Alain Prost

Alain Prost was a four-time Formula 1 World Champion and one of the most cerebral and complete drivers the sport has known. Nicknamed "The Professor" for his calculating, strategic approach, the Frenchman won 51 grands prix from 202 starts, a total that stood as the all-time record until Michael Schumacher surpassed it, alongside 33 pole positions and 106 podiums.

Prost won his titles in 1985, 1986, 1989 and 1993, competing for McLaren, Renault, Ferrari and Williams across a glittering career. His back-to-back McLaren championships in 1985 and 1986 established him as the benchmark, but it was his bitter and brilliant rivalry with McLaren team-mate Ayrton Senna that came to define the era. Their clashes at Suzuka in 1989 and 1990 became infamous, each settling a championship through collision. After a sabbatical, Prost returned with Williams in 1993 to claim a fourth and final title with seven wins before retiring at the top of the sport.

Prost's intelligence, smoothness and tactical mastery reshaped how races were won, proving that consistency and calculation could defeat raw aggression. He remains one of the towering figures of Formula 1 and the most successful French driver in the championship's history.

Prost earned his "Professor" nickname through an almost analytical command of racecraft, conserving his car and tyres, judging risk with precision and striking when victory was assured rather than chasing every lap. His smooth, economical style and tactical intelligence offered the perfect foil to Senna's flat-out brilliance, and their rivalry became one of the defining stories in sporting history. Four world titles and a record-setting win tally secure his standing among the greatest of all time.