Formula 1 is a global sport taking place throughout the year. Consequently, F1 cars race in the rain in a few instances throughout the year. Such wet weather conditions can shake up the entire running order. Some drivers put on a display of their handling skills while others may bog down the order. Hence, every time it rains in F1, fans are thrilled as they expect an exciting contest.
Thus, in the past rain has been a boon to smaller teams in Formula 1. Such teams, utilize these conditions to their advantage as the leaders may be caught off-guard by the weather conditions. A good example of such an occasion was the 2016 Brazilian Grand Prix. When Felipe Nasr finished P9 at his home race for Sauber. Nasr’s 2 points were what saved the Swiss squad as it overtook the now-defunct Manor F1 team.
However, Formula 1 is about winning and not about getting a P9. Hence, drivers who manage to deliver outstanding performances in the wet on their course to victory are respected by fans. It is one thing for a driver to be a Grand Prix winner but totally another to repeat the same when gallons of water are sprayed by cars on the track every second. Thus, here is the list of Formula 1 drivers with the most wins in wet conditions between 1984-2022, first posted on Reddit.
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Michael Schumacher has won the most wet races in F1 since 1984
Michael Schumacher is arguably the greatest driver in Formula 1 history. Schumacher dominated F1 during his time at Scuderia Ferrari and created history. The German’s legacy continues in terms of racing in the rain. Unsurprisingly to few, Michael won 16 wet F1 races during his career out of 44 races in the wet, an average of 36.36%. This makes Schumacher the driver with the most Grand Prix wins in the rain.
Lewis Hamilton follows Schumacher closely in the runner-up spot. Hamilton has won a grand total of 13 wet-weather races in Formula 1. Lewis has so far competed in 36 such Grand Prix. This gives the British driver an average of 36.11% for winning in the rain. The highest number for any driver who made their F1 debut in the 2000s. Although, this comes as no surprise considering Hamilton’s other records in the sport. Perhaps Lewis might take the top spot in the years to come.
The Brazilian legend, Ayrton Senna is third on this list in terms of race wins. However, Senna holds a staggering win percentage of 55.56%. Ayrton is the only driver in Formula 1 history to win the majority of the wet races they took part in. With the Brazilian winning 10 out of 18 races in the rain. This figure is a true testament to Senna’s astounding talent. Alas, Formula 1 lost out one of the most incredible drivers too early.
Max Verstappen already has the fourth-highest win percentage in the rain
Jenson Button is renowned for his amazing drives in wet weather. After all, many fans still cherish Button’s extraordinary win at the 2011 Canadian Grand Prix to this day. Correspondingly, it is no surprise that Jenson has the fourth most wet-weather wins in Formula 1. JB raced in 39 Grands Prix in the rain and won a commendable 7 of those. The former world champion has a winning average of 17.95%. Certainly, a fan favorite every time the cars put on full-wet tires.
The next entry on this list is Max Verstappen. Verstappen is not only holding the 5th spot but also has the 4th highest win percentage. Max has won 4 out of the 15 wet-weather Formula 1 races. Hence, the Dutch driver has a winning percentage of 26.675. Max Verstappen has established himself as the new master of the rain in F1. Max’s stunning drive in the 2016 Brazilian Grand Prix was perhaps the Dutchman’s showcase of brilliance in the rain. Since then Verstappen has only impressed the fans further.
Damon Hill and Fernando Alonso tie with Verstappen for 5th place in terms of wet-weather wins. Although, Hill has a comparatively better win ratio compared to his Spanish counterpart. Damon Hill won 4 out of the 19 wet-weather races in Formula 1. Giving the 1996 world champion an average of a respectable 21.05%. Whereas, Fernando Alonso managed to only win 4 out of the 41 races in the rain he competed in. Thus, Alonso has a lower win percentage of 9.76%.
Sebastian Vettel is the only Formula 1 driver to win 3 wet-weather races since 1984
Sebastian Vettel achieved great success in Formula 1. Vettel went on to win 4 back-to-back world titles with Red Bull Racing. However, Sebastian’s first Grand Prix win came in the rain with Scuderia Toro Rosso. The German driver famously won the 2008 Italian GP at Monza in front of the Tifosi for the ‘other’ Italian team. Although, Vettel could not continue on his success in the rain, with the 4-time world champion only winning 3 of 35 wet races. As such, Sebastian has a win ratio of 8.57%.
The sixth spot is held jointly by 5 Formula 1 drivers, all of whom have won 2 races each. French world champion, Alain Prost leads this train jointly with another world champion Nigel Mansell. The pair won 2 of the 16 wet-weather races they competed in, getting an average of 12.50%. On the other hand, former race winner, Thierry Bousten follows with 2 wins in 18 races with an average of 11.11%. While Sergio Perez has won 2 out of 21 races and Kimi Raikkonen rounds up this pack, with 2 out of 33 races.
Lastly, 10 other drivers have won a wet race in Formula 1 since 1984. In the order according to their win ratio, the drivers are, Oliver Panis, Valtteri Bottas, Daniel Ricciardo, Heinz Herald Frentzen, Mika Hakkinen, Felipe Massa, Johnny Herbert, Giancarlo Fisichella, David Coulthard and finally, Rubens Barrichello. Mika Hakkinen is the only F1 world champion from this group. Valtteri Bottas is the only 2023 F1 driver to have won a race in the wet.
Thus, that concludes all the drivers who have won a wet-weather Formula 1 race since 1984. A list that provides an accurate representation of a few all-time greats of the sport. While also indicating the shortcomings of a few in the rain. However, one thing is certain, these statistics will witness new names in the coming years, as F1 sees a new generation of top drivers. And of course, Max Verstappen might just end in P1 a few years down the line.
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