Formula One, abbreviated to F1, is the highest class of open-wheeled auto racing defined by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), motorsport's world governing body. The "formula" in the name refers to a set of rules to which all participants and cars must conform. Each year, the F1 World Championship season is held. It consists of a series of races, known as Grands Prix, held usually on purpose-built circuits, and in a few cases on closed city streets. Drivers are awarded points based on their finishing position in each race, and the driver who accumulates the most points over each championship is crowned that year's World Drivers' Champion. As of the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix, there have been 782 Formula One drivers from 41 different nationalities who have started at least one of the 1,152 FIA World Championship races since the first such event, the 1950 British Grand Prix.

Seven-time champions Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton hold the record for the most championships. Hamilton also holds the record for the most wins with 105, the most pole positions with 104, the most points with 5059.5, and the most podiums with 203. Fernando Alonso has entered more Grands Prix than anyone else (431) and also holds the record for the most Grand Prix starts (428). The United Kingdom is the most represented country, having produced 163 drivers. Nine countries have been represented by just one. China became the latest country to be represented by a driver when Zhou Guanyu made his Formula One debut at the 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix driving for Alfa Romeo. The most recent driver to make his Formula One debut is Arvid Lindblad, who debuted at the 2026 Australian Grand Prix.

This list includes all drivers who have entered a World Championship race, including 104 participants of the Indianapolis 500 between 1950 and 1960 when it formed a round of the World Championship (although not being run according to Formula One rules or sanctioned by the FIA).

This list is accurate as of the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix. Drivers who only participated in Friday practice and who were not actually entered for the race are not included.

Drivers from 41 countries have entered a World Championship race. The United Kingdom is the most heavily represented with 164 drivers. Second is the United States with 160; between 1950 and 1960 the American Indianapolis 500 race, then rarely contested by drivers from outside the United States, was part of the World Championship (but it was not sanctioned by the FIA and was instead sanctioned by either AAA in 1950–1955 or USAC in 1956–1960). A total of 58 American drivers have started World Championship races sanctioned by the FIA. Third is Italy with 100. Nine of these countries were represented in the very first race, the 1950 British Grand Prix, and the most recent newly represented country is China, with Zhou Guanyu making his debut at the 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix. Statistics are accurate as of the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix.