Ranking the Enduring Legacies: America's Top Five Formula 1 Teams.

As the 2026 Formula 1 season approaches, the landscape of American involvement in the sport continues to expand, notably with the imminent arrival of Cadillac as a new constructor. This development underscores a significant surge in F1’s popularity within the United States market, evidenced by the current presence of the Haas F1 Team as a full-fledged constructor and the Red Bull Ford Powertrains supplying engines to both Red Bull Racing and Visa Cash App RB. Furthermore, the United States now hosts three Grands Prix annually, held in Texas, Miami, and Las Vegas, reflecting the sport’s growing footprint.

Despite the inherent strength and rich history of American motorsport, dedicated American F1 squads have been a relatively rare sight since the inception of the world championship in 1950. This analysis focuses on teams that mounted serious, multi-race F1 campaigns, excluding those numerous American entries primarily associated with the Indianapolis 500 during its world championship inclusion between 1950 and 1960, as these were not considered Formula 1 teams contesting Grands Prix. Similarly, sporadic privateer entries, such as Indy legend Rodger Ward’s appearance with a Leader Cards Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser Midget racer at the 1959 US Grand Prix, are not included in this ranking, which prioritizes sustained efforts.

This ranking identifies the top five American F1 teams based on their cumulative success, overall impact, and operational longevity within the pinnacle of global motorsport.

For historical context, the UK-based Team Haas (USA) Ltd, which competed with Lola chassis during the latter half of 1985 and most of 1986, accumulated six points from 19 starts. Their most notable performance occurred at the 1986 Austrian Grand Prix, where Alan Jones and Patrick Tambay secured a 4-5 finish, albeit two laps behind Alain Prost’s victorious McLaren. An honourable mention is also extended to the Scarab team, which made only two world championship starts in 1960. While their front-engined machine was technologically obsolete upon its debut, it remains a visually striking car that has demonstrated competitive spirit against its contemporaries in historic racing events.

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5. Parnelli

Years: 1974-76
Starts: 16
Best finish: 4th
Best qualifying: 3rd
Fastest laps: 1
Points: 6

The Vel’s Parnelli Jones Racing team, founded by American racing icon and 1963 Indy 500 winner Parnelli Jones alongside Velko Miletich in the late 1960s, initially established a formidable reputation in IndyCar racing, achieving immediate success with two Indy 500 victories and three USAC titles. This strong domestic foundation led Parnelli to venture into Formula 1 in 1974.

The team’s F1 effort benefited from the expertise of former Lotus designer Maurice Philippe and the formidable driving talent of Mario Andretti, who piloted the single-entry Cosworth DFV-engined VPJ4. The car made its world championship debut at the 1974 Canadian Grand Prix, with Andretti qualifying 16th and finishing seventh, narrowly missing a point. At the subsequent Watkins Glen finale, Andretti impressively qualified third but was later excluded from the race for receiving assistance from his mechanics outside the designated pit lane.

The 1975 season saw Andretti consistently challenge for points, securing finishes in the points-scoring positions in Sweden and France. Despite the technical prowess of the VPJ4 and Andretti’s driving skill, the team faced significant financial challenges, particularly after losing its crucial Firestone backing. This sponsorship deficit proved insurmountable, leading to the team’s dissolution just three races into the 1976 championship, following Andretti’s sixth-place finish at the South African Grand Prix. Parnelli’s brief F1 foray demonstrated promise but ultimately succumbed to the sport’s demanding financial pressures.

4. Haas

Years: 2016-present
Starts: 214 (ahead of 2026 season)
Best finish: 4th
Best qualifying: 4th
Fastest laps: 3
Points: 386

Gene Haas’s eponymous team has distinguished itself as one of the most successful new entries into Formula 1 in recent decades, a sport renowned for its formidable barriers to entry. Haas achieved immediate impact by scoring points on its debut at the 2016 Australian Grand Prix and subsequently reached its peak performance in 2018, finishing fifth in the constructors’ championship.

The team operates with its primary headquarters in Kannapolis, North Carolina, complemented by a European base in the UK for logistical support during the F1 season, and a technical hub at Ferrari’s facility in Maranello, Italy. Haas marked the return of an American-led F1 team since the unrelated Haas Lola operation ceased in 1986.

Haas benefits from a significant Italian technical partnership, with Dallara providing the chassis and Ferrari supplying its power units since the team’s inception. This collaborative model aims to optimize performance while managing costs, leveraging the expertise of established F1 entities.

Following its inaugural season with Romain Grosjean and Esteban Gutierrez, Haas fielded Kevin Magnussen alongside Grosjean for four consecutive seasons. Despite not yet achieving a podium finish, the team has recorded two fastest laps and its strongest race result to date remains a 4-5 finish at the 2018 Austrian Grand Prix.

The 2021 season proved to be the most challenging for Haas, which opted to focus development entirely on the new technical regulations for 2022. This strategy, combined with an all-rookie driver line-up of Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin, resulted in the team finishing without a single point, fielding the slowest car on the grid.

