The Most Famous
RACING DRIVERS from Russia
This page contains a list of the greatest Russian Racing Drivers. The pantheon dataset contains 1,080 Racing Drivers, 6 of which were born in Russia. This makes Russia the birth place of the 24th most number of Racing Drivers behind Portugal, and Ireland.
Top 8
The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the most legendary Russian Racing Drivers of all time. This list of famous Russian Racing Drivers is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity.
1. Daniil Kvyat (b. 1994)
With an HPI of 44.49, Daniil Kvyat is the most famous Russian Racing Driver. His biography has been translated into 45 different languages on wikipedia.
Daniil Vyacheslavovich Kvyat (Russian: Дании́л Вячесла́вович Квят, IPA: [dənʲɪˈil vʲɪtɕɪˈslavəvʲɪtɕ ˈkvʲat]; born 26 April 1994) is a Russian professional racing driver racing for Lamborghini Iron Lynx in the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship, and part-time for SS-Green Light Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Kvyat competed in Formula One between 2014–2017 and 2019–2020. He became the second Formula One driver from Russia and is the most successful of the three Russian drivers to date, with three podiums. He was runner-up at the 2012 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0, and a champion in 2012 Formula Renault 2.0 Alps Series and 2013 GP3 Series. He made his debut in Formula One as a Toro Rosso driver in 2014 finishing 15th in the World Championship. He then moved on to Red Bull Racing to partner Daniel Ricciardo for the 2015 season. He scored his first Formula One podium finish at the 2015 Hungarian Grand Prix, finishing second behind Sebastian Vettel. In his first season with Red Bull Racing, Kvyat finished 7th in the Drivers' Championship, ahead of his teammate. He started the 2016 season with Red Bull Racing, scoring his second podium, finishing third at the 2016 Chinese Grand Prix. However, following a controversial collision during the opening lap of his home race in Sochi, Kvyat was demoted to Toro Rosso ahead of the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix, where he finished the season and was retained by the team for the next season. Although consistently demonstrating solid qualifying performances in 2017, his season was plagued by various problems, including several retirements in races where he could have scored points. After the 2017 United States Grand Prix, Kvyat and Red Bull parted ways, effectively terminating his contract. Kvyat spent 2018 as a development driver for Scuderia Ferrari, before being re-signed by Toro Rosso for the 2019 season. At the 2019 German Grand Prix Kvyat claimed the third podium of his career by finishing third; this was also Scuderia Toro Rosso's second podium finish after they won the 2008 Italian Grand Prix with Sebastian Vettel. In 2021 he was a reserve driver for the Alpine F1 Team. In 2022, Kvyat was entered to compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship for G-Drive Racing, but this team withdrew on 6 March in response to conditions introduced by the FIA following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. He called the restrictions "unfair and discriminatory". Kvyat drove at the Indianapolis Road Course race in the NASCAR Cup Series for Team Hezeberg on July 31.
2. Vitaly Petrov (b. 1984)
With an HPI of 43.86, Vitaly Petrov is the 2nd most famous Russian Racing Driver. His biography has been translated into 39 different languages.
Vitaly Aleksandrovich Petrov (Russian: Вита́лий Алекса́ндрович Петро́в, IPA: [vʲɪˈtalʲɪj ɐlʲɪkˈsandrəvʲɪtɕ pʲɪˈtrof]; born 8 September 1984) is a Russian racing driver who drove in Formula One for Renault F1 Team in 2010, Lotus Renault GP in 2011 and Caterham F1 Team in 2012. Born in Vyborg, he is known as the "Vyborg Rocket". He was the first Russian to compete in the Formula One World Championship.
3. Vladimir Chagin (b. 1970)
With an HPI of 41.09, Vladimir Chagin is the 3rd most famous Russian Racing Driver. His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.
Vladimir Gennadiyevich Chagin (Russian: Владимир Геннадьевич Чагин, IPA: [vlɐˈdʲimʲɪr gʲɪˈnadʲɪɪvɪtɕ ˈtɕægʲɪn]; born 5 January 1970) is a Russian rally raid driver. He has won the Dakar Rally driving Kamaz trucks in 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2010 and 2011, becoming the most successful single category pilot in the history of the tournament earning him the nickname "The Tsar of Dakar".As of January 2016 he holds the following records: The most Dakar rally wins in the truck category with 7 (1 more than Karel Loprais) The second most Dakar rally stage wins in all categories with 63, 5 behind Stéphane Peterhansel The record for most stage wins in a single Dakar rally season in the truck category with 9 out of 14 in 2010.
