There have been many famous F1 drivers over the 60 years that the sport has existed, but even in a star-filled sky, some stars shine brighter than others.

Some famous Formula One drivers have achieved so much, or have overcome such incredible odds, that by today they have transcended into the status of legends; there are more, way more, famous F1 drivers who rightly deserve to be mentioned when talking about the remarkable motor sport, so consider our list of 5 famous F1 drivers to be highly subjective … but if you’ve any drivers on your mind, don’t hesitate to let us know in the comment section below.

That being said, let’s get this show on the road.

5. Michael Schumacher

Michael Schumacher, a 7-times Formula One World Champion, is widely regarded as one of the greatest F1 drivers. His name had been a household name for years, and is probably one of the most popularly recognized F1 pilots in the sport.

He drove for Formula 1’s oldest team, Ferrari, for 11 years, taking five consecutive titles between 2000 and 2004.

While he had suffered only one crash (with minor injuries) in his F1 career, a tragic skiing accident on Combe de Saulire in the French Alps had left him with severe brain trauma in 2013.

He had to be put into an induced coma after the accident; while he had successfully come out of the coma, the 47-year-old Schumacher had been under close observation of a 15-people-strong medical staff 24/7 in his family home by Lake Geneva, Switzerland. His family chose not to reveal too many details of his current condition, but it appears that there is still a long way to go until he makes full recovery.

4. James Hunt

James Hunt can be considered a “manly man” by most definitions of the phrase, loving life, drinking, smoking, racing, and women. Oh, how he loved women. According to The Telegraph, he had slept with at least 5,000 women in his womanizing “career.” And while his illustrious life had been cut short by a fatal heart attack at the young age of 45, his legend lives on.

James Hunt is the hero of the 2013 critically-acclaimed feature film Rush which also featured in our best Formula One movies list..

3. Mika Häkkinen

A Formula One World Drivers’ Champion, Mika Häkkinen has a record of 20 wins and 420 career points; one of the most successful drivers, the Finnish racer who’d worked with the Mercedes-Benz is now comfortably retired.

His current job involves driver management, and being the brand ambassador for Mercedes-Benz AMG and Johnnie Walker. While the latter might sound a little strange, Mika is promoting a policy of no alcohol behind the wheel …

All in all, things seem to be looking up for the 47-year old retired professional F1 racer, and while we don’t anticipate him returning to the F1 circuit, we do think that at the very least he will keep on walking.

2. Ayrton Senna

Another great legend, the Brazilian Ayrton Senna da Silva had met his untimely end behind the wheel of his F1 car while leading the San Marino Grand Prix in 1994. His last lap before the accident was recorded on his dashcam — and is currently available on YouTube.

Born on the 21st of March, 1960, Senna won three F1 World Championships. He won in 1988, 1990, and 1991. To this day, Ayrton Senna is considered on of the most successful and greatest Formula One drivers of all time.

1. Bruce McLaren

Have you ever heard of the McLaren F1, at one time allegedly the fastest non-Formula 1 car in the world? Well, without Bruce McLaren, it would have never existed. Bruce McLaren was a competitive car racer, inventor, engineer, and automobile designer. Today, McLaren is arguably best known as a Formula One constructor, but he had also won both the Indianapolis 500 and the Canadian-American Challenge Cup (Can-Am).

He had tragically died when he was only 32 in a car crash while testing his new automobile: the rear bodywork came adrift at speed, destabilizing the car, and sending it into a spin.

Today, thanks to Bruce McLaren, the McLaren Technology Group continues to develop and innovate some of the fastest and most advanced automobiles in the world. The racing team that he had founded, now known as McLaren Racing Limited, competes in the Formula 1 under the name of McLaren Honda.  The team have had an extremely successful life in the Formula One circuit, being the second oldest active team after Ferrari.

And while some of these people are no longer with us, they will never be forgotten. It seems appropriate to quote a philosopher who said that “The secret to immortality is first living a life worth remembering.”

We hope that you’ve enjoyed reading our article.

Are you a Formula One fan? Have anything to add? Feel that we might have missed something? As always, let us know in the comments below.