Eaton Thatcher
It’s been over five years since The International Motorsports Hall of Fame immortalized a Formula One driver. The last inductee was Brian Redman back in 2011, and it was really his accomplishments at Le Mans rather than F1 that earned him the spot. All the inductees since have been drag racers or NASCAR drivers.
But with the 2017 season about to kick off, let’s take a moment to remember some of the giants of the sport. Here are the top picks for the next Formula One driver to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Odds to be the next F1 driver inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame
Michael Schumacher: 7/13
The list wouldn’t be complete without the greatest Formula One driver of all time. With seven championship titles and 91 race wins throughout his decorated career, it’s not a question of whether if Schumacher will be inducted into the Hall of Fame, but when.
He officially announced his retirement in 2012, and the Hall of Fame requires a driver to have been retired for at least five years before being inducted, so it should be happening fairly soon.
Mika Häkkinen: 9/1
Before Schumacher’s five-year dominance over the sport, Mika Hakkinen won back-to-back championships in ’98 and ’99. The Finnish have an impressive record in Formula One for such a small country, but there isn’t a single Finn in the Hall of Fame to reflect that.
Damon Hill: 19/1
Damon Hill could soon join his father in the Hall of Fame. As the son of a two-time Formula One champion, Damon had some pretty big shoes to fill. And he lived up to expectations, winning the 1996 season and becoming a champion himself.
Peter Revson: 50/1
Peter Revson raced a few seasons in Formula One, but he really made his mark in the Indy500. Having said that, he is the last American-born driver to win a Formula One race. He was posthumously inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1996, but the International Motorsports Hall of Fame has yet to acknowledge his achievements.
Eddie Cheever: 85/1
Eddie Cheever started more races than any other American Formula One driver, but in his 132 races, he failed to claim a win, pole position, or even fastest lap. Still, his 30-year career should be recognized and his impact on the sport as an American deserves some praise.
Photo credit: Jitesh Jagadish (flickr) CC BY-SA 2.0 [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0]