4. Nikita Mazepin (b. 1999)
With an HPI of 37.93, Nikita Mazepin is the 4th most famous Russian Racing Driver. His biography has been translated into 35 different languages.
Nikita Dmitryevich Mazepin (Russian: Ники́та Дми́триевич Мазе́пин, IPA: [nʲɪˈkʲitə ˈdmʲɪtrʲɪjɪvʲɪtɕ mɐˈzʲepʲɪn]; born 2 March 1999) is a Russian professional racing driver who most recently drove in the 2023–24 Asian Le Mans Series under a neutral flag driving for 99 Racing.A formula racing driver for much of his career, he raced in Formula One for Haas F1 Team in the 2021 Formula One World Championship under a neutral flag representing the Russian Automobile Federation. Due to the Russian Invasion of Ukraine, Haas terminated their agreement with Mazepin, as well as with the title sponsor — the Russian company Uralkali.
5. Sergey Sirotkin (b. 1995)
With an HPI of 35.98, Sergey Sirotkin is the 5th most famous Russian Racing Driver. His biography has been translated into 33 different languages.
Sergey Olegovich Sirotkin (Russian: Серге́й Оле́гович Сиро́ткин, IPA: [sʲɪrˈɡʲej ɐˈlʲeɡəvʲɪtɕ sʲɪˈrotkʲɪn]; born 27 August 1995) is a Russian professional racing driver who competed in Formula One in 2018 for the Williams team. He was also the reserve driver for Renault in 2019 and 2020.
6. Evgeny Novikov (b. 1990)
With an HPI of 29.91, Evgeny Novikov is the 6th most famous Russian Racing Driver. His biography has been translated into 19 different languages.
Evgeny Maksimovich Novikov (Russian: Евгений Максимович Новиков, romanized: Yevgeniy Maksimovich Novikov; born 19 September 1990) is a former Russian rally driver who competed in the World Rally Championship from 2007 to 2013.
7. Mikhail Aleshin (b. 1987)
With an HPI of 27.91, Mikhail Aleshin is the 7th most famous Russian Racing Driver. His biography has been translated into 18 different languages.
Mikhail Petrovich Aleshin (Russian: Михаи́л Петро́вич Алёшин, IPA: [mʲɪxɐˈil pʲɪˈtrovʲɪtɕ ɐˈlʲɵʂɨn], born 22 May 1987) is a Russian professional racing driver and the 2010 champion of the Formula Renault 3.5 Series.
8. Artem Markelov (b. 1994)
With an HPI of 27.82, Artem Markelov is the 8th most famous Russian Racing Driver. His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.
Artem Valeryevich Markelov (Russian: Артём Вале́рьевич Марке́лов, IPA: [ɐrˈtʲɵm vɐˈlʲerʲjɪvʲɪtɕ mɐrˈkʲeləf]; born 10 September 1994) is a Russian racing driver who last competed in the FIA Formula 2 Championship for HWA Team in 2020.
People
Pantheon has 8 people classified as Russian racing drivers born between 1970 and 1999. Of these 8, 8 (100.00%) of them are still alive today. The most famous living Russian racing drivers include Daniil Kvyat, Vitaly Petrov, and Vladimir Chagin. As of April 2024, 2 new Russian racing drivers have been added to Pantheon including Vladimir Chagin, and Artem Markelov.
Living Russian Racing Drivers
Go to all Rankings
Daniil Kvyat
1994 - Present
HPI: 44.49
Vitaly Petrov
1984 - Present
HPI: 43.86
Vladimir Chagin
1970 - Present
HPI: 41.09
Nikita Mazepin
1999 - Present
HPI: 37.93
Sergey Sirotkin
1995 - Present
HPI: 35.98
Evgeny Novikov
1990 - Present
HPI: 29.91
Mikhail Aleshin
1987 - Present
HPI: 27.91
Artem Markelov
1994 - Present
HPI: 27.82
