The best that never tasted victory
by Jack Lamure on Mar 8th, 2011This week's Badgerometer is one no driver wants to find their way on to: the top five racers never to win a grand prix. With victory being the sole aim of the F1 competitor this list is akin to 'the top five chefs never to cook a meal' or 'the top five taxi drivers never to pick up a pick up a passenger.' Yes, it's a recognition of skill and ability but it also acknowledges that, for whatever reason, the men listed below fell just a little short of their true potential.
Active drivers are naturally excluded, being as they may yet grab that all-important maiden victory. As such the likes of Nico Rosberg and Nick Heidfeld, both of whom would have been in contention for this list, miss out - for now.
And remember, this is wholly subjective - we don't claim this to be the definitive list of the finest drivers never to taste grand prix success and would love to hear YOUR top five.
Tom Pryce
You can write this off as my being a Welshman, and thus a massive fan of Tom Pryce if you want, but there are many who feel Pryce to be among the finest drivers never to claim a grand prix win. That he didn't was a result of his tragic death at the South African Grand Prix of 1977 rather than any lack of talent, for later in that same year his replacement at the Shadow team, Alan Jones, would take his maiden race win. Tom could undoubtedly have done the same.
Brilliant in the lower formula, Pryce was the commanding winner of the 1974 Monaco F3 race. He quickly rose to F1 and was soon impressing the paddock with his displays at the wheel, scoring podiums at Austria 1975 and Brazil '76. 1977 should have been his breakout year but it was ended at only the third race by a freak accident in which he collided with a fire marshal; the clash between the Welshman and the extinguisher killed him instantly, the marshal also perishing in one of F1's most gruesome accidents. (have a look on Youtube, if you wish, we can't watch it though!)
He was the equal of James Hunt in terms of ability and his far calmer, grounded mindset meant Tom could have remained an F1 driver far longer than the prodigious Englishman. Grand Prix wins, perhaps even world titles, would have followed.
Alex Zanardi
Remember when we said this list is subjective? Here's the proof, as Alex 'Total Flop' Zanardi creeps in at number four. 'How,' I hear you cry?
Well, it maybe be a bit of a cheat but this isn't based on Alex's F1 performances - it's about what he did in Champ Car. During the nineties the series was in its pomp, with huge grids, varied and challenging circuits and mega drivers. Alex was head and shoulders above the rest, rocking up Stateside in 1996 and duly dominating the championship in 1997 and '98 against guys who'd been there for years, in some cases their whole careers. He was aggressive, merciless and so, so fast. Watch him pass Bryan Herta at Laguna Seca's legendary Corkscrew to take victory on the final lap and you'll know what we mean.
Yes he was a flop in F1, but that was down to a poor Williams car built by a team in transition. Zanardi could have won grands prix - the talent was there. Now, feel free to write a comment about why we're wrong...
Stefan Bellof
After enjoying success in the junior categories, as well as sports-cars and prototypes, Bellof landed an F1 seat with Tyrrell for 1984, paired with fellow rookie Brundle. The pair enjoyed promising results that season, only for the team to be excluded from the championship for a technical infringement. He remained for the following year only to lose his life in a sports-car race at Spa midway through the year.
For many, Robert Kubica's recent rally accident brought back memories of this hugely talented racer whose career was cut short away from the F1 circuit. Thankfully for Robert things did not end so badly. That they did for Bellof robbed F1 of a driver who could well have gone on to great success. A meeting with Enzo Ferrari to discuss the possibility of a drive for the 1986 season had already been scheduled at the time of his death.
Chris Amon
The winner of a clutch of non-championship grands prix and the 1966 Le Mans 24 Hours, and Chris Amon has just been pipped to the honour of greatest driver never to win a race. The Kiwi was a man haunted by ill fortunes, his luck so bad that Mario Andretti once remarked: "if he became an undertaker, people would stop dying."
After infrequent runs in non-works Lotus and Brabham machines Amon's obvious abilities landed him his big break - a Ferrari drive for 1967. This would prove to be the most successful year of his F1 career, with four third place finishes plus two additional points-paying results leaving him an impressive fourth in the world championship standings. The following year, however, was a nightmare as seven DNFs - including the last five races in succession - dropped him to tenth overall. A second place finish at Silverstone was the only bright moment in an otherwise dark campaign.
He remained at Ferrari for 1969, but departed after five retirements from six races left him languishing in the standings. For 1970 he switched to British outfit March, registering three podium finishes but again being beset by race-ending problems. Two seasons at French squad Matra brought two more podiums but not that elusive first win. After leaving the team he never held down a full-time F1 drive again. At the conclusion of the 1977 season he quit F1 for good and has done little racing of any variety since.
