Best F-1 Drivers Who Never Won Title | Page 2 | FerrariChat

Best F-1 Drivers Who Never Won Title

Discussion in 'F1' started by David Lind, May 10, 2012.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. furoni

    furoni F1 World Champ

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2011
    Messages:
    14,030
    Location:
    Vila Verde
    Full Name:
    Pedro Braga Soares


    Coulthard!!??? that´s even worse than barrichelo!!!!
     
  2. 375+

    375+ F1 World Champ Silver Subscribed

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2005
    Messages:
    13,908
    Hill was a competent test driver in a car that was the class of the field, not a great racer. No one with Frank Williams' record of determination and success can be described as a moron.
     
  3. TifosiUSA

    TifosiUSA F1 Veteran

    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2007
    Messages:
    8,468
    Location:
    Kansas City, MO
    Full Name:
    DJ
    Don't get your panties in a bunch, I'm not saying Frank Williams is a moron overall but he has done several extremely moronic things over the years that has led his team to a fall from grace.

    Being a cheap ass has come back to bite him. Getting rid of Hill was stupid (Hill was a much better driver than you think, surely would have done better for Williams than Heinz Herald Frentzen did in 1997), and letting Adrian Newey go was an moronic move of titanic proportions.

    He should have also allowed BMW to take a bigger role in the team when they wanted to. Yes, he could have still held the majority and stayed in charge (like Dennis at McLaren with MBZ) but instead his stubbornness let the team slipped into cash-strapped mediocrity. Today, it has been reduced to hiring pay drivers to get by.

    All through mismanagement, it's a shame, really...
     
  4. TheDuke

    TheDuke Formula 3 Rossa Subscribed

    Joined:
    Jul 22, 2011
    Messages:
    2,291
    Location:
    Texas
    Flame suit on...
    Massa. He almost won it in 2008
     
  5. TifosiUSA

    TifosiUSA F1 Veteran

    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2007
    Messages:
    8,468
    Location:
    Kansas City, MO
    Full Name:
    DJ
    Pre crash Massa was very, very quick.
     
  6. Peter Tabmow

    Peter Tabmow Formula Junior

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2010
    Messages:
    673
    Stefan Bellof -- an amazing Gilles-style talent (and personality)

    Tony Brooks -- the archetype of the smooth, deceptively fast racing driver

    Adding in the oft above-mentioned Moss, Villeneuve, and Gurney would complete an impressive top five.
     
  7. OhioMark

    OhioMark Formula Junior

    Joined:
    Feb 16, 2006
    Messages:
    467
    Frank Williams let many good drivers walk out the door figuring he could always
    find another driver willing to drive his then, competitive cars. Unfortunately,
    the last upper scale driver he's had in the past 10 years was Montoya, and again
    he let him go to McLaren. Hopefully we'll see them continue to improve as they
    have this year and end the winning drought that last saw Montoya win for them.
     
  8. kverges

    kverges F1 Rookie

    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2003
    Messages:
    3,179
    Location:
    Dallas
    Full Name:
    Keith Verges
    FWIW, he did not exactly crash, and in 2008 he would have been WC, had not his team treated him like a red-headed stepchild to his "faster" teammate.

    Just avoiding the failure to disconnect the fuel hose in Singapore would have allowed Massa to be WC.

    But, to his amazing credit, I don't recall Mass whining like certain other prima donna drivers.
     
  9. TifosiUSA

    TifosiUSA F1 Veteran

    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2007
    Messages:
    8,468
    Location:
    Kansas City, MO
    Full Name:
    DJ
    Well...yeah. Crash, accident, whatever.
     
  10. Mitch Alsup

    Mitch Alsup F1 Veteran

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2003
    Messages:
    9,745
    Errr, Massa was only WC for about 23 seconds until Vetel and Hamilton passed Glock at the last turn.
     
  11. Aircon

    Aircon Ten Time F1 World Champ BANNED

    Joined:
    Jun 23, 2003
    Messages:
    100,524
    Location:
    Melbourne, Australia
    Full Name:
    Peter
    Not even Damon Hill thinks that.
     
  12. ross

    ross Three Time F1 World Champ Owner Silver Subscribed

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2002
    Messages:
    38,177
    Location:
    houston/geneva
    Full Name:
    Ross
    sorry about rindt - had forgotten that.

    barichello, like many of the drivers on this list, did not make it to wc because they were driving as #2. barrichello could have won at least one of the years he was seconding schumi. and the year he drove with button at brawn he nearly had it too.
     
