F1 DRIVER SUPERTEAMS
Putting two great drivers together often brings success – but it can also create fireworks that damage the harmony inside a team. Kevin Turner selects some of the ultimate F1 superteams
Fangio and Moss Mercedes
Mercedes had struggled to find consistent support for Juan Manuel Fangio in 1954 and signed rising British star Stirling Moss for the following season. Moss dutifully fulfilled the protege role and the duo scored three 1-2s. The W196s steamrollered the opposition, losing only once as Fangio comfortably took his third drivers’ title.
Peterson and Fittipaldi Lotus
Very different approaches resulted in two winners for Lotus. Ronnie Peterson was probably the faster, 1972 world champion Emerson Fittipaldi better at set-up. They won seven races and the constructors’ title in 1973 but both suffered misfortune and took points off each other, helping Tyrrell’s Jackie Stewart to scoop arguably his finest crown.
Senna and Prost Mclaren
Prost initially welcomed Ayrton Senna to the Mclaren fold in 1988 and the duo put on a tight, but largely fair, fight for the crown. Prost scored more points but Senna won one more race and the championship, thanks to the dropped scores rule. Things turned sour in 1989, Ferraribound Prost becoming champion after their first Suzuka clash.
Mclaren Brooks and Moss Vanwall
Moss was in the lead role when he joined Vanwall in 1957, but Tony Brooks was also one of the world’s top drivers. Moss took over the car started by the injured Brooks to win the British GP to get the ball rolling. They each won three races for the team in 1958, helping Vanwall to beat Ferrari to the first F1 constructors’ crown.
Lauda and Prost Mclaren
Niki Lauda looked to have things well set for 1984, with a John Barnard Mclaren chassis and TAG Porsche turbo. Then Alain Prost replaced John Watson and an epic title fight ensued. Prost won more battles, but Lauda won the war – by half a point. They remained friends and Prost swept to the 1985 crown before Lauda retired.
Hamilton and Alonso
This could have been Fangio-moss mark two, only times had changed and Lewis Hamilton had no intention of following Fernando Alonso at Mclaren. Things got ugly between the double world champion and the precocious rookie, and both made mistakes that helped Ferrari’s
Kimi Raikkonen take the title by a single point in the final round.
Mclaren Hill and Clark Lotus
Jim Clark had been the focus of Lotus founder Colin Chapman’s attention, but the arrival of 1962 world champion Graham Hill created a superteam for 1967. Unreliability hampered the Dfv-engined Lotus 49’s charge, with Hill getting more of the bad luck, but it was the Englishman who won the 1968 title after Clark’s death.
Mansell and Piquet Williams
Nigel Mansell was the Williams incumbent but two-time world champion Nelson Piquet joined expecting to be number one. Their tight 1986 battle, along with Mansell’s infamous Adelaide blowout, allowed Prost to steal the drivers’ crown. Mansell was the faster driver in 1987 but bad luck allowed Piquet to take his third title.
Button and Hamilton
The Hamilton-jenson Button combination was more harmonious, with Mclaren insiders conceding that 2009 world champion Button played his part in keeping things that way. Many questioned Button’s move to ‘Hamilton’s team’ but he held his own and scored more points over their three years together, with Hamilton taking 10 wins to Button’s eight.
Hamilton and Rosberg Mercedes
Hamilton probably doesn’t look back fondly on his time alongside Nico Rosberg and the intra-team politics, but the combination was undeniably successful. Three drivers’ titles and three constructors’ crowns, and 54 victories between 2013 and 2016 – when Rosberg retired after becoming champion – are the best tallies on this list.