Pedro Oliveira
Although the world championship is the main objective of the teams and drivers, we cannot ignore the prestige and importance of each unique circuit that makes up Formula 1. Each Grand Prix has its own level of difficulty, history, culture, tradition, and atmosphere that provides it with its own identity to stand out from the rest.
With a huge catalog of tracks that have gone through the rotation of motorsport, we decided to present the ranking with the 5 teams with more Grand Prix conquered in the 72 years of existence of Formula 1.
5.- Lotus
Within its 36 years in the professional circuit, the mythical Lotus team was among the most successful during the era of the 60s and 70s, winning 7 world championships as a team and a total of 79 Grand Prix awards, with its first victory in the U.S. circuit during 1961 by the hand of Innes Ireland, and the last in 1987 coming on the track of the Detroit circuit, achieved by the legendary Brazilian driver Ayrton Senna.
Unfortunately, Lotus would cease to exist in the racing elite after the 1994 season, when the team’s debts made it impossible for it to continue racing.
4.- Williams
One of the most retro franchises in Formula 1 today, Williams has won 9 world championships as a team and 114 Grand Prix victories in its 44 years as a constructor team, the first of all coming in 1979 with the victory of Swiss Clay Regazzoni in the Grand Prix of Great Britain, and with its last victory in circuits 10 years ago, when Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado conquered the circuit of Spain in 2010.
The dominance of the English team was absolute during the 1980s and late 1990s, where it won 9 of the 20 season held until 2000. Unfortunately, now they are one of the most inconsistent teams, as their last world podium was in 2015 and, since then, the team has not had a better result than fifth place.
3.- Mercedes
Although its origins are from 1954 within the first steps of Formula 1, Mercedes had a great absence as a team after retiring from the competition after the tragedy that occurred at Le Mans in 1955.
Despite this, it was always present designing engines for other teams, and in 2010 it would return to the team competition, with the presence of Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher. Impressively, Mercedes has become the most dominant team in Formula 1 since the last decade, winning the last 8 world championships contested as a team, a total of 124 Grand Prix and all thanks to the most important driver in its history: Lewis Hamilton.
The first triumph on a circuit for the German giant (based in England) would come in 1951, its first professional race as a team, thanks to the performance of Juan Manuel Fangio in the French Grand Prix. The last win came last season at the Saudi Arabian circuit in the hands of Hamilton.
2.- McLaren
The second-oldest franchise still in business today, McLaren is one of the most consistent squads of the 20th century, although in the 2000s era it has not been as fortunate.
With 8 constructors’ championships, and a total of 183 Grand Prix on its shelves, it has nothing to envy to other English engine houses, achieving its first triumph in the Belgian circuit in 1968 (two years after its creation in 66), by the hand of the founder himself, Bruce McLaren.
Its most successful period would comprise 5 world titles as owner in a period of 8 years, where Alain Prost would lead the team with 3 championships in 1984, 1985 and 1989, the other two by Ayrton Senna in 1990 and 1991. The last Grand Prix triumph was achieved by Australian Daniele Ricciardo in 2021, winning the Italian circuit, but the team has not achieved another world triumph since 1998.
1.- Ferrari
No one should be surprised that the Italian luxury franchise is in first place: after all, it is the most successful in terms of world titles in all of Formula 1, and has been active for more years without interruption than any other organization.
Ferrari’s 16 overall titles since its inception in the competition in 1950 are accompanied by 238 Grand Prix victories, a difference of 55 trophies compared to second place McLaren, all this just a few weeks before the start of the 2022 season.
The Italians had their first triumph in history during the 1951 season, winning the British Grand Prix with the Argentine driver José Froilán González. As for the latter, Sebastian Vettel was tasked with securing the trophy at the Singapore circuit in 2019, culminating what has been the worst decade for the team in its extensive history, having failed to win a single world title as a constructor or driver in the period between 2010 and 2020.
Quite the opposite of the last decade, where Michael Schumacher became one of the best in history, winning 5 consecutive titles for both himself and Ferrari as a team.
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