Drivers

In 2024, Motor Sport magazine listed the 100 greatest racing drivers. They noted "defining the 100 greatest racing drivers cannot be accomplished purely by career statistics. It’s also not simply about pure speed over one lap, stage, stint or race – although clearly that’s a major factor. Greatness, for those of us at Motor Sport, is defined by a heady cocktail: raw ability (certainly), but also intelligence and dedication. Then there’s style, charisma, ethics (or lack of in some key cases), determination and the sheer impact these figures made on their sport and on fans in both their own countries and around the globe. There’s another one too, a big one: versatility – the ability to win in multiple motor sport codes. We must take in the context of their era, the machinery at their disposal – and also in some cases their ability to work their way into the best drives available. The greats usually drove the best cars – and if not, why not? Beyond the records of titles, wins, poles and fastest laps, it is all utterly subjective – and, some might argue, entirely futile. But lists such as this are a means of focus, of considering when push comes to shove, what and who we value the most, and why."

The greatest of all time, according to Motor Sport: Jim Clark.  Enjoy all the images of the drivers in the Joseph S. Freeman Archive.