The Most Famous

RACING DRIVERS from Belgium

This page contains a list of the greatest Belgian Racing Drivers. The pantheon dataset contains 1,080 Racing Drivers, 21 of which were born in Belgium. This makes Belgium the birth place of the 13th most number of Racing Drivers behind Finland, and Australia.

Top 10

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary Belgian Racing Drivers of all time. This list of famous Belgian Racing Drivers is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity. Visit the rankings page to view the entire list of Belgian Racing Drivers.

1. Jacky Ickx (b. 1945)

With an HPI of 65.01, Jacky Ickx is the most famous Belgian Racing Driver. His biography has been translated into 35 different languages on wikipedia.

Jacques Bernard Edmon Martin Henri "Jacky" Ickx (French pronunciation: [ʒaki iks]; born 1 January 1945) is a Belgian former racing driver, who competed in Formula One from 1966 to 1979. Ickx twice finished runner-up in the Formula One World Drivers' Championship in 1969 and 1970, and won eight Grands Prix across 14 seasons. In endurance racing, Ickx won two World Endurance Championships with Porsche and is a six-time winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, as well as a two-time winner of the 12 Hours of Sebring. In rallying, Ickx won the Paris–Dakar Rally in 1983 with Mercedes. Born and raised in Brussels, Ickx started his career in motorcycle road racing and trials, winning several national and continental titles in the latter discipline. Progressing to touring car racing in the mid-1960s, Ickx won multiple titles before winning the 24 Hours of Spa in 1966. Attracting the attention of Ken Tyrrell, he entered the 1966 German Grand Prix in a Matra Formula Two car, retiring after a first-lap collision with John Taylor, who later died of his injuries. Ickx returned to the race the following year, qualifying third in his Formula Two machinery and earning a Formula One drive with Cooper from the Italian Grand Prix onwards, where he finished sixth. Ickx was signed by Ferrari in 1968, taking his maiden victory in France, amongst several podiums, as he finished fourth in the standings. Moving to Brabham in 1969, he took multiple wins as he finished runner-up to Jackie Stewart. He returned to Ferrari the next year, again finishing runner-up to Jochen Rindt as he took wins in Austria, Canada and Mexico. Ickx took further wins for Ferrari at the Dutch Grand Prix in 1971 and the German Grand Prix in 1972, but left the team halfway through the 1973 season over the performance of the Ferrari 312B3. After one-off appearances for McLaren and Williams, Ickx joined Lotus in 1974, but left after less than two seasons with the team. He returned to the sport with Wolf–Williams in 1976, swapping seats with Chris Amon at Ensign from the Dutch Grand Prix onwards. After intermittent appearances for Ensign over the next three seasons, Ickx joined Ligier in 1979, replacing an injured Patrick Depailler at the final eight Grands Prix of the season. Struggling to adapt to the ground effect era, Ickx retired from Formula One at the conclusion of the 1979 season with eight race wins, 13 pole positions, 14 fastest laps and 25 podiums. Outside of Formula One, Ickx won the 24 Hours of Le Mans six times, a record which stood until 2005. He also won the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1969 and 1972, and the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1972 alongside Mario Andretti, making him the fourth driver to complete the Triple Crown of endurance racing. Ickx won two World Endurance Championships in 1982 and 1983 with Porsche. He retired from endurance racing in 1985, following his involvement in the death of Stefan Bellof. Between 1981 and 2000, Ickx entered 14 editions of the Dakar Rally, winning in 1983. Ickx was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2002.

2. Max Verstappen (b. 1997)

With an HPI of 56.01, Max Verstappen is the 2nd most famous Belgian Racing Driver. His biography has been translated into 85 different languages.

