What is the earliest, a F1 driver ever won a championship in the season?
Here you will find insights into the outliers in F1 history. This view provides insight into who became champion as early as possible in the season. Or in other words: the fastest world champion ;-). Both in absolute terms (number of grandprix before the end of the season) and in relative terms (% of season passed before becoming champion). Please note that championships are calculated based on the selected point scoring system.
| Nr | Champion | % of season done | #GPs before end | Champion at GP | Total GPs | Points champion | Total points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jack Brabham | 67% | 3 | Germany (GP nr 6) 1966 | 9 | 119 | 131 |
| 2 | Jim Clark | 70% | 3 | Germany (GP nr 7) 1965 | 10 | 155 | 157 |
| 2 | Jim Clark | 70% | 3 | Italy (GP nr 7) 1963 | 10 | 155 | 218 |
| 4 | Michael Schumacher | 71% | 5 | Germany (GP nr 12) 2002 | 17 | 387 | 387 |
| 5 | Jackie Stewart | 73% | 3 | Austria (GP nr 8) 1971 | 11 | 181 | 181 |
| 5 | Jackie Stewart | 73% | 3 | Italy (GP nr 8) 1969 | 11 | 184 | 184 |
| 7 | Alberto Ascari | 75% | 2 | Germany (GP nr 6) 1952 | 8 | 104 | 155.5 |
| 7 | Juan Manuel Fangio | 75% | 2 | Germany (GP nr 6) 1957 | 8 | 120 | 138 |
| 7 | Nigel Mansell | 75% | 4 | Belgium (GP nr 12) 1992 | 16 | 285 | 285 |
| 10 | Juan Manuel Fangio | 78% | 2 | Switzerland (GP nr 7) 1954 | 9 | 127 | 179.14 |
| 10 | Alberto Ascari | 78% | 2 | Germany (GP nr 7) 1953 | 9 | 102.5 | 139.5 |
| 10 | Michael Schumacher | 78% | 4 | Belgium (GP nr 14) 2004 | 18 | 375 | 375 |
| 13 | Sebastian Vettel | 79% | 4 | Japan (GP nr 15) 2011 | 19 | 395 | 395 |
| 14 | Max Verstappen | 82% | 4 | Japan (GP nr 18) 2022 | 22 | 454 | 454 |
| 14 | Lewis Hamilton | 82% | 3 | Turkey (GP nr 14) 2020 | 17 | 347 | 347 |
| 14 | Michael Schumacher | 82% | 3 | Belgium (GP nr 14) 2001 | 17 | 330 | 330 |
| 14 | Niki Lauda | 82% | 3 | Italy (GP nr 14) 1977 | 17 | 223 | 223 |
| 18 | Emerson Fittipaldi | 83% | 2 | Italy (GP nr 10) 1972 | 12 | 176 | 176 |
| 19 | Sebastian Vettel | 84% | 3 | India (GP nr 16) 2013 | 19 | 404 | 404 |
| 19 | Lewis Hamilton | 84% | 3 | United States (GP nr 16) 2015 | 19 | 389 | 389 |
| 21 | Juan Manuel Fangio | 86% | 1 | Great Britain (GP nr 6) 1955 | 7 | 120 | 120 |
| 21 | Niki Lauda | 86% | 2 | Austria (GP nr 12) 1975 | 14 | 207 | 211 |
| 23 | Jackie Stewart | 87% | 2 | Italy (GP nr 13) 1973 | 15 | 222 | 222 |
| 24 | Alain Prost | 88% | 2 | Portugal (GP nr 14) 1993 | 16 | 276 | 276 |
| 24 | Ayrton Senna | 88% | 2 | Spain (GP nr 14) 1991 | 16 | 276.5 | 276.5 |
| 24 | Alain Prost | 88% | 2 | Europe (GP nr 14) 1985 | 16 | 226 | 238 |
| 24 | Michael Schumacher | 88% | 2 | Pacific (GP nr 15) 1995 | 17 | 276 | 276 |
| 28 | Jack Brabham | 89% | 1 | Italy (GP nr 8) 1959 | 9 | 99 | 111 |
| 29 | Jack Brabham | 90% | 1 | Italy (GP nr 9) 1960 | 10 | 139.33 | 139.33 |
| 29 | Lewis Hamilton | 90% | 2 | Mexico (GP nr 18) 2017 | 20 | 370 | 370 |
| 29 | Lewis Hamilton | 90% | 2 | United States (GP nr 19) 2019 | 21 | 413 | 413 |
| 29 | Lewis Hamilton | 90% | 2 | Mexico (GP nr 19) 2018 | 21 | 411 | 411 |
| 33 | Jody Scheckter | 93% | 1 | Canada (GP nr 14) 1979 | 15 | 153 | 201 |
| 34 | Ayrton Senna | 94% | 1 | Japan (GP nr 15) 1990 | 16 | 233 | 233 |
| 34 | Mario Andretti | 94% | 1 | USA East (GP nr 15) 1978 | 16 | 198 | 198 |
| 34 | Nelson Piquet | 94% | 1 | Japan (GP nr 15) 1987 | 16 | 220 | 232 |
| 34 | Alain Prost | 94% | 1 | Japan (GP nr 15) 1989 | 16 | 227 | 249 |
| 34 | Michael Schumacher | 94% | 1 | United States (GP nr 15) 2003 | 16 | 241 | 241 |
| 34 | Eddie Irvine | 94% | 1 | Malaysia (GP nr 15) 1999 | 16 | 238 | 238 |
| 34 | Jenson Button | 94% | 1 | Brazil (GP nr 16) 2009 | 17 | 241.5 | 241.5 |
