F1 Championship Margin by Season, 1950–2026
Champion, runner-up, points and margin for every F1 drivers' and constructors' title since 1950, with margin as a share of champion points to compare eras.
This table lists the champion and runner-up of every Formula 1 World Championship, drivers’ from 1950 and constructors’ from 1958, with their points, the winning margin and that margin as a share of the champion’s total: 146 rows, 144 of them completed seasons. The 2026 rows show the standings at 2026-09-13 with the season in progress. Points systems have changed many times, so the margin share, not the raw points, is the number to compare across eras.
Sort by margin share to rank the closest and widest title fights, or search for a champion; download the CSV below the table.
20 of 76 Drivers' Titles Were Decided by Under 5% of the Champion's Points
Margin share is the champion's winning margin divided by the champion's own points total, so a season is comparable whatever the points system in force. Over the 76 completed drivers' championships the median margin share is 17.5% and the mean 18.7%. 20 titles (26.3%) were settled by less than 5% of the champion's points, 25 by less than 10%, and 18 by 30% or more; the most common band is 0 to 5%, with 20 seasons. The closest was 2025, when Lando Norris beat Max Verstappen by 2 points (0.5%); the widest was 2023, Max Verstappen over Sergio Perez by 290 points (50.4%).
Constructors' titles run wider. Over 68 completed seasons since 1958 the median margin share is 22.7%, and 28 of 68 (41.2%) were won by 30% or more, against 18 of 76 (23.7%) for drivers. The widest constructors' margin is 1988 (McLaren Honda, 67.3%) and the closest 2024 (McLaren Mercedes, 2.1%). The two margins in the same season are only loosely linked: the Spearman rank correlation between them is 0.3 across the 68 seasons with both championships, and only 7 seasons (1964, 1990, 1999, 2003, 2006, 2010, 2021) had both titles decided by under 10%.
By decade the mean drivers' margin share ranges from 10.8% in the 1980s to 23.6% in the 1960s; the 2026 rows are standings at 2026-09-13, not a result, and are left out of every figure above.
Distribution of Drivers' Title Margins
Completed drivers' championships, 1950–2025, binned by margin share in 5-point steps. Hover a bar for the count.
Every F1 Champion and Runner-Up, 1950–2026
| Season▼ | Championship▼ | Champion▼ | Champion Points▼ | Runner-Up▼ | Runner-Up Points▼ | Margin▼ | Margin Share (%)▼ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | drivers | Nino Farina | 30.0 | Juan Manuel Fangio | 27.0 | 3.0 | 10.0 |
| 1951 | drivers | Juan Manuel Fangio | 31.0 | Alberto Ascari | 25.0 | 6.0 | 19.4 |
| 1952 | drivers | Alberto Ascari | 36.0 | Nino Farina | 24.0 | 12.0 | 33.3 |
| 1953 | drivers | Alberto Ascari | 34.5 | Juan Manuel Fangio | 27.5 | 7.0 | 20.3 |
| 1954 | drivers | Juan Manuel Fangio | 42.0 | Jose Froilan Gonzalez | 25.1 | 16.9 | 40.2 |
| 1955 | drivers | Juan Manuel Fangio | 40.0 | Stirling Moss | 23.0 | 17.0 | 42.5 |
| 1956 | drivers | Juan Manuel Fangio | 30.0 | Stirling Moss | 27.0 | 3.0 | 10.0 |
| 1957 | drivers | Juan Manuel Fangio | 40.0 | Stirling Moss | 25.0 | 15.0 | 37.5 |
| 1958 | constructors | Vanwall | 48.0 | Ferrari | 40.0 | 8.0 | 16.7 |
