Top Greatest F1 drivers who never won Formula 1 championship

In life and sports, people will remember only the winners. No 2 will be forgotten the next day or completely erased from people’s minds. The tradition is being followed in Formula 1, where many great F1 legend's names and iconic careers were erased because of finishing second. 

Do they deserve this? Absolutely not. Their efforts and hard work are secondary to none and we as Formula 1 fans should appreciate all these legends who gave everything for us during their time in Formula 1. Let's remember some memorable F1 drivers who didn't win any championships.

Here are the top greatest F1 drivers with no F1 championships

Ronnie Peterson

The Swedish racer finished as runner-up in the championship fight twice in his F1 career. He won 10 races in his total 123 starts but that was not the issue. The biggest problem he faced throughout his career was reliability, which has cost him championship titles. He should have won at least one Formula 1 title.

He raced for teams like Lotus, March, and Tyrell. Peterson was called ‘Superswede’ for his incredible pace and outstanding talent. He lost his life when he was fighting for his championship title against Mario Andretti in the 1978 season. His Lotus burnt due to the impact of the crash and was pulled out by his fellow drivers. He had severe burns and a massive injury to his legs and died in the hospital. 

Jacky Ickx

The Belgian driver had a two-decade career in racing and won the world's greatest championships like the Dakar Rally and 24 horse Le Mans but couldn’t win the Formula 1 championship. He raced in 116 races, winning 8 races and scoring 25 podiums. In the 1970 season, he should have won the Formula 1 title as his rival Jochen Rindt died after a crash in Italy. There were three races left but Jacky was 5 points behind Rindt after the season. His skill and fighting spirit deserved a title.

Gilles Villenueuve

Canadian driver and father of 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve missed his F1 title many times in his 6-season Formula 1 career. Despite having the talent to win an F1 title, he didn't have a competitive car. But the Canadian continued to impress everyone by finishing on the podium with an uncompetitive car. Gilles lost his championship to his teammate Jody Scheckter by 4 points in the 1979 season. He died at the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix when his car went up in the air at 140 mph and crashed heavily.

Rubens Barrichello

The Brazilian had an outstanding F1 career but ended up with no titles. Thanks to Michael Schumacher and his dominance at Ferrari, Barchello, being a teammate, couldn’t outpace the German. He was the runner-up from the 2002 to 2004 seasons. 

David Coulthard

The British driver was one of the most talented drivers in Formula 1 but couldn’t win any championships. He helped McLaren and Mika Hakkinen beat Ferrari and Michael Schumacher in the late 90s. He then went closer to the title in the 2001 season and finished second in the driver's championship. He was also Red Bull's first F1 driver and he is the one who started a huge legacy for the Austrian beverage manufacturer in Formula 1. He retired in 2008 after four years at Red Bull. DC was pinpoint to predict Red Bull domination during the 2010 season.

Gerhard Berger

The only favourite teammate of F1 legend Ayrton Senna was Berger. The Brazilian was known to have constant heating moments with his teammates, but Gerhard Berger is the only driver who made him laugh. In his F1 career Berger raced for Benetton, and Ferrari McLaren but couldn't reach the top as a champion. But he contributed to McLaren’s 1990 and 1991 constructors championship wins.

Mark Webber

The Australian driver was one of the greatest talents in Formula 1. Debuting for the Minardi team in 2002, Webber soon rose to fame with his skills and talent. He went to Jaguar, Williams but his biggest move was to Red Bull Racing. He was the teammate of four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel and was very close to winning the 2010 championship as he was in contention along with Vettel, Hamilton and Alonso. A tyre strategy ruined his win as he finished seventh and his teammate won the title. Vettel became the new number 1 driver of the team and Webber was sidelined for the next 3 years until his retirement in the 2013 season.

Felippe Massa

The Brazilian was the favourite teammate of the 7-time world champion Michael Schumacher. He became the favourite son of the Scuderia and in the 2008 season, he was on the verge of becoming the world champion in his home Brazil. The 'Crash Gate' incident of Renault at the Singapore GP made Lewis Hamilton the world champion, as Massa lost some points because of that incident.

Daniel Ricciardo

The fan-favourite driver, Daniel Ricciardo, was definitely championship material. In his first season with Red Bull, he beat 4-time world champion Sebastian Vettel and finished third in the 2014 and 2016 seasons. His career decisions botched his path and made him exit the sport without any championship.

Bruce McLaren

The McLaren team founder, Bruce McLaren, was a racing driver from New Zealand. He won LeMans as a co-driver of Ken Miles in the 1965 season. He joined Formula 1 in the 1958 season and in 1960 ended as a runner-up against teammate Jack Brabham. He founded McLaren Racing in 1962 and competed for them from the 1966 season until his death. He won the 1968 Belgian Grand Prix and finished third in the 1969 season. He died in the 1970 season when testing the new McLaren car at Goodwood.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Great F1 drivers who couldn’t win any word titles in their career?

Daniel Ricciardo, Mark Webber, and Bruce McLaren are the drivers who couldn't win any F1 titles. There are also many other legends without Formula 1 championships.

2. Did Bruce McLaren win any races and championships in Formula 1?

Bruce McLaren won the 1959 United States Grand Prix, the 1962 Monaco Grand Prix, the 1964 New Zealand Grand Prix and the 1968 Belgian Grand Prix. He didn’t win any F1 championships.

3. Why did Daniel Ricciardo can’t win the F1 championship?

The Australian driver made a bad decision to leave Red Bull and join Renault in the 2019 season. That cost him because Red Bull became a dominant force after that and won the 4 drivers championship with Max Verstappen.

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