Waiting to win: When each F1 driver last won a race

98 comments on “Waiting to win: When each F1 driver last won a race”

1. 

   Adrian J
   17th March 2011, 8:03

   Nick Heidfeld

   1999 F3000 A1-Ring
   West Competition Team Lola B99/50
   8.957s ahead of Soheil Ayari

   Really highlights just how long Heidfeld has been in F1 without a win…
   1. 

      damonsmedley (@damonsmedley)
      17th March 2011, 8:50

      He only really ever had one chance at winning (that I can think of) and that was Canada 2008. And there are few people that can beat Robert Kubica when given the same machinery. So I don’t find it that surprising. But I’d be very happy if he finally won a race this year, even if I am still angry at Renault over this Lotus naming battle!
      1. 

         Ral
         17th March 2011, 9:47

         That’s not really fair to Heidfeld. I don’t remember the exact details, but it seems to have embedded itself in my memory that BMW performed some pitstop shiftery to put Kubica ahead of Heidfeld on track because Kubica’s position in the championship was quite a bit more favourable.
         1. 

            Todfod (@todfod)
            17th March 2011, 10:01

            Yeah .. Kubica was on a two stop strategy, while Nick was on a single stopper. When Robert was on Nick’s tail they didn’t let them battle it out. If Nick had kept him behind for 4-5 laps the outcome of the race could have been different.

            Lets hop he gets a win this year.. he deserves to leave the sport with a win under his belt.
         2. 

            Don Mateo
            17th March 2011, 10:06

            From what I remember they both had the possibility of winning that race, but then BMW worked the tactics so that Kubica stayed in front. Still, if your cars are running 1-2 and you’ve got the chance of your first victory, what are you meant to do?
            1. 

               Adrian J
               17th March 2011, 11:50

               Still, if your cars are running 1-2 and you’ve got the chance of your first victory, what are you meant to do?

               Leave it to the drivers to fight it out on track. If you don’t trust your drivers not to crash into each other then there are much bigger issues in the team.
            2. 

               mfDB
               17th March 2011, 14:40

               It wasn’t that BMW switched them or Robert is sooo much faster, it was that Nick was on a one-stop and his tires were shredded. Kubica was on a two stopper and his tires were fresh. On the lap that RK passed Nick, he was absolutely flying and caught up to him at an alarming rate. Even if BMW said go ahead and race, Nick would have been passed….anyone would have been passed. It only made sense to let him by (similar to Shumi and Rosberg this year) becasue the two cars were on such different tires that they weren’t even comparable.

               Everyone loves to say that Robert blew him away or BMW was up to something, but the bottom line is that Robert just chose a better strategy for that day.
      2. 

         TommyB (@tommyb89)
         17th March 2011, 9:52

         You could argue that if Nick had not let Robert by so easily he’d have won the race.

         I’d like to see him get a win this year but I can’t see it happening.
         1. 

            Ben N
            17th March 2011, 10:32

            I believe it was that they could either have had Kubica first and Heidfeld second or Heidfeld first and Kubica fourth – because of their strategies. Heidfeld was man enough to let Kubica through after his stop. Had it been a driver from another team, Heidfeld would have won.
            1. 

               mfDB
               17th March 2011, 14:42

               I don’t think so. I remember Nicks tires being done for and he had no choice really. He did act gentlemanly and let RK by relatively easily, but it wasn’t like he could have just sailed to victory.
            2. 

               phildick (@phildick)
               17th March 2011, 16:28

               I don’t think Nick’s tyres were gone because five laps later he did his fastest lap (and second fastest of the race) on those tyres.
            3. 

               Kyle
               17th March 2011, 16:29

               Heidfeld did a good enough job of keeping Alonso behind after letting Kubica through into clear air (so much so that Alonso span out trying to get past) so Nick’s tyres can’t have been in that awful a shape. I think (my personal view here) that Heidfeld could’ve had that race but abdicated it because it was the best thing for the team (guarantee the 18 points, let the leading championship driver take the spoils for a possible challenge).
            4. 

               Ral
               17th March 2011, 16:50

               Again, I don’t remember the specifics, but Heidfeld would have won it had both been given the go-ahead to race as hard as they could. And it was very clear that this was the case at the time. Or, as clear as it could be without someone shouting a “he’s faster, do you understand” kind of message over the radio.
            5. 