| 1958 | drivers | Mike Hawthorn | 42.0 | Stirling Moss | 41.0 | 1.0 | 2.4 |
| 1959 | constructors | Cooper Climax | 40.0 | Ferrari | 32.0 | 8.0 | 20.0 |
| 1959 | drivers | Jack Brabham | 31.0 | Tony Brooks | 27.0 | 4.0 | 12.9 |
| 1960 | constructors | Cooper Climax | 48.0 | Lotus Climax | 34.0 | 14.0 | 29.2 |
| 1960 | drivers | Jack Brabham | 43.0 | Bruce McLaren | 34.0 | 9.0 | 20.9 |
| 1961 | constructors | Ferrari | 40.0 | Lotus Climax | 32.0 | 8.0 | 20.0 |
| 1961 | drivers | Phil Hill | 34.0 | Wolfgang von Trips | 33.0 | 1.0 | 2.9 |
| 1962 | constructors | BRM | 42.0 | Lotus Climax | 36.0 | 6.0 | 14.3 |
| 1962 | drivers | Graham Hill | 42.0 | Jim Clark | 30.0 | 12.0 | 28.6 |
| 1963 | constructors | Lotus Climax | 54.0 | BRM | 36.0 | 18.0 | 33.3 |
| 1963 | drivers | Jim Clark | 54.0 | Graham Hill | 29.0 | 25.0 | 46.3 |
| 1964 | constructors | Ferrari | 45.0 | BRM | 42.0 | 3.0 | 6.7 |
| 1964 | drivers | John Surtees | 40.0 | Graham Hill | 39.0 | 1.0 | 2.5 |
| 1965 | constructors | Lotus Climax | 54.0 | BRM | 45.0 | 9.0 | 16.7 |
| 1965 | drivers | Jim Clark | 54.0 | Graham Hill | 40.0 | 14.0 | 25.9 |
| 1966 | constructors | Brabham Repco | 42.0 | Ferrari | 31.0 | 11.0 | 26.2 |
| 1966 | drivers | Jack Brabham | 42.0 | John Surtees | 28.0 | 14.0 | 33.3 |
| 1967 | constructors | Brabham Repco | 63.0 | Lotus Ford | 44.0 | 19.0 | 30.2 |
| 1967 | drivers | Denny Hulme | 51.0 | Jack Brabham | 46.0 | 5.0 | 9.8 |
| 1968 | constructors | Lotus Ford | 62.0 | McLaren Ford | 49.0 | 13.0 | 21.0 |
| 1968 | drivers | Graham Hill | 48.0 | Jackie Stewart | 36.0 | 12.0 | 25.0 |
| 1969 | constructors | Matra Ford | 66.0 | Brabham Ford | 49.0 | 17.0 | 25.8 |
| 1969 | drivers | Jackie Stewart | 63.0 | Jacky Ickx | 37.0 | 26.0 | 41.3 |
| 1970 | constructors | Lotus Ford | 59.0 | Ferrari | 52.0 | 7.0 | 11.9 |
| 1970 | drivers | Jochen Rindt | 45.0 | Jacky Ickx | 40.0 | 5.0 | 11.1 |
| 1971 | constructors | Tyrrell Ford | 73.0 | BRM | 36.0 | 37.0 | 50.7 |
| 1971 | drivers | Jackie Stewart | 62.0 | Ronnie Peterson | 33.0 | 29.0 | 46.8 |
| 1972 | constructors | Lotus Ford | 61.0 | Tyrrell Ford | 51.0 | 10.0 | 16.4 |
| 1972 | drivers | Emerson Fittipaldi | 61.0 | Jackie Stewart | 45.0 | 16.0 | 26.2 |
| 1973 | constructors | Lotus Ford | 92.0 | Tyrrell Ford | 82.0 | 10.0 | 10.9 |
| 1973 | drivers | Jackie Stewart | 71.0 | Emerson Fittipaldi | 55.0 | 16.0 | 22.5 |
| 1974 | constructors | McLaren Ford | 73.0 | Ferrari | 65.0 | 8.0 | 11.0 |
| 1974 | drivers | Emerson Fittipaldi | 55.0 | Clay Regazzoni | 52.0 | 3.0 | 5.5 |
| 1975 | constructors | Ferrari | 72.5 | Brabham Ford | 54.0 | 18.5 | 25.5 |
| 1975 | drivers | Niki Lauda | 64.5 | Emerson Fittipaldi | 45.0 | 19.5 | 30.2 |
| 1976 | constructors | Ferrari | 83.0 | McLaren Ford | 74.0 | 9.0 | 10.8 |
| 1976 | drivers | James Hunt | 69.0 | Niki Lauda | 68.0 | 1.0 | 1.4 |
| 1977 | constructors | Ferrari | 95.0 | Lotus Ford | 62.0 | 33.0 | 34.7 |
| 1977 | drivers | Niki Lauda | 72.0 | Jody Scheckter | 55.0 | 17.0 | 23.6 |
| 1978 | constructors | Lotus Ford | 86.0 | Ferrari | 58.0 | 28.0 | 32.6 |
| 1978 | drivers | Mario Andretti | 64.0 | Ronnie Peterson | 51.0 | 13.0 | 20.3 |
| 1979 | constructors | Ferrari | 113.0 | Williams Ford | 75.0 | 38.0 | 33.6 |
| 1979 | drivers | Jody Scheckter | 51.0 | Gilles Villeneuve | 47.0 | 4.0 | 7.8 |