A significant turnaround occurred in 2022 with the return of Kevin Magnussen, replacing Mazepin following the invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent termination of Uralkali sponsorship. The new VF-22 chassis represented a substantial improvement, with Magnussen notably securing a popular fifth-place finish at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix. However, Mick Schumacher’s tenure concluded after accumulating significant repair costs, leading to his replacement by veteran Nico Hulkenberg for the 2023 season.

The VF-23 in 2023 displayed strong single-lap pace but struggled with tire degradation during races. The team concluded the year at the bottom of the constructors’ championship, with Hulkenberg’s seventh place in the season opener remaining their best result. This performance prompted a leadership change, with team principal Guenther Steiner, a prominent figure on Drive to Survive, being replaced by senior engineer Ayao Komatsu.

The 2024 season saw Haas improve its points tally, yet competitive advancements from rival teams meant they finished eighth in the constructors’ standings. A critical moment occurred when Alpine secured an unexpected double-podium finish in a wet Brazilian Grand Prix, preventing Haas from achieving a higher championship position. At the close of 2024, Magnussen departed for a second time, making way for promising rookie Oliver Bearman, who had impressed with a points-scoring F1 debut substituting for Carlos Sainz in Jeddah. Esteban Ocon, formerly of Alpine, joined Bearman to replace Hulkenberg, who moved to Sauber.

The first half of the 2025 season presented new challenges for Haas, including aerodynamic and chassis issues leading to high-speed bouncing, while Ocon consistently reported instability under braking. Despite these hurdles, the team continued to develop, aiming for greater consistency and performance in the evolving F1 landscape heading into 2026.

3. Penske

Years: 1971, 1974-76
Starts: 32 (including two running McLaren M19A and two running March 751)
Wins: 1
Podiums: 4
Poles: 1
Fastest laps: 0
Points: 26 (excludes point scored by Penske chassis run by ATS)

Team Penske, widely recognized as one of America’s most successful motorsport organizations, made a relatively brief but impactful foray into Formula 1. Its three-season involvement was marked by both significant achievement and profound tragedy.

Roger Penske’s outfit initially tested the F1 waters by running McLarens in the final two Grands Prix of 1971, where Mark Donohue secured a commendable third-place finish in challenging wet conditions at Mosport. Having established itself as an Indy 500 winner and a dominant force in Trans-Am and Can-Am, Penske returned to F1 in 1974 with its own chassis, the PC1.

Donohue, who had been enticed out of retirement for the F1 project, finished 12th on the Cosworth DFV-engined PC1’s debut at the Canadian Grand Prix. A full campaign was planned for 1975 with Donohue as the sole driver. He scored points at the 1975 Swedish Grand Prix but grew increasingly frustrated with the PC1’s lack of pace and development progress. The team subsequently switched to a March 751 chassis, with Donohue achieving a fifth-place finish at the British Grand Prix before tragically sustaining fatal injuries during a warm-up crash at the Osterreichring.

After missing the Italian Grand Prix, Penske returned for the US Grand Prix finale with John Watson now at the wheel of the PC1. Watson scored points with the PC3 at the 1976 South African Grand Prix before the car was replaced by the more competitive PC4. This new chassis proved potent, yielding third-place finishes at Paul Ricard (initially excluded but later reinstated) and Brands Hatch (following James Hunt’s disqualification). The pinnacle of Penske’s F1 journey arrived with victory at the Osterreichring.

Having qualified second, Watson adeptly managed early challenges from Ronnie Peterson’s March, Jody Scheckter’s Tyrrell, and pole-sitter James Hunt’s McLaren. He ultimately triumphed by 10.8 seconds, securing Penske’s sole F1 victory at the same venue where Donohue had lost his life a year prior. Following a bet with Roger Penske, Watson famously shaved his beard in celebration.

Despite the PC4’s competitiveness, only one additional points finish was achieved, and Penske concluded the season fifth in the constructors’ standings, behind Ferrari, McLaren, Tyrrell, and Lotus. Roger Penske subsequently made the strategic decision to refocus his efforts on IndyCar racing, selling the F1 assets. The Penske chassis continued to compete with limited success under the ATS Racing Team and Interscope Racing banners in 1977, but these outings are not included in Penske’s official F1 statistics.

2. Shadow

Years: 1973-80
Starts: 104
Wins: 1
Podiums: 7
Poles: 3
Fastest laps: 2
Points: 67.5

Don Nichols’ Shadow team, initially an American-based operation, transitioned to racing under a British license from the 1976 season onwards. While its single victory was achieved under the British flag, Shadow’s origins and driving force were undeniably American, reflecting Nichols’ ambitious vision.

