Lewis Hamilton's selection
Ayrton Senna
Active Years: 1984-1994
Champion: 1988, 1990, 1991
Wins: 41
Podiums: 80
Poles: 65
Staggeringly talented, intensely charismatic, and fiercely - even ruthlessly - competitive, Ayrton Senna is considered by many to be the greatest driver of all time. His record of 41 wins and 65 poles reflects his dominance, but Senna's legacy extends far beyond statistics. Few pushed themselves as hard; fewer still shed as much light on the extremes to which only the greatest will go. An idol in his native Brazil, Senna's mystique remains undiminished even now, two decades on from his passing on that fateful day in Imola.
Juan Manuel Fangio
Active Years: 1950-1951, 1953-1958
Champion: 1951, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957
Wins: 24
Podiums: 35
Poles: 29
Still championed by many as the finest driver to grace F1, Juan Manuel Fangio set the early benchmarks by which every champion has since been judged. In seven full seasons he was crowned World Champion five times, and finished runner-up twice - a superlative record that encompassed some of the greatest displays of skill and bravery ever seen in motor racing history.
Juan Manuel Fangio: Hall of Fame
Bernie Ecclestone
Ecclestone's earliest involvement in F1 came in the 1950s with the Connaught team and driver Lewis Stuart-Evans. He went on to manage Jochen Rindt, before buying the Brabham team in 1972. He quickly set about turning it into a winning force, culminating in title glory in 1981 and 1983. In parallel, he was also a founding member and later chief executive of the Formula 1 Constructors Association.
McLaren-Honda MP4/4
Developed by Steve Nichols and Gordon Murray, the MP4/4 was a revelation from the moment it hit the track at the start of the 1988 season. Utilising a low centre of gravity and sophisticated rear suspension - and with a mighty engine from new partners Honda - the car dominated, claiming 15 poles, 15 victories and 10 further podiums from the 16-race season. The fact it was the car in which the legendary rivalry between Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna really kicked off only adds to its lustre.
Bernie Ecclestone's selection
Jochen Rindt
Active Years: 1964 - 1970
Champion: 1970
Wins: 6
Podiums: 13
Poles: 10
The only posthumous champion in F1 history, Rindt won renown for his audacious, swashbuckling style just as much as much as his supreme speed and ability. Arguably the finest win of his short career came at Monaco in 1970, when he smashed the lap record in an electrifying and successful pursuit of Jack Brabham. He lost his life in a practice crash at Monza on September 5, 1970.
Jochen Rindt: Hall of Fame
Fernando Alonso
Active Years: 2001 - Present
Champion: 2005, 2006
Wins: 32
Podiums: 97
Poles: 22
Fernando Alonso was just 24 when he led Renault to a championship double in 2005, in the process ending the reign of Michael Schumacher and Ferrari. Confirmation of the Spaniard's brilliance came with another double in 2006. Titles may have eluded him in the subsequent years, despite moves to McLaren and Ferrari, but many still regard him as the greatest driver of his era.
Fernando Alonso: Hall of Fame
Flavio Briatore
A colourful, flamboyant and sometimes controversial figure, Flavio Briatore made his name in F1 by turning Benetton into a successful team - aided by his capture of then-emerging star Michael Schumacher. He parted with the team in 1997, but returned at the helm when Renault took over and again presided over championship glory, this time through another young discovery - Fernando Alonso.
Brabham BT49
The car that took Nelson Piquet to his first world championship in 1981, the Brabham BT49 claimed a total of seven wins, six poles and 15 podiums over four seasons between 1979 and 1982. The brainchild of legendary designer Gordon Murray, the BT49 is also regarded as one of the most beautiful cars to race in F1.