| 1980 | constructors | Williams Ford | 120.0 | Ligier Ford | 66.0 | 54.0 | 45.0 |
| 1980 | drivers | Alan Jones | 67.0 | Nelson Piquet | 54.0 | 13.0 | 19.4 |
| 1981 | constructors | Williams Ford | 95.0 | Brabham Ford | 61.0 | 34.0 | 35.8 |
| 1981 | drivers | Nelson Piquet | 50.0 | Carlos Reutemann | 49.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 |
| 1982 | constructors | Ferrari | 74.0 | McLaren Ford | 69.0 | 5.0 | 6.8 |
| 1982 | drivers | Keke Rosberg | 44.0 | Didier Pironi | 39.0 | 5.0 | 11.4 |
| 1983 | constructors | Ferrari | 89.0 | Renault | 79.0 | 10.0 | 11.2 |
| 1983 | drivers | Nelson Piquet | 59.0 | Alain Prost | 57.0 | 2.0 | 3.4 |
| 1984 | constructors | McLaren TAG | 143.5 | Ferrari | 57.5 | 86.0 | 59.9 |
| 1984 | drivers | Niki Lauda | 72.0 | Alain Prost | 71.5 | 0.5 | 0.7 |
| 1985 | constructors | McLaren TAG | 90.0 | Ferrari | 82.0 | 8.0 | 8.9 |
| 1985 | drivers | Alain Prost | 73.0 | Michele Alboreto | 53.0 | 20.0 | 27.4 |
| 1986 | constructors | Williams Honda | 141.0 | McLaren TAG | 96.0 | 45.0 | 31.9 |
| 1986 | drivers | Alain Prost | 72.0 | Nigel Mansell | 70.0 | 2.0 | 2.8 |
| 1987 | constructors | Williams Honda | 137.0 | McLaren TAG | 76.0 | 61.0 | 44.5 |
| 1987 | drivers | Nelson Piquet | 73.0 | Nigel Mansell | 61.0 | 12.0 | 16.4 |
| 1988 | constructors | McLaren Honda | 199.0 | Ferrari | 65.0 | 134.0 | 67.3 |
| 1988 | drivers | Ayrton Senna | 90.0 | Alain Prost | 87.0 | 3.0 | 3.3 |
| 1989 | constructors | McLaren Honda | 141.0 | Williams Renault | 77.0 | 64.0 | 45.4 |
| 1989 | drivers | Alain Prost | 76.0 | Ayrton Senna | 60.0 | 16.0 | 21.1 |
| 1990 | constructors | McLaren Honda | 121.0 | Ferrari | 110.0 | 11.0 | 9.1 |
| 1990 | drivers | Ayrton Senna | 78.0 | Alain Prost | 71.0 | 7.0 | 9.0 |
| 1991 | constructors | McLaren Honda | 139.0 | Williams Renault | 125.0 | 14.0 | 10.1 |
| 1991 | drivers | Ayrton Senna | 96.0 | Nigel Mansell | 72.0 | 24.0 | 25.0 |
| 1992 | constructors | Williams Renault | 164.0 | McLaren Honda | 99.0 | 65.0 | 39.6 |
| 1992 | drivers | Nigel Mansell | 108.0 | Riccardo Patrese | 56.0 | 52.0 | 48.1 |
| 1993 | constructors | Williams Renault | 168.0 | McLaren Ford | 84.0 | 84.0 | 50.0 |
| 1993 | drivers | Alain Prost | 99.0 | Ayrton Senna | 73.0 | 26.0 | 26.3 |
| 1994 | constructors | Williams Renault | 118.0 | Benetton Ford | 103.0 | 15.0 | 12.7 |
| 1994 | drivers | Michael Schumacher | 92.0 | Damon Hill | 91.0 | 1.0 | 1.1 |
| 1995 | constructors | Benetton Renault | 137.0 | Williams Renault | 112.0 | 25.0 | 18.2 |
| 1995 | drivers | Michael Schumacher | 102.0 | Damon Hill | 69.0 | 33.0 | 32.4 |
| 1996 | constructors | Williams Renault | 175.0 | Ferrari | 70.0 | 105.0 | 60.0 |
| 1996 | drivers | Damon Hill | 97.0 | Jacques Villeneuve | 78.0 | 19.0 | 19.6 |
| 1997 | constructors | Williams Renault | 123.0 | Ferrari | 102.0 | 21.0 | 17.1 |
| 1997 | drivers | Jacques Villeneuve | 81.0 | Michael Schumacher | 78.0 | 3.0 | 3.7 |
| 1998 | constructors | McLaren Mercedes | 156.0 | Ferrari | 133.0 | 23.0 | 14.7 |
| 1998 | drivers | Mika Hakkinen | 100.0 | Michael Schumacher | 86.0 | 14.0 | 14.0 |
| 1999 | constructors | Ferrari | 128.0 | McLaren Mercedes | 124.0 | 4.0 | 3.1 |
| 1999 | drivers | Mika Hakkinen | 76.0 | Eddie Irvine | 74.0 | 2.0 | 2.6 |