               Xanathos
               17th March 2011, 17:49

               It made sense for the team to let Kubica get past Heidfeld as easy as possible, to maximize their chance of winning the race. Alonso was directly behind Heidfeld and obviously much faster. If the two BMWs would have been racing, their was a chance that Alonso would get past them (He almost passed Heidfeld as well when Kubica passed him). Heidfeld was running until the end and was able to hold up Alonso, who (maybe) could have been a threat to Kubica’s win.
               Besides that, another SC before Kubicas second stop (not unlikely, it was Canada after all) would have ruined his race, but BMW would still have had their win with Heidfeld. So it was just about making sure that they won the race (Which makes sense, because by now we know that the chance didn’t come again)
            6. 

               Bren
               17th March 2011, 18:09

               it must of been tough for nick to take as he would of won that race.

               but like the pro that he is he did the right thing for the team. and didnt bitc*h about it or make a seen like some other drivers have done.

               i also dont remember anyone complaining either about the team orders…
            7. 

               Toby Bushby (@toby-bushby)
               18th March 2011, 1:49

               I seem to remember that Heidfeld still had to pit, so they let Kubica through. May be wrong, but what I really remember is that Heidfeld couldn’t actually win the race anyway.
            8. 

               phildick (@phildick)
               18th March 2011, 9:34

               Of course he could win, after all he came second. If he’d blocked Robert until his stop, he would have won. But then something might have happened later and none of them would have won. It was team play at its best.
            9. 

               mef
               18th March 2011, 17:53

               why does everyone on this site rate Heidfeld so highly?? He’s a has been/never was that is about as exciting as watching a Sebastien Vettel win from pole in a Red Bull.

               Can someone please elucidate?
            10. 

                Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
                18th March 2011, 17:58

                why does everyone on this site rate Heidfeld so highly?

                I don’t rate him particularly highly. He’s very good, but there are a lot of other drivers on the grid I’d pick before him.
2. 

   Burnout (@burnout)
   17th March 2011, 8:07

   You left out R24 for Trulli and MP4-23 for Kovalainen.

   And Heidfeld, always the bridesmaid. Hope he gets a win this year. The R31 is one of this year’s dark horses, literally.
   1. 

      paul barton
      17th March 2011, 9:04

      literally dark, not literally a horse. ;-)
      1. 

         OEL
         17th March 2011, 9:11

         But a dog?
      2. 

         Ned Flanders (@ned-flanders)
         17th March 2011, 9:31

         Haha I never quite get why people use the word literally in the most daft ways. I remember back at school once when an RE teacher proclaimed “my head is literally going to explode”… it was a horrible image

         But back to F1- I fear the R31 will flatter to deceive after all this hype
         1. 

            JimG (@jimg)
            17th March 2011, 15:36

            I’m afraid that the end times are literally upon us. I can’t get into the OED, but Merriam-Webster and Dictionary.com both have a supplementary definition of “in effect; virtually”. As does my dead-tree Collins from 1994.

            Now I’m off to boldly split infinitive’s and use grocer’s apostrophe’s until the chap’s in white coat’s turn up ;-)
            1. 

               bookgrub
               18th March 2011, 2:53

               JimG, I hate you.
3. 

   sam
   17th March 2011, 8:19

   I had a hunch that it would be Heidfeld, maybe he should go and win somewhere else, then come back and use that confidence to finally win in Formula 1!
4. 

   Magnificent Geoffrey (@magnificent-geoffrey)
   17th March 2011, 8:25

   That’s a fascinating and brilliant list. Shows just how tough it is to get to Formula 1 and to succeed once you get there.
   1. 

      BasCB (@bascb)
      17th March 2011, 8:36

      Stunning isn’t it? It shows how all these guys really are top notch race drivers.

      I liked what DC said the other day in the 3rd part of the BBC season preview about it having been quit a shock for Nico Hülkenberg to find out how tough a job it was up against Barricello last year.
      Maybe that is where Maldonado taking 4 years to get to the GP2 top is an advantage. He has already learnt there is hard work in proving your talent at the top.
      1. 

         miko-g
         17th March 2011, 9:38

         Agreed! Excellent article and very insightful!
5. 

   Eric
   17th March 2011, 8:34

   Wow button didn’t win after china??!!
   1. 

      damonsmedley (@damonsmedley)
      17th March 2011, 8:45

      You thought he had?
6. 

   Lustigson
   17th March 2011, 8:36

   Interesting overview.

