It is true that race fans are a rabid bunch, and it is never easy to compile a list of top drivers without raising some controversy. You may have your own favourites, but some drivers have really taken racing to another level and played a role in making it a mainstream sport. Fans flock to see cars driven with great skill at great speed. Here are some real motor racing heroes of the modern era from the main professional racing disciplines.Lewis HamiltonLewis Hamilton is among the fastest, immensely talented, and tough-to-beat racers professional racing has ever seen. Currently racing for the Mercedes team, he is 2008, 2014, and 2015 F1 World Champion. In 2015, he became the first British driver ever to win back-to-back Formula-One world titles. With the 32nd victory of his career, he now claims the fifth spot on the all-time championship list alongside many famous names like Nelson Piquet, Niki Lauda and Ayrton Senna. He is also the first non-German racer to win 10 races in a season.Jeff GordonCurrently driving the No. 24 Chevrolet SS, Gordon has already won four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in a seven-year span and is responsible for making auto racing a mainstream American sport. He started racing at the age of 5 and joined NASCAR’s circuit in 1992. After claiming his third win in Daytona 500 in 2005, he went on to accumulate a modern-record of 30 Top-10 finishes in 2007. He is the point leader in the 67th season of professional stock car racing.Nasser Al-AttiyahThis Qatari rally driver was the 2006 Production World Rally Champion. He is also 2014 WRC2 Champion and an eight-time Middle East Rally Champion. Al-Attiyah is also 2015 Dakar Rally winner and currently competes in the Middle East Rally Championship and World Rally Championship for the Qatar World Rally Team.Scott DixonDixon from New Zealand is a quadruple Indy Car Champion. He competes for Chip Ganassi Racing and has already claimed the championship four times in 2003, 2008, 2013, and 2015. Quite amazingly, he also won the 92nd Indianapolis 500 from pole position. He is the leading non-U.S. driver to compete in American Championship Cars. He has 37 wins in the current Indy Car series. His fans love him and put him in the list of 33 greatest drivers in Indianapolis 500 history.Timo BernhardThe German driver has a long list of wins under his belt, with victories in all top sports car endurance races, including 24 hours of Daytona, 24 hours of Le Mans, and the 12 hours of Sebring. He won his first title when he was just 10 – it was at the junior karting slalom. Now an important part of Porsche’s Le Mans LMP1 project, he is among the most successful German sports car drivers. He drives the Porsche 919 Hybrid in the 2015 FIA World Endurance Championship season and is currently holding a twelve-point lead over Audi’s team.