Max Emilian Verstappen (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈmɑks fɛrˈstɑpə(n)]; born 30 September 1997) is a Dutch and Belgian racing driver, who competes under the Dutch flag in Formula One for Red Bull Racing. Verstappen has won four Formula One World Drivers' Championship titles, which he won consecutively from 2021 to 2024 with Red Bull, and has won 63 Grands Prix across 10 seasons. Born in Hasselt and raised in Maaseik, Verstappen is the son of Dutch former Formula One driver Jos Verstappen and Belgian former kart racer Sophie Kumpen. After a successful karting career—culminating in his record-breaking 2013 season—Verstappen graduated to junior formulae. Progressing directly to FIA European Formula 3, Verstappen broke several records on his way to third in the championship in his rookie season with Van Amersfoort. A member of the Red Bull Junior Team, Verstappen signed for Toro Rosso in 2015, aged 17, becoming the youngest driver in Formula One history at the Australian Grand Prix. Following several points finishes in his debut season, Verstappen retained his seat for 2016 before being promoted to parent team Red Bull after four rounds. On debut for Red Bull, aged 18, Verstappen won the Spanish Grand Prix, becoming the youngest-ever driver to win a Formula One Grand Prix. Verstappen achieved multiple race wins in his 2017 and 2018 campaigns, before finishing third in both the 2019 and 2020 World Drivers' Championships under Honda power. After winning 10 Grands Prix during the 2021 season—overtaking Lewis Hamilton on the last lap of the last race of the season—Verstappen won his maiden title, becoming the first World Drivers' Champion from the Netherlands and the 34th overall. Verstappen won the next two championships in 2022 and 2023, overturning the largest points deficit in Formula One history in the former and breaking numerous records across both seasons. He secured his fourth consecutive title in 2024 after winning nine Grands Prix, including a widely acclaimed wet-weather performance in São Paulo, to become the first driver to win the championship driving for a third-placed constructor in 41 years. As of the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Verstappen has achieved 63 race wins, 40 pole positions, 33 fastest laps and 112 podiums in Formula One. In addition to being the youngest Grand Prix winner, he holds several Formula One records, including the most wins in a season (19), the most podium finishes in a season (21), the most consecutive wins (10), and the most consecutive pole positions (8, shared with Ayrton Senna). Verstappen is set to remain at Red Bull until at least the end of the 2028 season. Verstappen was listed in the 2024 issue of Time as one of the 100 most influential people globally, and was appointed an Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau in 2022.

3. Thierry Boutsen (b. 1957)

With an HPI of 55.01, Thierry Boutsen is the 3rd most famous Belgian Racing Driver. His biography has been translated into 31 different languages.

Thierry Marc Boutsen (French: [tjɛ.ʁi but.sɛn]; born 13 July 1957) is a Belgian former racing driver, businessman and motorsport executive, who competed in Formula One from 1983 to 1993. Boutsen won three Formula One Grands Prix across 11 seasons. Boutsen competed in Formula One for Arrows, Benetton, Williams, Ligier and Jordan. He finished fourth in the 1988 World Drivers' Championship with Benetton. Boutsen also competed in 10 editions of the 24 Hours of Le Mans from 1981 to 1999, finishing runner-up in 1993 and 1996 with Peugeot and Porsche, respectively. Since retiring from motor racing, Boutsen has moved into the aviation industry, selling business jets from his firm in Monaco. He is also the founder, co-owner and advisor to Boutsen Racing, who have competed in touring car racing since 1998.

4. Camille Jenatzy (1868 - 1913)

With an HPI of 54.59, Camille Jenatzy is the 4th most famous Belgian Racing Driver. His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.

Camille Jenatzy (1868, Schaerbeek – 8 December 1913, Habay la Neuve) was a Belgian race car driver. He is known for breaking the land speed record three times and being the first man to break the 100 km/h barrier. He was nicknamed Le Diable Rouge ("The Red Devil") after the colour of his beard.

5. Willy Mairesse (1928 - 1969)

With an HPI of 53.77, Willy Mairesse is the 5th most famous Belgian Racing Driver. His biography has been translated into 24 different languages.

Willy Mairesse (French pronunciation: [wi.li mɛ.ʁɛs]; 1 October 1928 – 2 September 1969) was a Formula One and sports-car driver from Belgium. He participated in 13 World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 19 June 1960. He achieved one podium and scored a total of seven championship points. He committed suicide in a hotel room in Ostend after a crash at the 1968 24 Hours of Le Mans forced an end to his career. Peter Revson once described the intensity of Mairesse before a race at Spa, Belgium. Revson looked into his car and saw Mairesse's "furrowed" face, beetled brows, and eyes which were almost tilted and their colour changed. "It was almost like looking at the devil."

6. Olivier Gendebien (1924 - 1998)

With an HPI of 51.87, Olivier Gendebien is the 6th most famous Belgian Racing Driver. His biography has been translated into 22 different languages.

