Greatest drivers never to win the WDC

[BSchneiderFan]

I know that the vast majority of you will be divided between the Stirling Moss and Gilles Villeneuve camps, but let me just throw in:

Tony Brooks
Chris Amon
Stefan Bellof

... and wait for the barney to start.

[wolfhound]

Stirling Moss & Gilles Villenuve.

[cds_uk]

Surely Ronnie has to be on the list?

[F1Guy]

Probably the greatest of them all to never win a WDC has to be Massa. One of THE best, most talented F1 drivers ever!











/sarcasm.

[GTRMagic]

Mark Webber...

[S griffin]

Massa was so close, Webber just failed at the last, Montoya I feel should have won at least one, Moss we know about, Brooks was underrated, Villeneuve Sr could have, as could have Peterson, Reutemann almost certainly should have won 1981, but he just didn't seem to have the heart in the latter part of the season

[Graz]

Some odd answers above already...

Stirling Moss is the obvious not odd answer. Most other drivers that 'deserved' to win it did so. There are more drivers who didn't deserve it than did.

[VIVA GT]

An obvious omission from this list: Me, because I am the greatest driver ever (in my opinion!)

[LC2guy]

John Watson. Ask him, he'll confirm it.

[steve_r]

It's a hard question to answer. Moss i the obvious answer.

Jacky Ickx was twice runner up... Of more recent drivers - I an pretty sure both Alessandro Nannini and Robert Kubica would possibly have landed top line F1 drives if it were not for their accidents, and from there I think both would have been capable of winning a WDC.

That does not necessarily mean any of them are the best ever not to win a WDC though.

[S griffin]

Yeah Kubica surely would have won it, Nannini, not so sure. And Pironi was surely on his way to the title in 82. And Alboreto gave Prost a run for his dosh in 85.

[ASCII Man]

Jean Alesi, imo.
Had he gone to Williams instead of Ferrari he would've been WDC instead of Mansell, and perhaps in 1993 as well, and certainly would've fared better than Hill after.

[htc]

Bruce McLaren

[wnut]

Elio De Angelis

[S griffin]

Elio was a great geezer, but he was never hungry enough. Surprised no one seems to have mentioned Dan Gurney, the only driver Clark ever feared. And Chris Amon was unlucky to never win a WC race, but he had the talent to be a champion. And Cevert if the sport hadn't been so cruel, would surely have been a champion

[wnut]

How about Tony Brise? As a rookie he had Merzario, Migault, Jones and Stommelen as team mates, and was never out-qualified or out raced by any of them
Huge talent lost.

[S griffin]

Yes Brise was one who could have been. And Collins would have been if he hadn't given it away to Fangio

[chunder]

I would agree with Massa, in his pomp he was pretty much number 1 at Ferrari, was hustling Schuey very nicely and often had the beating of Kimi, so should have nabbed at least one.

Obviously Moss, not so sure about Gilles, he was a race man not a championship man, self confessed! But you have to think given time one was likely.

I would also go for Carlos Reutemann, it was in his hands and he threw it away.

Jacky Ickx obviously did not want to win it when he had the chance.

Would agree with Ronnie, should have won with Lotus first time around.

Agreed on Montoya, proved himself quicker than Schuey and tougher more than a few times, so in a better car a likely champ. Not so much Webber, never really had the beating of Seb, and when he did he messed up.

Bellof? Was not around for long enough to know. Sadly.

[wnut]

Jo Siffert: Started slowly but was a huge talent when he was killed.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Francois Cevert and Ronnie Peterson immediately spring to mind.

[hondafan37]

Carlos Reutemann has to be on the list too.

He obtained the second position in the championship in 1981, he lost the title by only 1 point with Piquet that year.
He got the third position in the championship in 3 occasions (1975, 1978 and 1980) and he was fourth in 1977.
He got 12 Victories in F1: Nurburgring (Nordschleife) in 1975, Monaco (1980), Long Beach (1978), Brands Hatch (1978), 2 times in Watkins Glen (1974 and 1978), Osterreichring in 1974, Kyalami 1974, 3 times in Brazil (1977, 1978 and 1981) and Zolder 1981.
He has certainly to be on that list.

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by wnut

Jo Siffert: Started slowly but was a huge talent when he was killed.

Great shout.
I don't know if he could have become an F1 world champion, but I'd like to think so.

[GTRMagic]

Daniel Ricciardo

[chunterer]

Nannini wasn't an ace imo so I don't see him a lost WDC at all.

Johnny Herbert was more than good enough had he not had the career changing shunt at Brands. The fact that he was still competitive in most cars and on most circuits for years when he came back full time is quite telling.

Montoya is a definite! he should've had 2003 but for a couple of reliability issues, the Monza tyre debacle and a non penalty in Indy!

Alesi certainly.

[F J Nedos]

• Coulthard?
• As descrobed on Top Gear, the 62 year old brazillian Barrichello?
• Berger?

I think Maldonado had it in him...