Amon was undoubtedly a driver of real quality, one who drove for Ferrari at the wrong time and subsequently stumbled between lesser teams seeking his chance at redemption. He was the winner of the Le Mans 24 Hours in a car shared with countryman Bruce McLaren, and it's not unfair to say that the two were in the same talent bracket.
Martin Brundle
Before Martin Brundle became the all-knowing voice of Formula One on British TV he was a highly-respected F1 driver, racing for the likes of Tyrrell, Benetton, McLaren and Ligier. But despite his skills he never won a grand prix. We reckon he ranks as the most complete driver not to do so.
It could be argued that Brundle's finest hour came before he'd even reached F1, pushing the soon-to-be-legendary Ayrton Senna all the way for the 1983 British F3 title. The Brazilian won it in the dying laps of the season-closing race. The rest, as they say, is history.
Brundle went on to enjoy a long career in F1 but never grabbed that crucial first victory. A massive shunt at Dallas in his debut season set him back somewhat, whilst uncompetitive cars prevented his true talent from shining through. His big break came with a seat at Benetton for 1992, alongside German wunderkind Michael Schumacher. Martin held his own against a driver who would soon be rated among the sport's all-time greats, scoring five podiums to end the year a career-best sixth in the standings, just 15 shy of Schumi.
Incredibly 1992 had given Brundle his first F1 podium, both despite departing the soon-to-be-title-winning team he would register a further three over the next three seasons. 1993 saw him take third for Ligier in San Marino, '94 saw a brilliant second place at Monaco in the uncompetitive McLaren MP4/9 whilst a return to Ligier brought him third at Belgium '95. He ended his career with a season at Jordan who, rather fittingly, were the same team that ran him in the 1984 F3 campaign. It's the circle - the circle of life.
In addition to his F1 exploits Brundle was 1988 World Sportscar champion and took the 1990 Le Mans 24-Hours for Jaguar. Add these achievements to the fact that he competed, and at times defeated, both Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher and you get the picture of a driver who undoubtedly had the talent to be a grand prix winner. As is ever the case in these stories circumstance was all the prevented him from taking his first F1 win. Brundle was a top-line F1 driver - fast, professional and intelligent. The best never to win a grand prix? We certainly think so.
FURTHER READING
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Comments and Discussion
Great list Badger!! Can't argue with your choices - always happy to see Tom Pryce appreciated. Your list prompted me to watch Zanardi's pass on Herta at Laguna Seca. I love how it is (quite rightly) considered an aggressive, no-nonsense overtake. Sadly, try that in todays F1 and a penalty for corner-cutting would be the result - NOT a legendary overtake!! Rant over.....
Couldn't disagree more on the Zanardi situation. I love the guy, and loved what he did in Champ cars and WTCC, but he was seriously out of his depth both times he was in F1.
We have seen time and time again that drivers in lower formula or in racing series across the pond may be totally dominant or are just amazing to watch, then find themselves looking ordinary in F1.
Also, the Williams of 1999 was far from a poor car. If it was so poor, how come Schumacher Jr (who isnt what I would call one of the best in F1 by a long shot) finished 6th in the championship with only 4 DNFs and one finish outside the points? Thats 11 points finishes and two of those were podium finishes.
Zanardi is a lovely guy, and a great racer in the correct formula, but in F1 he was below average.
Without Heidfeld in it, I just can't take this seriously;)
Whoah never mind, I seemed to be incapable of understanding English for a moment there...
I'd agree with all, but not Zanardi - Please Mr. Badger - Isn't he the guy who wouldn't use carbon fibre brakes, insisting on steel which added weight to the car and meant he couldn't go around corners without beginning to brake from the beginning of the previous straight!
The pedant in me has to point out it was 1983 that Brundle and Senna raced in F3.
I think Zanardi was massively underrated in F1. He had a great feel for a car and the ability to analyse problems. He drove the Lotus with active suspension in the days before decent telemetry. At one point he felt a problem with the handling of the car and reported it to the team who didn't really believe there was a problem. Having gone home and thought about how the fault felt he called the team and told them that he thought a particular valve was sticking. He was told that there was no way he could feel that and he should leave it to the technical people to find the problem. When they stripped the system down it turned out he was right and the team were stunned. I don't ever recall reading any other incident where a team was so impressed by a driver's ability to feel then analyse a fault.
Given the right opportunity he could have won in F1.
