Waiting for Isack Hadjar: the statistics of French drivers in Formula 1. Here are the numbers of the greatest French drivers in the history of Formula 1.

More France in 2025
The announcement of Isack Hadjar as the new Racing Bulls driver for 2025 will enhance France’s presence in Formula 1, already represented in both the Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championships. While the former will witness Alpine’s final season powered by Renault engines (as the agreement with Mercedes for German power units begins in 2026), the latter will see three French drivers on the grid, the highest number of nationals after the four British drivers Russell, Hamilton, Bearman, and Norris. In addition to Hadjar, Gasly and Ocon, former teammates at Alpine (with Ocon moving to Haas), will also be on the grid. However, the only missing element for France in 2025 will be the Grand Prix, absent since 2023.

The most present
Isack Hadjar, who also holds an Algerian passport, will be the 72nd French driver to participate in a GP in the history of Formula 1. The all-time record for races contested belongs to former Ferrari driver Jean Alesi, the only one to surpass 200, reaching precisely 201 GPs. However, the driver who completed the most laps, and thus covered the most kilometers, was Alain Prost, despite having contested two fewer GPs than his former Ferrari teammate in 1991.

The most successful
The ‘Professor’ holds other significant records: besides being the French driver with the most wins (51), pole positions (33), fastest laps (41), and podiums (106), he is also the only French driver in the Formula 1 Hall of Fame. Moreover, Prost won the World Championship four times, a feat later matched by two Red Bull drivers, Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen.

The winners
Excluding Prost, thirteen other French drivers have won at least one race in their F1 careers. Behind the ‘Professor’ is René Arnoux, another driver from Ferrari’s history with 7 wins. Jacques Laffite, with 6 wins, follows on the podium, and in fourth place is the late Didier Pironi with 3 victories. Maurice Trintignant, Jean-Pierre Jabouille, Patrick Depailler, and Patrick Tambay each have two wins, while the ‘Marseillaise’ was played only once for François Cevert, Jean-Pierre Beltoise, Jean Alesi, and Olivier Panis. The same applies to Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon, who are still active.