It is true that the land down under has not exactly produced many world championship victors, but that does not mean that there have been no Australian legends in F1.
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Formula One will finally return to Australia after a two-year hiatus. Melbourne’s Albert Park has a lot of history and tradition in its track. Albert Park used to host the very first race of the year for a while, setting the scene for a number of long and grueling seasons. It has been the home race to a number of Formula One drivers as well, some of who are absolute legends of the sport. It is true that the land down under has not exactly produced many world championship victors, but that does not mean that there have been no Australian legends in Formula One. Over the years, there have been a few drivers who really took the world by storm at one point. All of them might not have won a world championship, yet, but some can surely be considered among the greats the sport has ever seen.
Here is a look at some of the best Australian drivers in Formula One history.
When one thinks of Australian motorsports legends, Sir John Arthur Brabham, or simply Jack Brabham, is one of the first names that come to mind. Winning Formula One world titles is not something the country is very familiar with, so it must have taken a spectacular driver to win not one, but three.
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Brabham was world champion in 1959, 1960, and 1966. The first two title wins came under his belt while driving for Cooper Car Company. That year, Brabham finished on the podium six times, notching up 31 points, which at the time was good enough to be world champion. He won the races at two iconic tracks, Monaco and Silverstone.
In 1960, Brabham created history when he won five races on the trot with Cooper Car Company. The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Great Britain, and Portugal saw the legendary Aussie driver cross the chequered flag before anyone else. He recorded 43 points that season.
The Aussie was not just a driver. He went on to found his own constructor, Brabham Racing Organisation, in 1962. It’s one thing to win a world title, but doing it while driving for a self-created constructor? That’s unheard of even today.
It took him four years, but Brabham finally did it. In 1966, the Australian legend won the world championship with his very own constructor, something that he very possibly cherished until his last breath.
This is a name people will be more familiar with. Mark Webber is an absolute icon when it comes to the racing history of Red Bull Racing. The Aussie might not have won a world championship but there is absolutely no question that he is one of the legends of the sport.
Webber really came into his own towards the twilight years of his career when he was with Red Bull Racing. The Aussie finished in third place in the driver’s championship three times in his career. His best-ever points tally came 2011 when he recorded 258 points.
Webber, alongside four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel, was absolutely crucial in Red Bull’s dominating run from 2010 to 2013. He will always be remembered, both in the team paddock and in the F1 world as a brilliant team player and a legend of the sport.
Friendly, humorous, and just a ray of sunshine, Daniel Ricciardo is one of the most likable drivers to have ever stepped foot in Formula One. The Honey Badger has built up a reputation of being the funniest guy in the room and deservedly so. However, when the five lights go out, Ricciardo is all about focus, calmness, and unparalleled race-craft.
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Being funny is not the only reputation Ricciardo has built for himself. Today, the Australian is considered to be one of the best drivers in the whole of Formula One. There are very few people, who have ever stepped foot in an F1 car, with the overtaking skills of the 32-year-old.
The Aussie is yet to win a world title but his career is far from over. His best seasons came with Red Bull Racing in 2014 and 2016. He finished third in the driver’s championship on both occasions. Currently, with McLaren, Ricciardo has had a difficult start to 2022, but there still is a long way to go, and who knows, we might just end up seeing Ricciardo perform at his full potential again.