   I’m often reminded of how long some drivers have to wait for a win, e.g. Roberto Moreno after his final F3000 victory in 1988 — he took the 2000 CART race in Clevelend, 12 years later — or Jos Verstappen, who won the South African A1GP race in the 2005-2006 season, also 12 years after his last F3 victory.
   1. 

      sw6569 (@sw6569)
      17th March 2011, 13:18

      Do you think that a driver ‘forgets’ how to win?
7. 

   BBT
   17th March 2011, 8:40

   An interesting list indeed.

   I wonder how many teams will win races this year?
   1. 

      runtaro
      17th March 2011, 10:19

      I guess 6 teams.
      1. 

         AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
         17th March 2011, 13:20

         I’m gonna say 5.
8. 

   Steph (@)
   17th March 2011, 9:07

   Massa’s is depressing. 2008 seems like so long ago although I’ll let him off in 09 but he really should have won one last year :(
   1. 

      OEL
      17th March 2011, 9:13

      Well, he was never quick enough to do it in 2010. :(
      1. 

         bosyber (@bosyber)
         17th March 2011, 9:22

         At least not quick enough to beat the combination of Alonso and the team in Germany last year …
         1. 

            OEL
            17th March 2011, 9:31

            Thanks to Vettel’s move on Alonso at the start. But as Fernando himself said afterwards; you have to take every opportunity. For which, Felipe was heavily punished (emotionally at least).
         2. 

            Icthyes
            17th March 2011, 10:15

            Or rather, the combination of Massa and his ordered turned-down engine versus the combination of Alonso’s turned-up engine.

            Ironic given that some of those complaining about artificial overtaking yesterday are probably ok with team orders!
            1. 

               OEL
               17th March 2011, 10:38

               So had Alonso had a normal start and been ahead of Massa, would Felipe have been able to overtake him?
            2. 

               Steph (@)
               17th March 2011, 11:21

               We’ll never know OEL and he did seem fortunate Vettel focussed solely on Alonso but when Massa did take the lead his pace was good enough to win that race until the different engine settings.

               I don’t like teams swapping positions (certainly not when their drivers are racing with one’s engine turned down and the other up) but if the team wants to sort it out that’s up to them they’re fighting for a title. I don’t like it much but I accept it. Otherwise, overtaking should just be about pulling off a good move rather than pressing a button.
            3. 

               OEL
               17th March 2011, 14:00

               N, we’ll never know, but given that Alonso was unable to overtake Massa and given that Alonso’s pace had generally been stronger than Massa’s, it seems unlikely.

               P.S. What I ment with taking every opportunity was that it was what Massa did when he took the start, not that Ferrari used team orders if that is what you think.
9. 

   daedster
   17th March 2011, 9:10

   “Nico Rosberg

   2005 GP2 Bahrain Sprint Race
   ART GP2 Dallara
   8.335s ahead of Ernesto Viso”

   if i am not mistaken rosberg has beeen handed the win of the infamous singapore race which mr cheating spaniard got banned from.
   1. 

      OEL
      17th March 2011, 9:14

      He hasn’t.
   2. 

      bosyber (@bosyber)
      17th March 2011, 9:25

      The results of that race stand; something to do with all results being final at the end of the season after the prizes for WCC and WDC have been handed out. Prevents revisionism etc.

      If you are cynical you could conclude that the FIA waited long enough with investigating until that was the case; but they will say they didn’t have evidence before it was too late :)
   3. 

      OEL
      17th March 2011, 9:29

      Also, Rosberg took advantage of the safety car as well.
      1. 

         sw6569 (@sw6569)
         17th March 2011, 13:20

         agree with this.

         You can’t change the result of the race because ultimately none of the drivers were in the correct position.
         1. 

            matt90
            17th March 2011, 14:11

            Except that the drivers who benefited did so by chance, not because they had manipulated the race for themselves. Sure it screwed up the whole results, but had it been investigated in time then the only driver who should have been disqualified was Alonso.
   4. 

      phildick (@phildick)
      17th March 2011, 13:20

      We’ll never know, but if someone was cheating, it was Briattore and Symonds (and Piquet, too). It was never proven Alonso was involved.
      1. 

         james_mc
         17th March 2011, 18:00

         Perhaps Rosberg was the mysterious “witness X” who knew about it… ;-)
         1. 

            Tim
            18th March 2011, 10:06

            Witness X was Alan Permane, the senior race engineer at Renault.
      2. 

