Dominance is more than just winning races, it is about rewriting the rules of possibility.
Sometimes, engineers create those rare cars that stood above all others on the grid.
Lets go through some of the most iconic Formula 1 cars that did not just win, they obliterated the competition.
Red Bull RB19 (2023)
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The Red Bull RB19 of 2023 season, driven by Max Verstappen, was not just quick, it was almost untouchable.
Winning 21 one races out of 22, that is a 95.45% win rate, the highest ever recorded in F1 history.
Only one race slipped away from Red Bull that year, and even then, they were still in hunt.
It was Carlos Sainz who won at Singapore, and Red Bull was not even on podium that race, Max finished 5th.
However, what made the RB19 so incredible, it was a perfect coctail of Adrian Newey aero brilliance, unbeatable straight line speed and tire management that seemed unfair.
Max also led more than 86% of all laps in 2023, which is just wild when you think about it.
McLaren MP4/4 (1988)
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Long before the Red Bull era, McLaren set a record in 1988, they set a record, which was considered unmatchable for decades.
Designed in partnership with Honda, winning 15 out of 16 races, that is 93.75%.
The most interesting part was that they led 97.3% of all race laps in 1988, Senna and Prost were in a class of their own.
Mercedes W07 Hybrid (2016)
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When F1 switched to turbo era, Mercedes dominated, and the W07 of 2016 was the peak of that dominance.
With 19 wins out of 21, which is around 90.5%.
The W07 also earned one of the highest percentages of available points ever scored by a team.
It was not flashy in the way Red Bull cars dance through corners, it was a relentless, high speed sledgehammer.
Ferrari F2002 (2002)
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Schumacher era, the F2002 helped him to secure one of his most dominant titles in F1.
With 14 wins out of 17 races, that is about 88%, the car was just from another planet.
The F2002 was introduced in mid-season and still managed to mop the floor with the competition.
The interesting part is that Schumacher was on podium every race he finished, and not only was the car fast but also virtually flawless reliability.
It felt like Ferrari was operating in a different universe compared to the rest of the Grid in 2002.
Ferrari F2004 (2004)
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Two years after, in 2004, again Schumacher dominated the season, in his first 8 races he won 7, then the crash at Monaco with Montoya stopped him from winning 8 out of 8.
With 13 wins out of 18 in 2004, it carried Ferrari to another dominant campaign.
It did not break win records but it broke lap records that stood for years thanks to its V10 engine.
The Ferrari F2004 was so fast it made many circuits rethink safety margins.
Williams FW14B (1992)
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Thought now the highest in terms of win percentage, but the Williams FW14B deserves mention for how far ahead it was in terms of TECH.
Active suspensions, traction control, semi-automatic gearbox, it was like driving spaceship back in the day.
Mansell was unstoppable that season he won 9 out of 16 races that year and secured the title with five races to spare.
The car had a pole position rate of 88%, showing just how dominant it was in qualifying too!
Red Bull RB18 (2022)
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Finally the Red Bull of 2022, the battle with Leclerc and Verstappen in the first race in Bahrain back in the day, we though, Finally Ferrari is back and it is time for them to win again.
But Red Bull, was on another level after just three or four races, they started the new ground-effect era with a bang.
With 17 wins in 22 races, it brought Max Verstappen his second title and re-established Red Bull as the team to beat after Mercedes’ long reign.
It laid the groundwork for what the RB18 would perfect a year later.
The RB18 was not just flawless early on, but once it got going, no one could match its race pace or tire degradation over a stint.
What Makes a Season “Dominant”?
It’s not just about how many races a car wins — though that helps. Truly dominant cars do more than just take checkered flags:
- They lead most of the laps, often from pole position.
- They break lap records, even late in races.
- They almost always secure both titles early.
- They push the rules and technology to the edge — and sometimes redefine it.
Every era of F1 has seen at least one car that made fans and rivals say: “Yeah, there’s no beating that this year.”
| Car / Season | Win Rate | Notable Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Red Bull RB19 (2023) | 95.5% | Led 86% of all laps, most dominant season ever |
| McLaren MP4/4 (1988) | 93.8% | Led 97.3% of laps; nearly perfect season |
| Mercedes W07 (2016) | ~90.5% | Rosberg vs Hamilton in record-breaking car |
| Ferrari F2002 (2002) | ~88% | Schumacher on podium nearly every race |
| Williams FW14B (1992) | ~62% | Tech revolution, 88% pole rate by Mansell |