| 2000 | constructors | Ferrari | 170.0 | McLaren Mercedes | 152.0 | 18.0 | 10.6 |
| 2000 | drivers | Michael Schumacher | 108.0 | Mika Hakkinen | 89.0 | 19.0 | 17.6 |
| 2001 | constructors | Ferrari | 179.0 | McLaren Mercedes | 102.0 | 77.0 | 43.0 |
| 2001 | drivers | Michael Schumacher | 123.0 | David Coulthard | 65.0 | 58.0 | 47.2 |
| 2002 | constructors | Ferrari | 221.0 | Williams BMW | 92.0 | 129.0 | 58.4 |
| 2002 | drivers | Michael Schumacher | 144.0 | Rubens Barrichello | 77.0 | 67.0 | 46.5 |
| 2003 | constructors | Ferrari | 158.0 | Williams BMW | 144.0 | 14.0 | 8.9 |
| 2003 | drivers | Michael Schumacher | 93.0 | Kimi Räikkönen | 91.0 | 2.0 | 2.2 |
| 2004 | constructors | Ferrari | 262.0 | BAR Honda | 119.0 | 143.0 | 54.6 |
| 2004 | drivers | Michael Schumacher | 148.0 | Rubens Barrichello | 114.0 | 34.0 | 23.0 |
| 2005 | constructors | Renault | 191.0 | McLaren Mercedes | 182.0 | 9.0 | 4.7 |
| 2005 | drivers | Fernando Alonso | 133.0 | Kimi Räikkönen | 112.0 | 21.0 | 15.8 |
| 2006 | constructors | Renault | 206.0 | Ferrari | 201.0 | 5.0 | 2.4 |
| 2006 | drivers | Fernando Alonso | 134.0 | Michael Schumacher | 121.0 | 13.0 | 9.7 |
| 2007 | constructors | Ferrari | 204.0 | Sauber BMW | 101.0 | 103.0 | 50.5 |
| 2007 | drivers | Kimi Räikkönen | 110.0 | Lewis Hamilton | 109.0 | 1.0 | 0.9 |
| 2008 | constructors | Ferrari | 172.0 | McLaren Mercedes | 151.0 | 21.0 | 12.2 |
| 2008 | drivers | Lewis Hamilton | 98.0 | Felipe Massa | 97.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| 2009 | constructors | Brawn Mercedes | 172.0 | RBR Renault | 153.5 | 18.5 | 10.8 |
| 2009 | drivers | Jenson Button | 95.0 | Sebastian Vettel | 84.0 | 11.0 | 11.6 |
| 2010 | constructors | RBR Renault | 498.0 | McLaren Mercedes | 454.0 | 44.0 | 8.8 |
| 2010 | drivers | Sebastian Vettel | 256.0 | Fernando Alonso | 252.0 | 4.0 | 1.6 |
| 2011 | constructors | Red Bull Racing Renault | 650.0 | McLaren Mercedes | 497.0 | 153.0 | 23.5 |
| 2011 | drivers | Sebastian Vettel | 392.0 | Jenson Button | 270.0 | 122.0 | 31.1 |
| 2012 | constructors | Red Bull Racing Renault | 460.0 | Ferrari | 400.0 | 60.0 | 13.0 |
| 2012 | drivers | Sebastian Vettel | 281.0 | Fernando Alonso | 278.0 | 3.0 | 1.1 |
| 2013 | constructors | Red Bull Racing Renault | 596.0 | Mercedes | 360.0 | 236.0 | 39.6 |
| 2013 | drivers | Sebastian Vettel | 397.0 | Fernando Alonso | 242.0 | 155.0 | 39.0 |
| 2014 | constructors | Mercedes | 701.0 | Red Bull Racing Renault | 405.0 | 296.0 | 42.2 |
| 2014 | drivers | Lewis Hamilton | 384.0 | Nico Rosberg | 317.0 | 67.0 | 17.4 |
| 2015 | constructors | Mercedes | 703.0 | Ferrari | 428.0 | 275.0 | 39.1 |
| 2015 | drivers | Lewis Hamilton | 381.0 | Nico Rosberg | 322.0 | 59.0 | 15.5 |
| 2016 | constructors | Mercedes | 765.0 | Red Bull Racing TAG Heuer | 468.0 | 297.0 | 38.8 |
| 2016 | drivers | Nico Rosberg | 385.0 | Lewis Hamilton | 380.0 | 5.0 | 1.3 |
| 2017 | constructors | Mercedes | 668.0 | Ferrari | 522.0 | 146.0 | 21.9 |
| 2017 | drivers | Lewis Hamilton | 363.0 | Sebastian Vettel | 317.0 | 46.0 | 12.7 |
| 2018 | constructors | Mercedes | 655.0 | Ferrari | 571.0 | 84.0 | 12.8 |
| 2018 | drivers | Lewis Hamilton | 408.0 | Sebastian Vettel | 320.0 | 88.0 | 21.6 |
| 2019 | constructors | Mercedes | 739.0 | Ferrari | 504.0 | 235.0 | 31.8 |
