Greatest MODERN F1 driver never to win a WDC

[Nick3point2]

I'm currently watching a round up of the 2001 F1 season compliments of an old playstation game and it's got me thinking: in the last 30 years, who is the best F1 driver not to win a WDC?

For me, it looks to be Montoya, but that is only based on the snap shots shown in the season round up.

[davepoth]

Brundle, I reckon, given what he managed to do elsewhere when he had a decent car under him.

[MonkeyHanger]

Joseph Gilles Henri Villeneuve.

[Dancin]

David Coultard

[Nick3point2]

davepoth said:

Brundle, I reckon, given what he managed to do elsewhere when he had a decent car under him.

He didn't even win a race, let alone a WDC, so I don't see him as deserving.

[Eric Mc]

MonkeyHanger said:

Joseph Gilles Henri Villeneuve.

Seconded.

I suppose Carlos Reutemann just about squeezes into the 30 year criteria too.

[rampageturke]

Rubens

[Dancin]

Nick3point2 said:

He didn't even win a race, let alone a WDC, so I don't see him as deserving.

Effort vs crap car!

[xspencex]

Alesi? I guess it was a mixture of bad cars, and some silly mistakes, but he had the raw talent and speed to do it.

Coulthard, always in the shaddow of somebody else, Damon, Mika, Kimi, etc.

[Podie]

Nick3point2 said:

davepoth said:

Brundle, I reckon, given what he managed to do elsewhere when he had a decent car under him.

He didn't even win a race, let alone a WDC, so I don't see him as deserving.

He was, however, quite successful in sportscars - hence davepoth's comment.

[RYH64E]

Dancin said:

David Coultard

Did he ever out perform his team mate? If you can't do that then you don't deserve to be WDC, and don't forget DC spent his entire career driving decent cars.

[Crafty_]

I'll go with Brundle, if McLaren hadn't picked that god awful Peugeot engine I reckon he would of done enough to of stayed there and who knows what would of happened.

Going back further, some would say Moss ?

[MarkRSi]

rampageturke said:

Rubens

+1, but then again like Coulthard and Massa always in 2nd place to his teammate?

Alesi is a good shout too.

[Nicholas Blair]

Berger

[GAjon]

Trulli & Fissichela spring to mind as very fast drivers with succes in other formula that didn't reach thier potential in F1. But I also rated Alesi and HH Frentzen aswell.

[Crafty_]

Long shot - what about Karl Wendlinger ?

IIRC he was doing quite well until his accident and had a decent background in sportscars? Potential was there ?

Francois Cevert ? had run well at LeMans and proved he could live with Stewart before his untimely death ?

Edited by Crafty_ on Sunday 23 October 19:30

[freedman]

Peterson (well just over 30 years) and Villeneuve the standouts surely

Reuteman, should have been champion but blew it when it was in his grasp

[Nick3point2]

Crafty_ said:

Going back further, some would say Moss ?

There's no debate there, hence saying modern

So being as far as magny cours in the season I'd like to say all the great drivers of the early noughties who didn't win WDC were all overshadowed by team mates, so I'm not sure how good a measure that is: if you are number 2 to the best in the world that shouldn't detract from how good you are.

I'm just astounded by the reliability issues! So many great drives ruined by the car giving up!

[m444ttb]

Definitely not Coulthard or Rubens. Much as the latter could say he wasn't allowed at Ferrari he could have done it in 2009. DC even says he had his chance and didn't manage it.

[SlipStream77]

Warwick and Bellof could have been champions with the right cars.