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We're sure you must've heard a famous line claiming that everyone is a Ferrari fan. This is not entirely untrue as the Scuderia is definitely the biggest and the most successful team to have been established in the history of F1. Their classic red color, mesmerizing speed, and drivers are all responsible factors behind the rich history that Ferrari leaves behind.
This year was a testament as to how much the Tifosi has waited for a Ferrari comeback. The Scuderia's opening wins marked their resurgence in F1 and made the fraternity extremely happy. Though they were soon back to their old ways, it cannot be denied that the Maranello camp was a natural favorite for this year's trophy.
The team last won their driver's title with Kimi Raikkonen in 2007 and has since then continuously struggled to achieve it again. After Charles Leclerc's promising charge, the fraternity couldn't help but reminisce about the old days, when these drivers from the 20th century brought them glory:
#10 Eddie Irvine's almost-won world title in 1999
The British ace did not win a world title with the team but was extremely close to it. He barely lost out by two points to Finnish driving sensation Mika Hakkinen. The driver had taken four victories and made 74 points during his 1999 season.
Though he's not necessarily the greatest Ferrari driver to have driven the Italian car, he sure knew what he was doing. The driver scored 156 points over his three years of time with the Maranello camp and played a key role in Ferrari's Constructors Championship win in 1999.
He took charge of the team as Michael Schumacher was out for almost six rounds with injury, and he deserves a place on this list for that alone.
#9 Gilles Villeneuve's memorable time with Ferrari
The legendary driver and father of only Canadian world champion Jacques Villeneuve, Gilles Villeneuve spent almost five years with the Italian team (1977- 1982). Though sadly he did not win an F1 title with the Scuderia, he definitely came quite close to it once.
He recorded over six wins and 107 points with Ferrari before meeting an ill-fated crash during the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix qualifying session. He was sadly stuck in a catch fence and retrieved by fellow drivers. The talented driver did not survive his injuries.
The Canadian surely had a world champion's potential with his legacy still intact, as the famous Canadian GP circuit was also named after him later on.
#8 Jacky Ickx's fruitful time with the Scuderia
In 1970, the Belgian first joined the team and would continue there till 1972. In his first year itself, the driver managed a second place with the team, just inches away from the world title.
The talented driver had won three races that season and scored 40 points to his name. Sadly, it wasn't his fault as he had also retired from six of the 13 races that took place that year. But Ickx was a promising talent beyond doubt.
#7 Jody Scheckter's heroic win with Ferrari in 1979
Jody Scheckter till date happens to be the only South African to have won an F1 world championship ever. And he managed to do so while partnering with the talented Canadian Gilles Villeneuve. In fact, the Ferrari men had a difference of only four points where Scheckter managed to win the title ahead of his teammate.
Though his career spanned just two years with the Scuderia, his championship win really solidifies his place on this list. Despite retiring twice that season, he managed three wins and scored 51 points.
#6 Mike Hawthorn's 1 point win to a world title with Ferrari
Mike Hawthorn was the first British driver to win a world championship in 1958. From the beginning of his Formula 1 career, it was clear that Hawthorn had everything to win a title. He joined the Prancing Horse in 1957 and competed for them in 1958.
The Briton went up against the legendary Stirling Moss that year and managed to win the title with just one race win (the French GP) in the entire season against Moss' four. Managing just one more point by season's end, Hawthorn was crowned Ferrari's new champion.
The 1958 season saw a great loss in the form of driver deaths where even Hawthorn lost his life in a fatal crash post-season.
#5 John Surtees - a champion on two wheels and four wheels
John Surtees is a legendary name to be added to the Ferrari clan. A seven-time motorcycling champion, he shifted to F1 full-time and was an honorable addition for the F1 fraternity. His star, though, did not rise immediately and not until he joined Ferrari, with whom he won his first race.
In 1964, though, things took a turn for the better when the Briton won two races that season, marking him as a championship contender for Ferrari. He scored 40 points and a best-of-six result helped him get the crown. He became a world champion in both two- and four-wheel racing.
#4 Phil Hill
Another world champion with the Maranello camp, Phil Hill most definitely deserves a place on this list. After spending over five years of time with the Tifosi, he made sure to go down as one of the finest drivers in history.
His 1961 win with the team where he scored 38 points still remains nothing short of remarkable. With just two race wins in eight races from the season calendar, the American was easily crowned the world champion that year, becoming a Tifosi legend.
#3 Juan Manuel Fangio's shocker in 1956
Five-time world champion Juan Manuel Fangio is still considered possibly the best driver of all time by many in this day and age. This Argentine was nothing short of an enigma. Notably, he was a world champion before he even joined the Scuderia, making him an F1 legend already.
After scoring 30 points for the team in 1956, he helped Ferrari win their world title the same year. Not to forget that, Fangio drove colleague Peter Collins' car to a P2 finish under intense circumstances to take his fourth title that year. Despite three wins, this year was inconsistent for Fangio, who proved his worth as a driver in the dying moments of the championship.
#2 Gerhard Berger's experience with the Prancing Horse
Unlike many others on this list, Berger is actually not a Formula 1 winner with the team. But he was an incredibly talented and experienced driver belonging from his day and age, and deserves recognition for spending almost four years with the Scuderia.
He managed to claim third position, his highest during his time there, and was a big part of the development of the car that later on provided a massive speed beast to Michael Schumacher. His points tally with the team is almost 182 with 10 race wins to his name.
#1 Niki Lauda's dominance with Ferrari
The legendary Niki Lauda is a Formula 1 racing legend and Ferrari's most successful driver of the 20th century, beyond a doubt. This is a man who sponsored himself, took a loan out for himself, and was a lone warrior even when he faced life-threatening injuries and was on a deathbed.
The Austrian became a champion with Ferrari twice, losing out only once to James Hunt by a mere point. He scored over 60 points on all three occasions. However, the bigger point is that Lauda's return to racing after his fatal accident during the German GP is what makes him a cut above the rest and a Ferrari legend.
He has a total of 242.5 with the Scuderia, where he claimed 13 GP victories, and is only below all-time great Michael Schumacher in terms of records.
Being a Ferrari driver is an honor in itself, given the club has a rich history in the motorsporting world like none other. However, these are names that have surely marked themselves as some of the finest ones for the team.
