Marquis de Vauvenargues once said, "To achieve great things we must live as if we were never going to die." These words by the great French moralist are truly inspirational and have been taken to heart by legends who have achieved excellence in their respective fields. Sport is considered to be one of the best fields for anyone to achieve greatness as men/women, over the years, have gone to register their names in the annals of history. Formula One is counted among the most thrilling sports in the world as it oozes of exhilaration, thrill, speed, skill, team work and talent.
This sport has a history that spans over six decades, filled with events, incidents, triumph, controversies, accidents and most of all, joy. Although it is a team sport, all the attention in Formula One is taken by drivers, who participate in races. While there have been many drivers who have proved to be clinical, masterful and successful, only a few have earned the sacred right to be called legends. These drivers, by way of their persona, skill, ability to enthral fans and charisma, have gone on to create a legacy that transcends time, generations and eras.
If one was to ask anyone to name a Formula One driver, the answer in most cases will be Michael Schumacher. Such is the popularity of the German driver that his name has become synonymous with the sport since his arrival. It can be rightly said that what Brazilian Ronaldo and English David Beckham did for football in the 90s and early 2000s, Schumacher single-handedly performed for Formula One. Fans and experts around the world regard him as the greatest Formula One driver of all time. Statistics are good enough to prove Michael Schumacher as the best considering that he has made 308 entries and won 91 out of them, delivering a win percentage of almost 30 per cent. He has won an incredible seven Formula One World Championships, which is one of the many records that he holds. Till date, he has raced for Jordan, Benneton, Ferrari and Mercedes.
Called El Chueco or El Maestro by loved ones, Argentinian driver Juan Manuel Fangio is popularly remembered as the first legend of this sport. Dominant throughout the first decade, Fangio raced for the likes of Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Mercedes and Ferrari. For just under half a century, this Argentinian held the record for winning most number of Formula One championships, only to be broken by the great Michael Schumacher. Incredibly, Juan Manuel Fangio has an incredible win percentage of 46.15 per cent, the best of all time. His legacy still lives in the modern day world through many of his fans and current Formula One drivers, who regard him as their idol.
It is said that rivalry brings out the best in sportsmen, propelling them to achieve great heights. This premise perfectly applies in the case of drivers Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna, who painted the Formula One canvas with amazing colours. Not only has their rivalry taken the sport to unprecedented heights, individually, they have become a part of history forever. Statistically, Alain Prost is the better driver with four World Championships under his belt. However, Senna, whose career was cut short due to the tragic incident at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. The day Senna passed away in the race is considered as one of the worst incidents in world sport history. Brazilian by nationality, Senna is regarded among the best talents that have stepped onto the Formula One circuit. To his credit, Ayrton Senna managed to win three World Championships in a really short career.