The team’s svelte DN1, designed by Tony Southgate, made an immediate impact, securing a podium finish (second place) in its second outing at the 1973 Spanish Grand Prix, driven by American George Follmer. The DN5 proved even more potent at the start of the 1975 season, with Jean-Pierre Jarier claiming pole position for the first two rounds. Jarier led the Brazilian Grand Prix comfortably before a cam arm failure in the fuel metering unit forced his retirement. Just over a month later, Tom Pryce delivered a victory for Shadow in the non-championship Race of Champions at Brands Hatch with the high-downforce DN5. Despite other flashes of pace, including Pryce taking pole at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, a combination of driver errors, bad luck, and mechanical unreliability prevented Shadow from securing a deserved world championship victory in its early, most competitive period. The team’s resources were also somewhat divided by the development of the Matra V12-engined DN7 and participation in F5000.

Shadow’s competitiveness waned after this period, but the team eventually achieved its sole world championship win in challenging conditions. Alan Jones qualified his DN8 14th for the 1977 Austrian Grand Prix at the Osterreichring. As many drivers started on slick tires on a slippery track, Jones made astute progress, quickly rising to second place. When James Hunt’s Cosworth DFV engine failed with 11 laps remaining, Jones inherited the lead, securing Shadow’s — and his own — maiden Formula 1 world championship victory.

Following this triumph, Jones moved to Williams, where he would later become world champion, while Shadow experienced a decline in performance. The team suffered a significant loss of staff and sponsorship to the newly formed Arrows operation in 1978. A subsequent legal dispute over the design similarities between Shadow’s DN9 and Arrows’ FA1 was won by Shadow, but the internal disruption proved costly. Shadow eventually became part of Theodore Racing before ceasing operations in 1980.

Shadow’s history was also tragically marked by the deaths of two drivers: Peter Revson was killed in a testing accident at Kyalami in 1974, and Tom Pryce died in horrific circumstances at the same circuit during the 1977 South African Grand Prix when he collided with a marshal crossing the track.

1. Anglo American Racers (Eagle)

Years: 1966-68
Starts: 27 (including three running McLaren M7A)
Wins: 1
Podiums: 2
Best qualifying: 2nd
Fastest laps: 2
Points: 17

Anglo American Racers (AAR) and its distinctive Eagle chassis, though active for only three seasons, left an indelible mark on Formula 1 history. The Eagle T1G is widely celebrated as one of the most aesthetically pleasing racing cars ever constructed, a testament to its design and engineering.

Founded by one of America’s greatest racing drivers, Dan Gurney, who departed Brabham at the close of 1965, the F1 arm of AAR was strategically based in the UK. Gurney enlisted former Lotus designer Len Terry for chassis development, and Weslake was commissioned to develop a bespoke V12 engine for the Eagle, differentiating it from the prevalent Cosworth customer teams of the era.

The Eagle initially utilized an underpowered Climax engine, making its world championship debut at the 1966 Belgian Grand Prix. Gurney scored the team’s first points with a fifth-place finish at the subsequent French Grand Prix, marking the first F1 points ever gained by an American-built machine. The powerful Weslake V12 engine was introduced late in the 1966 season, and Gurney immediately demonstrated its potential by winning the non-championship Brands Hatch Race of Champions in early 1967.

The Eagle, with Gurney at the wheel, was consistently fast in qualifying, often positioning itself near the front of the grid. However, mechanical reliability issues, particularly with the V12’s tendency to lose power during races, frequently hampered its race performance. The arrival of the Cosworth DFV-engined Lotus 49 raised the competitive benchmark, yet Gurney’s Eagle frequently emerged as its closest challenger. He delivered a brilliant victory at the 1967 Belgian Grand Prix, achieving a record average speed. Gurney was also on course for another win at the Nurburgring before a halfshaft failure in the closing stages forced his retirement.

Despite a third-place finish in Canada, the numerous retirements limited Eagle to seventh in the constructors’ standings. Concurrently, Goodyear’s support for the team’s F1 program began to diminish. By 1968, financial constraints and the widespread availability of the Cosworth DFV engine rendered the bespoke Weslake-powered Eagle less competitive. AAR consequently ran a McLaren chassis for the final three races of the championship, with Gurney securing a fourth-place finish at Watkins Glen before withdrawing from Formula 1.

While its F1 chapter closed, All American Racers and the Eagle chassis continued to achieve immense success in IndyCar racing, securing two Indy 500 victories and a USAC title in the 1970s. AAR later spearheaded Toyota’s highly successful IMSA GTP program in the early 1990s, cementing its legacy as a pivotal force in American motorsport.

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Jonas Leo: Jonas Leo is a passionate motorsport journalist and lifelong Formula 1 enthusiast. With a sharp eye for race strategy and driver performance, he brings readers closer to the world of Grand Prix racing through in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive paddock insights. Jonas has covered everything from preseason testing to dramatic title deciders, capturing the emotion and precision that define modern F1. When he’s not tracking lap times or pit stop tactics, he enjoys exploring classic racing archives and writing about the evolution of F1 technology.