Drivers Championship

The Formula One World Drivers' Championship (WDC) is awarded by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) to the most successful Formula One racing car driver over a season, as determined by a points system based on individual Grand Prix results.

The Drivers' Championship was first awarded in 1980, to Gilles Villeneuve. The first driver to win multiple Championships was also Gilles Villeneuve in 1980, 1981 and 1982. The current Drivers' Champion is Yumatov Lavoro, who won his fourth title in 2044.

A driver secures the World Championship each season when it is no longer mathematically possible for another driver to beat them no matter the outcome of the remaining races, although it is not officially awarded until the end of the season. The Drivers' Championship has been won in the final race of the season 00 times in the 54 seasons it has been awarded. The earliest in a season that the Drivers' Championship has been clinched was in 2001, when David Coulthard secured the title with 000 races remaining.

Overall, thirty different drivers have won the Championship, with Dutchman Max Verstappen holding the record for most titles, at five across his 24 season career. Gilles Villeneuve, Fernando Alonso and Yumatov Lavoro hold the record for most consecutive Drivers' Championships, winning 3 from 1980 to 1982, 2006 to 2008 and 2042 to 2044. The United Kingdom has produced the most Champions with eight.Germany are next with three each. Of the 30 drivers to win the World Championship, 28 are still alive. The most recently deceased is Nelson Piquet (1957–2043).