With all the talk about these being the years of ultimate decay and charmless professionalism for Formula One, it does you good to look back on those that turned the sport into something more. While motor sports news and results only give you the statistics, track heroes are the only ones that can truly rekindle your love for the open cockpit.

James Hunt

No matter whether you wanted to learn some tricks for the tracks, to get some advice on wooing girls or even how to bet on NASCAR, James Hunt was the go-to-guy. This driver was known to stir up a lot more than just some engine rumble, easily making himself a tabloid hit.

Nonetheless, Hunt enjoyed the impression that his profession allowed him to make, and completely savored it. This is evident in the bold moves and unpredictable decisions on the tracks that deservedly got him all the way to the F1 world championship title back in '96.

Jack Brabham

If you really need someone to restore your faith in the raw sportsmanship and dedication to Formula One, Brabham's achievement is nothing short of perfect. This triple-world champion cannot be surpassed with a couple of race victories, as he is still known to be the only driver that won a world championship in a Formula One car of his own design and build.

Alain Prost

'Le professeur' reached the tracks around the golden age of F1 racing, although many would argue that there were a lot of rough spots that needed refining in the 80s and the first half of the 90s. Prost was the most prolific poet that expressed his talent through the steering wheel in calligraphic rushes and turns.

Still, the utmost discipline that made him a desirable driver for every team manager proved to hide a wild side that wouldn't accept defeat. In the archetypal rivalry with Senna, Prost managed to retire and un-retire in two years just to finish his final season in '93 as a winner.

Michael Schumacher

Arguably the most dominant figure in the last decade of the past century and the first decade of the current one, Schumacher was known and loved by both fans and casual media followers alike. He made an impression on the audience prior to entering the cockpit, as his undeniable charisma would trick everyone into following his lead.

Schumacher remains both in the record books due to the seven world championship titles, and in the hearts of fans worldwide.

Ayrton Senna

There is no question regarding the brains behind track strategies and F1 car tunings - Senna's intelligence was well known to run the show up to his very end. With a career span slightly longer than his ultimate opponent Prost, this driver had been well aware of his gifted nature and demanded what he believed in - a victory at all costs. In the end, both expected and devastating, his inherent virtuosity became his doom.