I debate the Martin Brundle claim, particularly. Martin simply wasn't fast enough to win races. He could get podiums, yes. Winning is another matter. In his whole career he failed to even lead a lap, such was his lack of top-tier ability. A reasonable driver who never won - agreed. But best driver to have never won? I doubt it.
Tom Pryce & Martin Brundle were most definitely talent worthy of being F1 World Champs who sadly never even made the top step.
Thanks Badger for making us stop and reflex on that little gem !
I agree with Toby that Martin Brundle was good but not of top-tier quality. In his time he was up against better drivers like Prost, Senna, Lauda, Piquet, Mansell, Schumacher, Alesi, Berger, Patrese, Hill etc. Nick Heidfeld could be in the list too, due to the amount of second places he's achieved. It's difficult to pick a number 1!
From a slightly different angle, drivers who could have made this list but did eventually win were Jean Alesi -his early years in the Tyrrell were superb to watch, and Patrick Depailler who scored 8 second places, and led several races before he scored victory at Monaco in 1978.
Cheers Jimmy for an interesting read!
Actually Brundle did very well against Schumacher when they were team-mates. He was Schuey's closest-matching team mate ever until Rosberg trounced him last year.
Alex Zanardi? Gosh no, one of the most overestimated drivers ever to climb into an F1 car.
Of course i'm going to write a comment about why you're wrong, especially when deep down you know you're wrong otherwise you wouldn't have invited us to point it out!
What Frank and Patrick saw in him, i don't know but whatever it was existed solely stateside. Perhaps after Williams' success with Jacques Villeneuve they believed America was a great untapped resource of talent. Indycar drivers in F1 are hit and miss, and regardless of their success in America they're a risk. Williams hit gold with Villeneuve and Montoya, but got their fingers burned with Zanardi (McLaren had an earlier mishap with the godawful Michael Andretti). While Alex's results in his first crack at F1 in the early 90's are not shabby, they're not outstanding either. He was a solid midfield driver, not a champion in waiting. It's also worth noting that of all the races that his teams got both cars to the flag, Alex beat his team-mate just once (Eric Bernard - Lotus - Jerez '94).
The '99 Williams wasn't that bad, it just suffered from drivers who had difficulties frequently. The team had fallen back into the upper midfield and lost touch with Ferrari and McLaren, their drivers just didn't get the most out of the machinery often enough, either due to silly mistakes (Schumacher), or having limited ability (Zanardi).
Most drivers are not "Jack of all trades", they are better at some series than others. And while they could be named as one of the greatest in one series, they may also be useless at others. Zanardi is one such example; a great Champ Car driver, a not very good F1 driver.
(Many other examples of this can be named, but it would be distinctly off-topic!)
In my opinion Zanardi doesn't deserve to be on this list at all.
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Neither does Brundle deserve to be #1. Sure he was a good driver, one of the great's in Sportscars, but as Toby said; he didn't set the world on fire in F1. Trouble is, i'm not familiar enough with the others in the list to know whether they're more deserving of not!
It's difficult to choose drivers who never won a race because generally those who deserved it won one and those who didn't, either weren't talented enough or lost their seat (or died) before they got the chance to fulfill their potential.
That, and his having run Senna close in F3, is what swung it for me.
Hi Richard, great to hear from you again.
I was thinking the same about the Alesis and Depaillers of this world and also Cevert (which surprised me).
I had Amon as number one but had a last minute change of heart in favour of Brundle, rightly or wrongly. Unfortunately Amon retired a decade before I was even born so he was at a bit of a disadvantage there.
And as for Heidfeld, I would think that if we did this list again a few years from now he may very well be in the top three. Let's see how good that Renault is first though.
Thanks Tracey, glad you enjoyed it.
Zanardi does suggest in his autobiography that was treated very shabbily for someone who'd achieved what he had in Champ Car. Seems he was never given a fair crack of the whip, but his own memoirs are about as biased as me towards his abilities
I wouldn't say he was out of his depth but you make some very good points. Who would your top five be?
It's a ridiculous move - he comes from so far back and uses a bit to much run-off but that's what made him a champion. Herta took a long time to forgive him for that, if he ever has.
Here's the video for anyone else who fancies a peek - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywsB65YfLOQ
I'm probably the only person who completely agrees with your list. ^^
As their seems to be a bit of debate about who should be no 1 i will add a few points to MB's case. During his 1992 season he had worse reliability than schumacher retiring from the first 4 races? Engine failure, gear box failure, alesi overtaking move failure. He admittedly did not out qualify michael but he did out race him and quite possibly MB is the man from whom schumacher learned how to do a race start properly. He often gained positions off the line where as schumacher tended to slip backwards sometimes damaging his race chances.
