There are plenty of cars manufacturers that are named after people. Many of the bigger brands take the name of their founders such as Ford, Toyota, Citroen, etc. This holds especially true for sportscar makers such as Bugatti, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Pagani, Porsche, et al. However, it is pretty rare to have a car named after someone else. Formula One drivers are idolised all over the world. As a result it makes good sense to name a car after these adored personalities. Over the last seventy-plus years nearly 800 drivers have competed in at least one F1 race. However, there are only a handful who have the honour of a car named after them. Here, in chronological order, are five cars named after Formula One drivers.
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Mercedes-McLaren SLR Stirling Moss
Mercedes-Benz pulled the wraps off the Mercedes-McLaren SLR Stirling Moss in 2009, named after the famous British racing ace. Moss was a multiple F1 winner, but didn’t manage to win a world title. As a result he is the only non-champion on this list. It’s strange that there was no Fangio edition Mercedes, or even a Lewis Hamilton Merc, considering how successful they both were in Mercedes racecars.
The SLR Stirling Moss was created as an homage to the car that Sir Stirling drove to a famous victory at the 1955 Mille Miglia road race. Just 75 units of the SLR Stirling Moss were produced. A 5,4-litre supercharged V8 is connected to the rear wheels through an automatic transmission. The engine produced 478 kW. The permanently roofless, and windscreen-less, car boasted a mass saving of about 200 kg versus a regular SLR.
Quick facts
0-100 km/h: 3,5 sec
Top speed: 354 km/h
Infiniti Vettel Edition
Sebastian Vettel is the youngest member of this illustrious club, although ‘his’ car is the least sporty of the lot. The link between the German four-time champ and the Infiniti Vettel Edition is convoluted. Renault provided the engines that powered Seb to his four consecutive F1 titles. Renault and Nissan are part of the same automotive group and Infiniti is the luxury arm of Nissan. In an effort to make the brand seem more sporty they created a limited edition version with the German’s name.
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The Infiniti Vettel Edition is based on the FX SUV. It has styling changes and a few mechanical upgrades. Among these are carbon fibre trim items such as the wing mirror caps and interior console. Additionally, there is a model-specific front and rear spoiler. There’s also slightly lighter alloys and a stiffer suspension. The 5,0-litre V8 produced 313 kW and 520 N.m of torque.
Quick facts
0-100 km/h: 5,6 sec
Top speed: 250 km/h
Brabham BT62R
Jack Brabham, is still the only man to win an F1 title driving a car that carried his name. Something we probably won’t see changing anytime soon. The triple F1 champ’s name has been applied to a supercar called the BT62. The Brabham BT62 is built by Brabham Automotive, which is headed up by Sir Jack’s son David. An extreme ‘race’ derivative boasts a mid-mounted 5,4-litre naturally aspirated V8 that produces 525 kW and a devilish 666 N.m of torque. It tips the scales at just 972 kg. Aerodynamic grip is supposedly high as the shape produces a reported 1 200 kg of downforce. The R (where R stands for ‘road’ not ‘race’) version has the same naturally aspirated V8 as its track sibling but it features a more road-friendly state of tune and regular transmission. The engine produces a similar 522 kW.
Quick facts
0-100 km/h: <3,0 sec
Top speed: >300 km/h
McLaren Senna
McLaren was founded by Kiwi F1 driver Bruce McLaren, so this car is technically named after two F1 drivers: Bruce and Brazilian Ayrton Senna da Silva. The British sportscar specialists threw all its expertise to create the Senna. Lightweight construction has resulted in a total mass of just 1 200 kg. To achieve quick laps times the Senna has 800 kg of downforce. This is achieved thanks to an active suspension that lowers the body to increase the power of the aerodynamics. A twin-turbocharged 4,0-litre V8 cranks out 588 kW and 800 N.m of torque. An automated seven-speed transmission sends all that power to the rear axle.
Quick facts
0-100 km/h: 2,8 sec
Top speed: 340 km/h
Bonus:
Senna’s name was also applied to a Ducati, called the Ducati 916 Senna. He was a fan of the brand and an owner of its previous range-leading bike. The, then, owners of Ducati convinced him to lend his name to the 916. Using his name and the famous Senna double S logo meant that royalties from the sale of the bike would be directed to the late F1 champion’s charitable foundation. The 916 cm3 V-twin engine produced just over 80 kW, but it weighed in at under 200 kg.
Ducati followed up with a few limited edition bikes over the years. The latest, a Monster Senna special edition was unveiled at the Imola F1 GP in 2024.
Quick facts
0-100 km/h: n/a
Top speed: 255 km/h
GMA T.50S Niki Lauda
Gordon Murray designed, what many people consider, the best supercar of all time in the shape of the McLaren F1. The South African-born F1 designer more recently developed a car that is supposed to cure the problems of the famous F1. The road-going GMA T.50 is already a technical marvel, but it has spawned a wild, Niki Lauda version named for the later Austrian triple world champ.
The GMA T.50S Niki Lauda includes a wild aero package. At the rear is a 400 mm fan and a massive diffuser. As a result the shape produces a whopping 1 500 kg of downforce which is almost double its 852 kg mass. A Cosworth built 3,9-litre naturally aspirated V12 produces 523 kW at a dizzying 11 500 r/min. The very first Niki Lauda is reportedly dubbed the “Kyalami” after the designer’s first F1 win.
Quick facts
0-100 km/h: ~3,0 sec
Top speed: 274-338 km/h (gear-set dependent)
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