| 41 | Fernando Alonso | 95% | 1 | Japan (GP nr 18) 2005 | 19 | 324 | 324 |
| 42 | Giuseppe Farina | 100% | 0 | Italy (GP nr 7) 1950 | 7 | 90 | 96 |
| 42 | Phil Hill | 100% | 0 | United States (GP nr 8) 1961 | 8 | 102 | 120 |
| 42 | Juan Manuel Fangio | 100% | 0 | Spain (GP nr 8) 1951 | 8 | 89 | 105.5 |
| 42 | Juan Manuel Fangio | 100% | 0 | Italy (GP nr 8) 1956 | 8 | 87.5 | 96.5 |
| 42 | Graham Hill | 100% | 0 | South Africa (GP nr 9) 1962 | 9 | 120 | 161 |
| 42 | John Surtees | 100% | 0 | Mexico (GP nr 10) 1964 | 10 | 121 | 121 |
| 42 | Denny Hulme | 100% | 0 | Mexico (GP nr 11) 1967 | 11 | 163 | 163 |
| 42 | Stirling Moss | 100% | 0 | Morocco (GP nr 11) 1958 | 11 | 120 | 120 |
| 42 | Graham Hill | 100% | 0 | Mexico (GP nr 12) 1968 | 12 | 143 | 143 |
| 42 | Jacky Ickx | 100% | 0 | Mexico (GP nr 13) 1970 | 13 | 128.5 | 128.5 |
| 42 | Alan Jones | 100% | 0 | USA East (GP nr 14) 1980 | 14 | 198 | 214 |
| 42 | Emerson Fittipaldi | 100% | 0 | United States (GP nr 15) 1974 | 15 | 181 | 182 |
| 42 | Nelson Piquet | 100% | 0 | Las Vegas (GP nr 15) 1981 | 15 | 167 | 167 |
| 42 | Nelson Piquet | 100% | 0 | South Africa (GP nr 15) 1983 | 15 | 187 | 187 |
| 42 | Alain Prost | 100% | 0 | Australia (GP nr 16) 1986 | 16 | 218 | 235 |
| 42 | Damon Hill | 100% | 0 | Australia (GP nr 16) 1994 | 16 | 258 | 258 |
| 42 | Alain Prost | 100% | 0 | Portugal (GP nr 16) 1984 | 16 | 216.5 | 216.5 |
| 42 | Keke Rosberg | 100% | 0 | Las Vegas (GP nr 16) 1982 | 16 | 155 | 155 |
| 42 | Ayrton Senna | 100% | 0 | Australia (GP nr 16) 1988 | 16 | 256 | 277 |
| 42 | Niki Lauda | 100% | 0 | Japan (GP nr 16) 1976 | 16 | 210 | 210 |
| 42 | Mika Hakkinen | 100% | 0 | Japan (GP nr 16) 1998 | 16 | 277 | 277 |
| 42 | Damon Hill | 100% | 0 | Japan (GP nr 16) 1996 | 16 | 263 | 263 |
| 42 | Michael Schumacher | 100% | 0 | Malaysia (GP nr 17) 2000 | 17 | 288 | 288 |
| 42 | Michael Schumacher | 100% | 0 | Europe (GP nr 17) 1997 | 17 | 231 | 231 |
| 42 | Kimi Räikkönen | 100% | 0 | Brazil (GP nr 17) 2007 | 17 | 278 | 278 |
| 42 | Fernando Alonso | 100% | 0 | Brazil (GP nr 18) 2006 | 18 | 326 | 326 |
| 42 | Lewis Hamilton | 100% | 0 | Brazil (GP nr 18) 2008 | 18 | 244 | 244 |
| 42 | Lewis Hamilton | 100% | 0 | Abu Dhabi (GP nr 19) 2014 | 19 | 366 | 366 |
| 42 | Sebastian Vettel | 100% | 0 | Abu Dhabi (GP nr 19) 2010 | 19 | 259 | 259 |
| 42 | Sebastian Vettel | 100% | 0 | Brazil (GP nr 20) 2012 | 20 | 287 | 287 |
| 42 | Nico Rosberg | 100% | 0 | Abu Dhabi (GP nr 21) 2016 | 21 | 391 | 391 |
| 42 | Max Verstappen | 100% | 0 | Abu Dhabi (GP nr 22) 2021 | 22 | 410.5 | 410.5 |
Explanation
In the earliest champion view, drivers are ranked based how fast they became champion in a season. There are two variations. The first one is in terms of absolute grandprix before the end of the season (so zero GP meaning, the driver became champion in the last GP). The second is relative to reflect the differences in season length. As a percentage of GP completed (100% meaning the driver became champion on the last GP of the season). The championships are based on the selected point scoring system. For some seasons additional rules apply to calculate the champion.
In the earliest champion view, drivers are ranked based how fast they became champion in a season. There are two variations. The first one is in terms of absolute grandprix before the end of the season (so zero GP meaning, the driver became champion in the last GP). The second is relative to reflect the differences in season length. As a percentage of GP completed (100% meaning the driver became champion on the last GP of the season). The championships are based on the selected point scoring system. For some seasons additional rules apply to calculate the champion.
Date last modified: 2023-06-10 01:06:29 - 1 hour ago