Other than 1992 MB was never in a good team at a good time Indeed the only "top" team he ever got a drive for was mclaren in 1994 which spent most of the season in the garage. Almost every other series he raced in he was successful. Winning and coming second in the daytona 24 hours in 1988 and 1989. He won the 24 hours of le mans and the world sports car championship. More recently at the age of 51 He returned to the daytona 24 hours with the united autosports team and former ligier team mate mark blundell. They came 4th overall out of 50 odd cars loosing out on a podium position in the last hour of the race. After spending 14 years in retirement and 21 years away from daytona a mean feat for any driver. Add into that between only two of their teams drivers brundle and blundell. Their combined age is the same as the entire driver line up of many of the other teams. It was truely a remarkable effort and no wonder that he should find him self no1 on your list.
(Even after all of that i still have to admit i have a soft spot for any man who loves formula one so much that they make their own team simply so that they can drive! I am of course talking about "Chris Amon racing" tough to make a call between those two great not to mention spectacularly unlucky drivers but i think you've done them justice badger gp)
@ dave highkinen I think what you mean is that most drivers *nowadays* are not jack of all trade's. This is largely true but in the past it was not. Jim Clark Graham Hill Jackie Stewart John Surtees Mike Hawthorn all world champions and all drove (and won in) all manner of other series probably most prominently of all. Stirling Moss raced anything he could get his hands on and it was deemed the smart thing to do back then. It keept the drivers sharp and in those days it was just as dangerous to go sports car racing as it was to drive in f1 anyways. All of the drivers in badgers top 5 were active during the time when f1 was fast and dangerous unlike today when it's slow(getting slower) and safe. For that alone they should get a balls of solid titanium tipped diamond trophy.
"Indeed the only "top" team he ever got a drive for was mclaren in 1994 which spent most of the season in the garage. "
Nearly true. Martin had a one-off drive for Williams in Spa '88 where he impressed greatly in Practice but then suffered once the pressure was on for Qualifying. He was supposed to do Italy as well but his Jaguar sportscar team decided to come over all stingey and blocked him from doing it. Perhaps just as well as that was the year he won the WSC, but not doing the second race is likely what ensured he wouldn't get a chance in a top F1 team the next year. Off-topic: In the '88 review he does an interview and looks like Mel Gibson's Mad Max doppelganger!
Perhaps i've missed the point of the piece being that it's "the best drivers never to have won", rather than "the best F1 drivers never to have won" as i initially interpreted it. BadgerGP covers a range of other formulae, most of which i ignore because it only matters to me what a driver does in F1 and that is the evidence i judge them upon. As the wave of rookies arriving have proven, it's almost irrelevant what they've done elsewhere as their F1 abilities have been in stark contrast to their previous achievments.
Your recollection of Brundle's successes elsewhere is impressive but doesn't change my opinion as he did all those things outside of F1.
You're missing out, Dave!
It's slightly surprising that nobody (including Jimmy) has mentioned that Tom Pryce actually won the non-championship F1 Race Of Champions at Brands Hatch in 1975. Not a points scoring event and not a full field of current F1 stars, but he did beat the likes of Emerson Fittipaldi, Ronnie Peterson, Jacky Ickx and John Watson, in wet conditions, so perhaps Pryce could be higher up the list. Although Alan Jones won in the Shadow the year Pryce died, the team quickly slipped down the order thereafter, so Pryce would have had to have found a more competitive drive.
Stefan Bellof certainly deserves to be included in this list. I do remember his mega drive to third place from the back of the grid, in the wet 1984 Monaco GP. He was closing in on Senna in second place in the Toleman, and Prost in the lead in the McLaren. Sadly that race was shortened so we were robbed of a great finish. Anyway, I'm sure he would have gone on to great things, as his talent was there for all to see.
I must say TheBrave, you do present a good case for Martin Brundle!
A great list (with the hint of Welsh with Pryce, wouldn't expect anything less Jimmy). Brundle was a team-mate who pushed Schumacher better than any other, and when you read some of Amon's failures, it really does feel like he was cursed.
My pick would be Stefan Johansson, who drove for Tyrrell, Ferrari and McLaren in the '80's. Holds the record for second place finishes without a win (shared with Heidfeld), and then moved to IndyCar in the '90's...and didn't win there either!
You're right, I probably should have mention that. It was in my article on his from last year though - http://bit.ly/i6dsau. Bit of a plug there
Any excuse to mention Pryce! Might do a top-five F1 drivers called Tom next...