F1 World Champions: Which Team Holds the Most Titles

Over the decades, teams and drivers have smashed tires and records, creating legacies that will live on in the sport's history. Let's look at the best F1 teams in the constructors' championship and the drivers who have been crowned  F1 world champions the most times.

How Many F1 Titles Exactly Has Each Team Won?

Let's begin with the constructors' championship, which competes in the shadow of the drivers' championship. Although the world has seen plenty of clashes between drivers—Verstappen and Hamilton in particular—the constructors championship itself remains a fierce battle, with more than just bragging rights at stake.
 
The first constructors' championship (then called the International Cup for F1 Manufacturers) took place in 1958. Through the years, it has undergone many name changes and rule evolutions to become what we know today. With all that history, these are the teams that have ruled the competition:

Ferrari - 16 Constructors' Championships

Ferrari holds the record for the most constructors' championships in F1 history. Their first trophy came in 1961, but their golden era was from 1999 to 2004, when they won six consecutive titles, completely dominating the tracks. However, they have not won a constructors' championship since 2008, though they have remained competitive.

Williams - 9 Constructors' Championships

Williams is perhaps best remembered today for its struggles at the bottom of the table, but in its prime, it was a powerhouse. With founder Frank Williams at the helm and legendary drivers who became F1 world champions like Nigel Mansell and Alain Prost, Williams was the team to beat in the '90s.

McLaren - 9 Constructors' Championships

McLaren joined F1 in 1963 and saw most of its success in the mid-eighties and early '90s. Their next constructors' championship didn't come until 2024—nearly two decades later.

Why the Constructors' Championship Matters

Winning the constructors' championship is a major achievement for F1 teams. Not only does it earn them the bragging rights of calling themselves the best F1 team on the grid, but it also comes with a significant financial reward. The team that finishes first in the standings receives a staggering $140 million. That prize money is a major incentive, pushing teams to battle fiercely, using every bit of rubber and fuel to reach the top. Even the last-place team in the F1 standingscan walk away with $60 million, which isn't a bad consolation.

How Is the Constructors' Championship Won?

The constructors' champion is determined by the total points accumulated by a team's cars throughout the F1 season. Each team can use up to four drivers per season, and the points each driver earns contribute to the team's total in a league-style format.
 
Typically, the team that wins the drivers' championship also wins the constructors' championship, since pole positions award significant points. However, this isn't always the case, which is why teams fight until the last race to accumulate as many points as possible.

Who Has the Most F1 World Championships?

Only a few drivers have mastered the corners so well that they've managed to rack up multiple F1 world champion titles.

Michael Schumacher - 7 Titles

Michael Schumacher is a name synonymous with F1 dominance. Throughout his career, he claimed 91 victories, 68 pole positions, 77 fastest laps, and 155 podium finishes. He won seven titles—two with the Benett on team in 1994 and 1995 and five with Ferrari from 2000 to 2004—solidifying his legendary status among F1 world champions.

Lewis Hamilton - 7 Titles

Lewis Hamilton began his F1 career with McLaren and secured his first title in 2008. In 2013, he made the switch to Mercedes, where he won six more titles, including four consecutive championships from 2017 to 2020. Hamilton remains an active driver and, according to sites like BetUS, still has the potential to break the F1 world champion record and become the most decorated F1 driver of all time.

Juan Manuel Fangio - 5 Titles

Juan Manuel Fangio was the undisputed king of the track in the 1950s. Over his career, he achieved 24 wins, 35 podiums, 29 pole positions, and 23 fastest laps in just 51 Grand Prix races. His dedication to racing was unparalleled, and his legacy lives on as one of the greatest drivers in history. He officially retired at the age of 46 after winning the Argentine Grand Prix.