Olivier Jean Marie Fernand Gendebien (French pronunciation: [ɔlivje ʒɑ̃dəbjɛ̃]; 12 January 1924 – 2 October 1998) was a Belgian racing driver, who competed in Formula One from 1955 to 1961. Widely regarded as one of the greatest drivers in the history of sportscar racing, Gendebien was a four-time winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Ferrari, a three-time winner of the 12 Hours of Sebring, and a three-time winner of the Targa Florio. Born and raised in Brussels, Gendebien was initially a forester in the Belgian Congo before moving back to Europe in 1952, where he began his career in rallying. He won his first event driving an Alfa Romeo 1900 TI at the Tulip Rally in 1954. Gendebien added to his successes by winning the Liège–Rome–Liège Rally, Dolomites Gold Cup Race and Rally Stella Alpina in 1955, driving a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL. Attracting the attention of Enzo Ferrari, Gendebien signed for Ferrari in 1956 to compete in Formula One and sportscars, making his debut in the former at the Argentine Grand Prix. Gendebien was appointed to the Order of the Crown of Belgium by Albert II in 1998.

7. Charles de Tornaco (1927 - 1953)

With an HPI of 50.34, Charles de Tornaco is the 7th most famous Belgian Racing Driver. His biography has been translated into 20 different languages.

Baron Charles Victor Raymond André Evance de Tornaco (pronounced [ʃaʁl də tor.naˈko]; 7 June 1927 – 18 September 1953) was a racing driver from Belgium. He participated in 4 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 22 June 1952. He scored no championship points. De Tornaco was the co-founder of Ecurie Belgique, which later became Ecurie Francorchamps, and most of his racing career was with this team, driving Ferraris. In practice for the 1953 Modena Grand Prix, de Tornaco rolled his car and suffered serious head and neck injuries. There were no adequate medical facilities present, and he died on his way to hospital in a private saloon car.

8. Arthur Legat (1898 - 1960)

With an HPI of 49.45, Arthur Legat is the 8th most famous Belgian Racing Driver. His biography has been translated into 19 different languages.

Arthur Legat (French pronunciation: [aʁtyʁ leɡa]; 1 November 1898 – 23 February 1960) was a Belgian racing driver. He participated in two Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 22 June 1952. He scored no championship points. Legat won the Grand Prix des Frontières at Chimay in 1931 and 1932 with a Bugatti.

9. Georges Berger (1918 - 1967)

With an HPI of 48.62, Georges Berger is the 9th most famous Belgian Racing Driver. His biography has been translated into 20 different languages.

Georges Berger (14 September 1918 in Sint-Jans-Molenbeek, near Brussels – 23 August 1967 at the Nürburgring) was a racing driver who raced a Gordini in his two World Championship Formula One Grands Prix. He initially competed during the 1950s in a Formula 2 BMW-engined Jicey with which he finished third in the Grand Prix des Frontières at Chimay. In 1953 he raced for the Simca-Gordini team and finished fifth at the same track. He entered the same car (a 1.5-litre 4 cylinder Gordini type 15) in the Belgian Grand Prix but retired after only three laps with engine failure. The following year he raced a Gordini with nothing more than a fourth position at Rouen. After this he faded from single-seater racing. Later in his career he shared the winning Ferrari at the 1960 Tour de France automobile. He was killed racing a Porsche 911 in the 1967 84-hour Marathon de la Route at Nürburgring.

10. Patrick Nève (1949 - 2017)

With an HPI of 47.11, Patrick Nève is the 10th most famous Belgian Racing Driver. His biography has been translated into 22 different languages.

Patrick Marie Ghislain Pierre Simon Stanislas Nève de Mévergnies (13 October 1949 – 12 March 2017) was a Belgian racing driver. He participated in 14 Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on 16 May 1976. He was notable for being the first driver for Williams Grand Prix Engineering. He scored no championship points. His younger brother, Guy, was also a racing driver.

People

Pantheon has 22 people classified as Belgian racing drivers born between 1868 and 1997. Of these 22, 12 (54.55%) of them are still alive today. The most famous living Belgian racing drivers include Jacky Ickx, Max Verstappen, and Thierry Boutsen. The most famous deceased Belgian racing drivers include Camille Jenatzy, Willy Mairesse, and Olivier Gendebien. As of April 2024, 1 new Belgian racing drivers have been added to Pantheon including André Milhoux.