Who has the most followers on the grid? Check out the top 10 most followed F1 drivers on Instagram in 2022.
As Formula 1’s popularity has grown in recent years thanks to Netflix’s Drive to Survive series, it comes as no surprise that all of the drivers’ social media followings have grown as well. But who’s taking the lead on Instagram?
Top 10 Most Followed F1 Drivers on Instagram
10) Pierre Gasly and Valtteri Bottas – 3.4M
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AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly is tied for tenth place with Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas on the list of the top ten most followed F1 drivers with 3.4 million followers each. With Gasly’s famous “liked by Pierre Gasly” meme and Bottas’ cheeky print photo that helped raise more than €50,000 for charity, it’s difficult to find someone who dislikes them.
The French driver has one race win, 3 podium finishes, and 327 career points since joining Formula 1 in 2017, while the Finnish driver has had 10 race wins, 20 pole positions, and 67 podium finishes.
9) George Russell – 3.7M
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George Russell is one of Formula 1’s most promising drivers. His fan base has grown dramatically since replacing Valtteri Bottas at Mercedes this season. The 24-year-old has 3.7 million Instagram followers, which places him ninth on the list.
Russell is now fifth in this season’s Driver Standing with 170 points, ahead of his teammate Lewis Hamilton who is sixth with 146 points. The British driver has yet to win a race, however, he has 6 podium finishes, 189 career points, and 1 pole position which he took at the 2022 Hungarian Grand Prix.
8) Fernando Alonso – 4.6M
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Two-time F1 world champion Fernando Alonso lands eighth on the list with 4.6 million followers. After more than 300 Grands Prix, Alonso has 32 wins, 22 pole positions, and 98 podium finishes.
The Spaniard will join Aston Martin for the 2023 season, replacing the retiring Sebastian Vettel in a shock move that was announced out of the blue earlier this month. El Plan is still alive and well.
7) Sergio Perez – 4.7M
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Sergio “Checo” Perez ranks seventh with 4.7 million followers. He is the most successful Mexican driver in history with 3 race wins, 1 pole position, and 22 podium finishes.
After winning the 2022 Monaco Grand Prix, Checo signed a two-year contract extension with Red Bull, committing him to the team until the end of the 2024 season. With Red Bull looking very likely to take the 2022 Constructors Championship expect Perez’ following to continue to grow.
6) Carlos Sainz Jr. – 5.6M
Carlos Sainz Jr. or simply Carlos Sainz is among F1 fans’ favorites. He has 5.6 million followers ranking him sixth on the list. A very popular driver, the Smooth Operator, has driven for the Red Bull system, Renault (Alpine), McLaren, & now Fererari. The Spaniard is enjoying his most successful season so far after getting his first-ever win at the 2022 British Grand Prix. With 171 points, Sainz is now fourth in the Driver Standings behind teammate Charles Leclerc and ahead of both Mercedes drivers. The Ferrari driver has 1 race win, 2 pole positions, and 13 podium finishes in his career.
5) Lando Norris – 5.7M
McLaren’s Lando Norris comes in fifth with 5.7 million followers as he grows in popularity day by day. During the coronavirus outbreak, he started live streaming video games on Twitch, noting that streaming games online helps him get closer to the fans. In a global fan survey conducted by F1 in 2021, Norris ranked as the second most popular driver.
Although he has yet to win his first race, the 22-year-old has 1 pole position, 6 podiums, and 382 career points so far. Norris is currently ranked third among the highest-paid F1 drivers in 2022 after signing a new McLaren deal that will keep him with the team until the end of 2025.
4) Daniel Ricciardo – 7.3M
Of course, Daniel Ricciardo is one of the most followed F1 drivers on Instagram with 7.3 million followers. The “Honey Badger” is one of the most likable characters on the grid among F1 fans and drivers themselves.
The Australian has recently announced his departure from McLaren, leaving the team with only one sensational win at Monza in 2021, making him the only driver to win in a McLaren in the last decade. The 33-year-old has 8 race wins, 3 pole positions, and 32 podium finishes in his career.
3) Charles Leclerc – 8.6M
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Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc comes in third with 8.6 million followers. His fan base has recently increased alongside his talent as he challenges for the World Championship. Expect his number of followers to grow even further with Ferrari’s massive fan support worldwide and his charming personality. Leclerc already has 5 race wins, 16 pole positions, and 18 podium finishes since joining Formula 1 in 2018.
2) Max Verstappen – 9.1M
2021 world champion and current championship leader Max Verstappen is second on the list with 9.1 million followers. The Red Bull star is the first Dutch driver and the youngest driver to win a Formula 1 Grand Prix at the age of 18. As of the 2022 Belgian Grand Prix, the 24-year-old has 29 race wins, 16 pole positions, and 71 podium finishes. While his demeanor at times and on-track moves during the 2021 season drew a divide amongst fans, Verstappen has a massive fanbase throughout Europe and supporting the Red Bull team.
1) Lewis Hamilton – 29.7M
With nearly 30 million followers, Mercedes star Lewis Hamilton tops the list of the most followed F1 driver on Instagram. He even has more followers than the official Formula 1 account, which has 20.6 million followers.
The British driver not only dominates social media, but he also holds the record for the most World Driver’s Championships (7), which he shares with F1 legend Michael Schumacher. He did, however, break all other records, including 103 race wins, 103 pole positions, and 183 podium finishes. Hamilton’s fame goes well beyond motor racing as he continually redefines the boundaries of an F1 race, sportsperson, and ambassador.
What do you think of the top-followed F1 drivers? Which driver do you believe makes the best use of Instagram? Join the LWOS community and share your opinion in the comments section!