| 2019 | drivers | Lewis Hamilton | 413.0 | Valtteri Bottas | 326.0 | 87.0 | 21.1 |
| 2020 | constructors | Mercedes | 573.0 | Red Bull Racing Honda | 319.0 | 254.0 | 44.3 |
| 2020 | drivers | Lewis Hamilton | 347.0 | Valtteri Bottas | 223.0 | 124.0 | 35.7 |
| 2021 | constructors | Mercedes | 613.5 | Red Bull Racing Honda | 585.5 | 28.0 | 4.6 |
| 2021 | drivers | Max Verstappen | 395.5 | Lewis Hamilton | 387.5 | 8.0 | 2.0 |
| 2022 | constructors | Red Bull Racing RBPT | 759.0 | Ferrari | 554.0 | 205.0 | 27.0 |
| 2022 | drivers | Max Verstappen | 454.0 | Charles Leclerc | 308.0 | 146.0 | 32.2 |
| 2023 | constructors | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 860.0 | Mercedes | 409.0 | 451.0 | 52.4 |
| 2023 | drivers | Max Verstappen | 575.0 | Sergio Perez | 285.0 | 290.0 | 50.4 |
| 2024 | constructors | McLaren Mercedes | 666.0 | Ferrari | 652.0 | 14.0 | 2.1 |
| 2024 | drivers | Max Verstappen | 437.0 | Lando Norris | 374.0 | 63.0 | 14.4 |
| 2025 | constructors | McLaren | 833.0 | Mercedes | 469.0 | 364.0 | 43.7 |
| 2025 | drivers | Lando Norris | 423.0 | Max Verstappen | 421.0 | 2.0 | 0.5 |
| 2026 | constructors | Mercedes | 503.0 | Ferrari | 358.0 | 145.0 | 28.8 |
| 2026 | drivers | Kimi Antonelli | 292.0 | George Russell | 211.0 | 81.0 | 27.7 |
The 2026 rows are standings at 2026-09-13 with the season in progress. Constructors' championship from 1958.
Download the full table (CSV) · 146 rows
How the Numbers Were Made
The table reproduces formula1.com's official standings pages, retrieved 2026-09-13: for each season the drivers' and the constructors' (team) standings page, taking the entries in first and second place with their points as printed. formula1.com's team standings page returns no rows before 1958, when the constructors' championship began. The 2026 rows reflect the standings on the retrieval date, mid-season, and are excluded from the distribution figures.
Margin share is the margin divided by the champion's points, recomputed here to one decimal. Points systems changed materially across the decades, including eras before 1991 in which only a driver's best results counted, so raw points and margins are not comparable between seasons; the share is. The distribution figures are plain counts and medians over completed seasons; the correlation is a Spearman rank correlation over the seasons with both championships.
Cross-check. An independent open standings dataset, used only to check the crawl and not as a source, matched the champion's points exactly on 137 of 146 season-championship rows. All 9 differences are constructors' totals between 1961 and 1974, a few points apart with the same champion, consistent with how dropped-score rules or team entries were aggregated in that era; treat pre-1975 constructors' totals as accurate to within a handful of points.
Sources
- Formula 1 results archive: drivers' standingsprimaryFormula 1 (formula1.com) · primary · retrieved 2026-09-13 · Public website; no stated data licence — One page per season, 1950–2026; positions 1 and 2 taken as printed
- Formula 1 results archive: team standingsprimaryFormula 1 (formula1.com) · primary · retrieved 2026-09-13 · Public website; no stated data licence — One page per season from 1958; positions 1 and 2 taken as printed