Formula One has the ability to invoke thrills like very few other sports can.
Over the years, the popularity of the car racing sport has grown tenfold and United States ranks as one of the top consumers. But, as the most watched motorsport in the world, one would imagine America to have had more than just 57 drivers in the nation's ranks to compete against the world's best.
The presence of Indianapolis 500 between 1950 and 1960 convolutes the number of drivers from the nation to take part, since 1960 was the last year when the Indy 500 was considered part of the World Championship Grand Prix. Nevertheless, the list to choose the greatest drivers from the States is long and star-studded. Here we look at some of the best names from the country to have graced F1.
• Dan Gurney
As one of racing's ultimate heroes, Gurney etched his decade-long legacy as one of motorsport's greatest innovators with his engineering acumen and eye for detail. It was with him that the tradition of champagne spraying after a championship victory began - after he won the Le Mans in 1967 alongside another great of the sport, A.J. Foyt. Other than champagne, Gurney also showered the motorsports field with great innovations such as the Gurney flap - an aerodynamic transformation that allowed him to better vehicular performance with great finesse. He was also the first driver to use a full-face helmet in a Grand Prix. Gurney ended his career with 4 wins, 19 podium finishes and 3 pole positions, across Formula 1, Indy Car, NASCAR and Trans-Am, in a career that is finely remembered still.
• Peter Revson
Often underplayed due to his rich family background, Peter Revson passed up his easy luxurious life for the menacing world of high-adrenaline motorsports. He was the heir to the Revlon legacy, but instead turned his attention towards his passion - racing - which he was introduced to during his college days in Hawaii. He went on to win the British Grand Prix and the Canadian Grand Prix - with McLaren, before moving onto the Shadow racing team. He also tasted success at Indy 500 with astonishing performances that first brought him into the limelight. What fueled his passion also turned out to be fatal for the 35-year-old, who unfortunately perished in a car crash during a test run just before the 1974 South African Grand Prix.
• Phil Hill
Is the only American-born F1 world champion, the list would be incomplete without the inclusion of Hill. A legend of the sport, Hill culminated his career with 16 podium finishes in Formula One. He was a force to be reckoned with from 1958 to 1962 - winning the World Championship in 1961 with Scuderia Ferrari by beating teammate Wolfgang von Trips at the Italian Grand Prix. His victory was however bittersweet and blotted with tragedy as von Trips tragically died in the race, along with 14 other spectators. Hill also won the Le Mans 24-hour race thrice in his career, but never picked up after the misfortune of his teammate, eventually retiring in 1966.
• Richard Ginther
Richie Ginther competed in 54 F1 Grand Prix races and ended up on the podium 14 times. He first made the headlines in a thrilling adrenaline-rich race against eventual winner Stirling Moss in the 1961 Monaco Grand Prix, before ending on the podium the next year. His moment in the spotlight was yet to come, as three years later he stormed to grab the 1965 Mexican Grand Prix with the Honda RS272 - Honda's first ever win on the big stage. He was known to be a very technical driver capable of tuning the car to his will, as he marked his seven-year long legacy with great know-how and charisma.
• Mario Andretti
Born in Italy, but made in USA, Andretti is known as arguably the greatest ever car driver to emerge from the States. The man's versatility is what set him apart, as he conquered every stage he graced, whether it be on F1 circuits, drag lines or dirt strips. He won the Indy 500, Daytona 500 Indy Championship (four times) and the Sebring 12-hour endurance three times. However, his iconic achievement has to be winning the F1 World Championship at the 1978 Dutch Grand Prix with Lotus - the last Formula One win by an American. Andretti's longevity also made him popular among the masses, as he won his last Indy Car race in 1993, aged 53. He ended his legacy with a whopping 109 career wins on major circuits.
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