         OmarR-Pepper (@)
         17th March 2011, 18:02

         Do you remember when Honda created, I think in 2004, a car with some kind of extra-sized fuel tanks. Even more, the extra space had a cap that had to be activated by the pilot. So, do you really think BHutton and Sato didn’t know about it? Do you really think Alonso won that race withoot knowing Piquet had crashed intentionally? And then the next year he “DIDN’t” know about the spy-gate in McLaren, (but actually he kind-of-blackmailed McLaren bosses, then he accused them, probably envious of Hamilton, and by this way he got cleaned) . Come on!!!!
10. 

    W-K (@w-k)
    17th March 2011, 9:27

    Are we sometimes too hard on these non-winning drivers. In the last ten years unless they drove for Ferrari, McLaren, Renault, Red Bull, Brawn (Mercedes) or Williams then they haven’t had much of a chance. And Williams haven’t won a race since Brazil 2004.

    The only exceptions are Robert Kubica for Sauber 2008 in Canada, Jenson Button Honda 2006 in Hungary and Giancarlo Fisichella Jordan 2003 in Brazil.
    1. 

       Jelle van der Meer
       17th March 2011, 11:58

       You are forgetting Vettel in the Toro Rosso at Monza in 2008
11. 

    wasiF1
    17th March 2011, 9:34

    I guess that have to be Nick Heidfeld.
12. 

    Ned Flanders (@ned-flanders)
    17th March 2011, 9:36

    This is a great list, IIRC remember this list was on the site back in 2009, or maybe I saw it somewhere else?

    However, I think it’d be better if it was ranked in order of most recent winners to most distant winners. Could anyone have a go at doing that in the comments?
    1. 

       OEL
       17th March 2011, 9:54

       Vettel, Alonso, Webber, Hamilton, Button, Barrichello, Räikkönen, Massa, Kubica, from the top of my head.
       1. 

          OEL
          17th March 2011, 9:57

          Oops; Kovalainen later than Kubica!
          1. 

             OEL
             17th March 2011, 10:01

             Updated: Vettel, Alonso, Webber, Hamilton, Button, Barrichello, Räikkönen, Massa, Kovalainen, Kubica, M Schumacher, Fisichella, Montoya, Trulli, R Schumacher, Coulthard and Häkkinen in F1 since 2000.
             1. 

                Ned Flanders (@ned-flanders)
                17th March 2011, 13:10

                …interestingly, going back even further to 1999, three consecutive races saw drivers win a GP for the final time:

                1999 Italian GP: Frentzen
                1999 European GP: Herbert
                1999 Malaysian GP: Irvine

                So, after Hakkinen, it goes: Irvine, Herbert, Frentzen, Hill, Villeneuve, Berger, Panis, Alesi, Mansell, Senna, Prost, Patrese…

                That’s all I can think of. Can anyone take this even further/ correct any mistakes we might have made?
13. 

    raymondu999 (@raymondu999)
    17th March 2011, 9:43

    2008 Brazilian Grand Prix
    Ferrari F2008
    13.298s ahead of Fernando Alonso

    Love it :D
    1. 

       AlonsoWDC
       17th March 2011, 13:31

       Alonso scoring P2 in 2008 is much more of a result than Massa winning in 2008.
14. 

    Ned Flanders (@ned-flanders)
    17th March 2011, 9:56

    Here’s a list of drivers who have driven a race winning car over the past decade without ever winning a race themselves:

    Marc Gene: 2003 & 2004 – Williams
    Ralph Firman- 2003 – Jordan
    Antonio Pizz:nia: 2004 – Williams
    Nick Heidfeld: 2008 – BMW
    Sebastien Bourdais: 2008 – Toro Rosso
    Nelson Piquet Jr: 2008 – Renault

    …here are the drivers who underperfromed in a winning car (ie, failed to win a race in a particular season while their teammates won two or more races GP’s):

    Rubens Barrichello: 2001 – Ferrari
    Felipe Massa: 2010 – Ferrari

    …and finally, drivers who have failed to win a race in a particular season while their teammate has won one (excluding the aforementioned cases):

    Kimi Raikkonen: 2002 – McLaren
    Juan Pablo Montoya: 2002 – Williams
    Jarno Trulli: 2003 – Renault
    Fernando Alonso: 2004 – Renault
    Jaques Villeneueve: 2004 – Renault
    Rubens Barrichello: 2005 – Ferrari
    Rubens Barrichello: 2006 – Honda
    Heikki Kovalainen: 2009 – McLaren
    Felipe Massa: 2009 – Ferrari
    Luca Badoer: 2009 – Ferrari
    Giancarlo Fisichella: 2009 – Ferrari
    1. 

