championship with the most races remaining:

Earliest F1 World Championship wins in history

3. Sebastian Vettel – 2011 (4 races remaining)

Tied with Michael Schumacher (2001 & 2004) and Max Verstappen (2022).

After winning his first title in 2010 with Red Bull Racing, Sebastian Vettel showcased even more dominance in the 2011 season, clinching his second title with 4 races remaining in the season. He is currently tied with Michael Schumacher and Max Verstappen, who won titles with 4 races to spare. Schumacher won the 2001 and 2004 seasons while Max won the 2022 season with 4 races remaining.

With his first win in 2010, Vettel became the youngest World Drivers’ Champion at the age of 23 years and 134 days. 

Also Read: F1 World Drivers’ Champions – List of all winners in history

2. Nigel Mansell – 1992 (5 races remaining) [tied]

Nigel Mansell secured his place on the list in 1992 by clinching his maiden World Championship with five races remaining in the season.

Driving for Williams, the Briton won nine of the first 11 Grands Prix and established a dominating lead, securing the title at the Hungarian Grand Prix, becoming the then-first British driver to win the championship since James Hunt in 1976.

2. Max Verstappen – 2023 (5 races remaining) [tied]

Tied with Nigel Mansell is Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who continued his dominating success from 2022 into 2023 with RB19, securing his third title (consecutive) in 2023 with five races remaining in the season.

The Dutchman won 19 of the 22 Grands Prix, and officially sealed the title at the Qatar Grand Prix after finishing second in the Sprint race, making him one of the few drivers to clinch the championship before the Grand Prix itself.

1. Michael Schumacher – 2002 (6 races remaining)

One of the greatest drivers to ever grace Formula 1, Michael Schumacher’s name is plastered through multiple leaderboards and record books.

Such is the case for this record, as Schumacher has not only clinched the title twice in 2001 and 2004 with 4 races remaining, but in 2022 he clinched the title with 6 races remaining, a record that still no driver has been able to come close to or surpass.

Additionally, Schumacher remains the only driver to have secured five consecutive titles, achieving the feat between 2000 and 2004.

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