When Jackie Stewart appeared in Formula 1 in 1965 as a 25-year-old, he made an impact in his rookie season that has only been bettered by Lewis Hamilton and Jacques Villeneuve. Stewart took five podiums in his first season with BRM, including victories at the Italian Grand Prix and the non-championship BRDC International Trophy, and finished third in the standings.

He kicked off his second season with victory at Monaco, but a Belgian GP crash led to him missing a race and poor reliability left him seventh and ninth in the points in 1966 and ‘67.

Like fellow greats Michael Schumacher and Hamilton, it was an inspired move to reunite with former colleagues at Tyrell that brought out his best success and performances, including three titles and two seasons as runner-up.

If it wasn’t for injury in 1968, he may well have won the title, and his tally of 27 grand prix wins has been bettered by only seven drivers. In an era where the number of grand prixs in a season was roughly two thirds of what it is today, and having retired early it’s tantalising what achievements Stewart could have added.

Despite being absent from racing in MotoGP since the last century, Australian Mick Doohan still had an influence on the greats that succeeded him, and although two all-time legends have taken to Honda motorcycles after he did, he still has the record for the most pole positions at 58.

His five world championship titles is a tally beaten only by two others, and his 54 career wins is also a number only surpassed by Italian greats Valentino Rossi and Giacomo Agostini.

Doohan’s 1997 title is one of the most dominant displays in motorcycling history, with 12 wins and 12 poles from 15 races. He’s one of just five riders to win 10 races in a row.

No other rider in MotoGP history has held the ability to lead a race from lights-to-flag like Doohan, having achieved the feat a record 37 times.

Prior to his super successful MotoGP career with Honda, Doohan made four appearances in 1988 in the inaugural season of the World Superbike Championship. He won three times, putting him 12th in the standings. Had he contested a full campaign he would likely have won the title.

Photo: Rikita

Seven rallies into the 2019 World Rally Championship season, and once again we have a three-way fight for the title between three different manufacturers.

Sebastien Ogier, Ott Tanak and Thierry Neuville are once again the main protagonists at the halfway point of the season. So dominant have they been, fourth placed driver Elfyn Evans (representing a fourth different manufacturer) has less than third placed man Neuville’s points tally, and is the only other driver to have graced the podium twice.

Hyundai leads the manufacturer standings through Neuville and his rotating cast of team-mates, although it is third third placed Citroen that is the only outfit with a 100% podium record - and also heads the drivers’ championship thanks to Ogier.

The Frenchman’s average finishing position is 5.86, considerably lower than Toyota driver Tanak’s 2.86, and he has less rally wins with two to three. On stage wins the ratio is greater, with Tanak’s 38 dwarfing Neuville’s 21 and Ogier’s 18.

Although neither have made the podium, Toyota duo Kris Meeke and Jari-Matti Latvala have a shared 19 stage wins between them.

A stunning 12th in the standings is WRC-2 pro entrant Kalle Rovanpera. The 18-year-old Skoda driver has finished in the top eight twice.