Formula One World Drivers' Champions

Formula One World Drivers' Championship trophy.

Championships was Alberto Ascari, in 1952 and 1953. The current Drivers' Champion is Sebastian Vettel, who won his first World Championship in 2010. He is only the second German to win the title, after Michael Schumacher.

The FIA does not officially declare the Champion until the end of the season, but a driver is said to have "clinched" the Championship after it is no longer possible for another to obtain more points than he has, even if the former driver were to not compete in the remaining races of the season, and the latter to score the maximum number of points possible. The Drivers' Championship has been won in the final race of the season 25 times in the 61 seasons it has been awarded. The earliest in a season that the Drivers' Championship has been clinched was in 2002, when Michael Schumacher secured the title with six races remaining.

Overall, thirty two different drivers have won the Championship, with German Michael Schumacher holding the record for most titles, at seven. Schumacher also holds the record for most consecutive Drivers' Championships, winning five from 2000 to 2004. Great Britain has produced the most World Championship winning drivers with ten; Brazil and Finland are next with three each.