  13. TifosiUSA

    TifosiUSA F1 Veteran

    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2007
    Messages:
    8,468
    Location:
    Kansas City, MO
    Full Name:
    DJ
    Shame he never got the chance to be a WDC contender. People love to get romantic about Senna's drive in the Toleman in 84 at Monaco when he was running down Prost but most don't remember that it was Bellof that was chasing down both of them...an incredible talent taken too soon.
     
  14. 375+

    375+ F1 World Champ Silver Subscribed

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2005
    Messages:
    13,908
    Ah, Montoya. Talk about a talent squandered. Now he spends his time in boogityville driving in circles in hope of a top 20 finish. Any opinions here?
     
  15. Isobel

    Isobel F1 World Champ

    Joined:
    Jun 30, 2007
    Messages:
    10,639
    Location:
    On a Wave's Chicane
    Full Name:
    Is, Izzy for Australians
    Superb candidates all. I'd add Ickx and Warwick. I'm sure there were/are plenty of other WDC possibles we're missing who just couldn't make it out of the minnows to be acknowledged, ie; Alex Caffi and Nicola Larini.

    Kind of wonder what Herbert would have done had he not injured himself before his F1 career began.
     
  16. Isobel

    Isobel F1 World Champ

    Joined:
    Jun 30, 2007
    Messages:
    10,639
    Location:
    On a Wave's Chicane
    Full Name:
    Is, Izzy for Australians
    No question. Good call, a natural. ;)
     
  17. Chicko

    Chicko Formula 3

    Joined:
    May 3, 2005
    Messages:
    2,123
    Location:
    Scotland, Singapore.
    Robert Kubica.
     
  18. Gatorrari

    Gatorrari F1 World Champ Silver Subscribed

    Joined:
    Feb 27, 2004
    Messages:
    16,513
    Location:
    Georgia
    Full Name:
    Jim Pernikoff
    I'd say that Moss was unquestionably the best never to win the title. And Amon is clearly the best never to win a championship GP race.
     
  19. nickd

    nickd Formula Junior

    Joined:
    Nov 20, 2006
    Messages:
    991
    Location:
    Landenberg PA
    Full Name:
    Nick Dunlop
    Jim Clark - without doubt one of the best drivers ever....
     
  20. David Lind

    David Lind Formula 3

    Joined:
    Nov 19, 2008
    Messages:
    2,248
    Full Name:
    David Lind
    Clark won 2 F-1 titles and wouldhave won again in 1967 but for reliability issues. He also won the Indy 500 (twice, if it weren't for home cooking at IMS) in 3 tries. He was so good, even AJ Foyt said he was great. How many people has AJ ever said that about?
     
  21. Peter Tabmow

    Peter Tabmow Formula Junior

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2010
    Messages:
    673
    If I had to pick just one, it would be Sir Stirling...
     
  22. TheMayor

    TheMayor Ten Time F1 World Champ Rossa Subscribed

    Joined:
    Feb 11, 2008
    Messages:
    107,222
    Location:
    Vegas baby
    I also vote Alesi.

    Jimmy Clark was probably the best driver ever in my book. Unbelievable.
     
  23. 375+

    375+ F1 World Champ Silver Subscribed

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2005
    Messages:
    13,908
    Right on.
     
  24. spirot

    spirot F1 World Champ

    Joined:
    Dec 12, 2005
    Messages:
    15,196
    Location:
    Atlanta
    Full Name:
    Tom Spiro
    Those who never won the WDC;
    1. Stirling Moss
    2. Jackie Ickx
    3. Gilles Villeneuve
    4. Carlos Reutemann
    5. Tazio Nouvalari
    6. Wolfgang Von Trips


    Ones that did not deserve it:

    1. James Hunt
    2. Keke Rosberg
    3. Mike Hawthorn
     
  25. 375+

    375+ F1 World Champ Silver Subscribed

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2005
    Messages:
    13,908
    Alesi is a tragic character right out of an Italian opera, at least in terms of his career choices.

    Again, my three top choices: Peterson, Villeneuve and Alesi. Pure talent and tenacity. I miss seeing them all.
     

Share This Page