Ranked: Races F1 champions took to register first win with Ferrari

Scuderia Ferrari is one of the most iconic and prestigious F1 teams. Based in Maranello, Italy, the Prancing Horse witnessed profound success over the years in the pinnacle of motorsports.

Back in 1952, Alberto Ascari won the first world championship for the Italian team. Since then, the team has never looked back and registered a record number of title victories with different lineups.

Below is the list of F1 champions who raced in the iconic red suit, ranked on how many races it took to get their first win for the Scuderia:

# Phil Hill - 17 races

Olivier Gendebien and Phil Hill win the 24-hour Endurance Race of Le Mans in 1962 (Image Source: Getty)

Phil Hill became a world champion in 1961. He made his debut in 1958 and drove in three races for Ferrari in the same year. In 1959, he was appointed a full-time driver. However, it took him 17 races to register his first victory in the red suit after he won the Italian Grand Prix in 1960.

# Nino Farina - 12 races

Nino Farina during the final practice at Silverstone for RAZ Grand Prix, July 1951 (Image Source: Getty

Nino Farina, the first-ever F1 champion, donned the red suit in 1952. 12 races later, he got his first victory in the 1953 German Grand Prix, where he beat Juan Manuel Fangio of Maserati.

# Alberto Ascari - 8 races

Alberto Ascari(R) and Mike Hawthorn (L) (Image Source: Getty)

Alberto Ascari holds a special space in history as he won the team's first championship in 1952. He made his debut in 1950 and toiled hard as it took him eight races to register his maiden victory in the 1951 German Grand Prix.

# Michael Schumacher - 6 races

Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher unleashed surreal dominance with the Italian team as he won five consecutive titles. In his debut year in 1996, the German driver faced multiple DNFs, but it took him six races before finally finishing P1 in the 1996 Spanish Grand Prix.

#John Surtees - 5 races

Investitures at Buckingham Palace (Image Source: Getty)

Having made his debut in 1963, John Surtees won the German Grand Prix in the same year to register his first win for Ferrari after five races. A year later, he became a world champion, beating Graham Hill.

# Jody Scheckter - 5 races

Jody Scheckter with his Ferrari car (Image Source: Getty)

Jody Scheckter also took five races to win his first Grand Prix for the Italian team. In his debut year, he triumphed at the 1979 Belgium GP to script history. The South African driver remains the only African to ever win either a Formula One Grand Prix or the World Drivers' Championship with his record of 10 Grand Prix victories across nine seasons.

# Mike Hawthorn - 3 races

Mike Hawthorn pictured at the Grand Prix D'Europe, at Aintree, July 1957 - Source: Getty

Mike Hawthorn debuted for the Prancing Horse in 1953, and it took him three races to register his maiden win in the French GP. The British driver put the cherry on top as he won the Driver's Championship five years later with Ferrari.

#Niki Lauda - 3 races

Niki Lauda (Image Source: Getty)

Iconic former world champion Niki Lauda drove for Ferrari in 1974. It took him three races as after a podium finish and two DNFs, Lauda crossed the checkered flag first at the Spanish Grand Prix to register his first victory in the red suit.

#Alain Prost - 2 races

Alain Prost (Image Source: Getty)

In 1990, Alain Prost joined the grid as a Scuderia driver. While he couldn't cross the checkered flag in his debut race, it took him two races to register his first victory for the team in the Brazil Grand Prix.

#6 Sebastian Vettel - 2 races

Sebastian Vettel (Image Source: Getty)

Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel made a stunning move to the Maranello-based outfit in 2015. He finished P3 in Australia. However, it took him only two races as on his second weekend in Malaysia, he finished P1 to become a part of Ferrari's history.

#5 Juan Manuel Fangio - 1 race

Juan Manuel Fangio - El Grafico Sports Archive (Image Source: Getty)

In the 1965 F1 season, Juan Manuel Fangio, a five-time world champion, joined the Prancing Horse and recorded a sensational victory in his debut race in Argentina.

#4 Mario Andretti - 1 race

Shell Event At Jay Leno's Big Dog Productions Car Warehouse (Image Source: Getty)

Mario Andretti, a popular name in F1, won his debut race with Ferrari in 1971. He beat Jackie Stewart in the South African Grand Prix to script history.

#3 Nigel Mansell - 1 race

Nigel Mansell at Grand Prix of Monaco (Image Source: Getty)

After a brief stint with Williams, Nigel Mansell switched to Ferrari in 1989. In his debut race in Brazil, Mansell crossed the checkered flag first to register his maiden win.

#2 Kimi Raikkonen - 1 race

Kimi Raikkonen at European F1 Grand Prix: Qualifying (Image Source: Getty)

Kimi Raikkonen made his debut for the Maranello-based team in 2007 and won his maiden and only championship. He began the season on a high note by winning the opening round of the Australian Grand Prix.

#1 Fernando Alonso - 1 race

Fernando Alonso at F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi - Race (Image Source: Getty)

A two-time world champion, Fernando Alonso became a part of history as he won his debut race for Ferrari in 2010. During the season opener in Bahrain, he beat his teammate Felipe Massa to finish P1.