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Formula One is the premier single-seater automobile racing event in the world and its rules are governed by Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA).
The first fully fledged season of Formula 1 was held in the year 1950 with all six races held in Europe.
The first ever Formula 1 driver's champion was Italian Giuseppe Farina of Alfa Romeo team. In the early days, the Grands Prix were held in Europe only.
Although Europe remains the traditional base for most Formula 1 teams and the bulk of the drivers on the grid hailing from Europe, the racing calendar has widely expanded to include races in other continents too.
In the year 2018, 11 of the 21 races have or will take place outside Europe. The Formula 1 Group is a consortium of companies which oversees the commercial interests of the sport.
The group is owned by Liberty Media and the Chief Executive Officer of the Formula 1 Group is Chase Carey. Since 1950, 33 different drivers belonging to 14 different countries have been crowned World Champions. We take a look at the sports' five most successful drivers:
#5 Sebastian Vettel
The German Sebastian Vettel made his debut at the 2007 United States Grand Prix driving for BMW Sauber aged just 19.
Vettel switched over to Toro Rosso and in September 2008, he became the youngest pole-sitter and race winner at the Italian Grand Prix.
His record of the youngest to win an F1 race was eclipsed my Dutchman Max Verstappen at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix.
Vettel won his first Drivers' Championship driving for Red Bull in the year 2010 and he became the youngest Formula 1 World Champion, a feat yet to be broken. He would go on to win four consecutive Driver's Championship titles with Red Bull.
In the year 2013, he won a joint-record of 13 out of the total 18 races including an impressive nine consecutive wins and 15 pole positions. Vettel who has a contract with Ferrari until the 2020 season will hope to add to his tally of four Drivers' Championships.
#4 Alain Prost
French racing great Alain Prost made his Formula 1 debut at the 1980 Argentine Grand Prix racing for McLaren.
He went onto race for Renault, Ferrari and Williams in a career spanning 13 years. He was famous for his duels with fellow the great Ayrton Senna and their ability to draw the best out of each other is well documented in Motorsport history.
Prost made the move to Renault in 1981 and spent three seasons with the team. He returned to McLaren and formed a successful partnership with the team, winning the Driver's Championship with McLaren in the years 1985, 1986 and 1989.
He later moved to Ferrari and finished his career at Williams winning the Driver's Championship in his farewell season in the year 1993.
#3 Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton made his debut in the year 2007 racing for McLaren and the British driver had a spectacular rookie season winning four races and finishing just a point behind eventual champion Kimi Raikkonen.
He made amends in the year 2008 when he became the youngest Formula One World Champion at the time.
He ended his association with McLaren in 2012 and moved to Team Mercedes. With Mercedes, Hamilton has tasted resounding success winning the Drivers' Championship in 2014, 2015 and 2017 and is well on course to win his fifth World Championship in the year 2018.
Hamilton holds the record for the all-time most career points, all-time most pole positions at 79 and he has won races in a record 26 different circuits.
#2 Juan Manuel Fangio
The late Argentine Juan Manuel Fangio was the face of Formula 1 in its formative years and dominated the sport in the 1950's winning five Drivers' Championship titles, a record which stood for 47 years.
Fangio won 24 of the 53 Formula One races he entered translating to a win percentage of 46.15 - more than any other driver - active or retired.
Fangio won pole position an astounding 29 times and his pole percentage of 55.8 is also a record which hasn't been matched till date.
He won the last of his Drivers' Championships in the year 1957 at the age of 46 and remains till date the oldest ever World Champion.
#1 Michael Schumacher
Michael Schumacher or Schumi as he is popularly known is widely considered to be the 'Greatest Motorsport Driver of All-Time'.
The German who was known on-track for his aggressive approach was an astute driver who thrived in the most competitive scenarios.
Schumi has earned the nickname 'Rain Master' for his ability to pull-off remarkable victories in wet conditions - the hallmark of a great champion.
His success inspired many German drivers to take up the sport and fellow German Sebastian Vettel has spoken about the positive impact Schumacher had in his rise to becoming a successful F1 driver.
Schumacher won seven Drivers' Championships - two with Benetton and five consecutive wins with Scuderia Ferrari between 2000-2004 inclusive. Schumi holds the all-time record for most race wins at 91.