       OEL
       17th March 2011, 10:04

       Interesting stuff!
    2. 

       Babis1980
       17th March 2011, 12:27

       Massa shouldn’t be in these lists…. In 2009 was super quicker than Kimi is his ferrari but then came along Runbens spring! And 2010 he “almost” won the german GP. But for sure (as he always says) this will change this season.
       1. 

          Ned Flanders (@ned-flanders)
          17th March 2011, 13:02

          It’s true that he got completely jipped at Hockenheim last year, but at the end of the day, Alonso 5- Massa 0 is a pretty comprehensive beating I’d say
    3. 

       montreal95
       17th March 2011, 12:48

       Great job Ned! The funniest of all for me is this one: “Ralph Firman- 2003 – Jordan”

       That car only had 2 points finishes all year apart from that win! I think we can safely classify the 2003 Jordan as the most useless car to ever win an F1 race(unless I’ve missed something from the 1950’s-1970’s?)
       1. 

          Tim
          17th March 2011, 14:30

          Other contenders for most useless car to win a race would be:

          The Ligier JS43, which Olivier Panis drove to a spectacular victory at Monaco in 1996. Panis’ next best finishes that year were one fith and a sixth.

          The BRM P160B, which won Monaco in the wet in 1972 in the hands of Jean-Pierre Beltoise. The car failed to register any other points finishes.
          1. 

             montreal95
             17th March 2011, 15:02

             Thank you Tim! I think JS43 was a bit better than EJ13 because EJ13’s other best result was 7th. Also from personal memory I think that Ligier was a faster car.

             I didn’t know that Beltoise’s victory in Monaco 72 was BRM’s only points finish of the year! That’s even worse than EJ13.
       2. 

          Kris H.
          18th March 2011, 4:30

          Fisi’s 2003 win was more of a Bridgestone win than a Jordan win – he passed Raikkonen for the lead like he was on rails while Kimi had nothing…..the car had totally nothing to do with it. Might we see another similar type of result in 2011, even in the dry?

          And if you’re including Firman then you
          have to also add the ZSOLT!
    4. 

       damonsmedley (@damonsmedley)
       17th March 2011, 14:11

       Did you just compile that yourself Ned? It’s very interesting! ;)
       1. 

          Ned Flanders (@ned-flanders)
          17th March 2011, 14:38

          I did, off the top of my air filled head. Look closely and you may well find a few mistakes
    5. 

       David-A (@david-a)
       17th March 2011, 17:33

       …here are the drivers who underperfromed in a winning car (ie, failed to win a race in a particular season while their teammates won two or more races GP’s):
       Rubens Barrichello: 2001 – Ferrari
       Felipe Massa: 2010 – Ferrari

       Plus Kovalainen in 2009, since Hamilton won 2.

       Otherwise the list is Okily-Dokily!
15. 

    Manuel F
    17th March 2011, 10:09

    Heidfeld poor guy! He definitely deserves a win.
16. 

    Eggry (@eggry)
    17th March 2011, 10:10

    Haha! I knew it! poor Nick. I hope he would win this year. maybe this is his last chance. of course I wish Alonso win the title!
17. 

    Shimks
    17th March 2011, 10:19

    Keith, I know you get a lot of fan mail from us – it’s getting ridiculous, really! :O) – but I have to say you have some remarkably good and original ideas for articles. Another fascinating read.

    (Now can I borrow 2 quid?)
18. 

    Lauro Moura
    17th March 2011, 10:29

    Wasn’t Kobayashi last win GP2 Asia Series 2008-09 Bahrain Feature race (January 23rd, 2009)?
    1. 

       montreal95
       17th March 2011, 12:51

       Keith, I think this is correct as I remember Kobayashi winning the 2008-09 GP2 Asia series.
19. 

    Toro Stevo
    17th March 2011, 11:22

    Webber must have gone 8 years before winning in 09, so things can happen late in a career if you’re lucky enough to get in the right team and still be competitive.

    Although it doesn’t really count, Heidfeld did get pole somewhere didn’t he, with Williams maybe? In the old one lap wonder or two lap combined qualifying days.
    1. 

       montreal95
       17th March 2011, 12:53

       Nurburgring 2005, two lap combined
20. 

    Red Andy (@red-andy)
    17th March 2011, 11:49

    There’s hope for Heidfeld yet! When Jos Verstappen won the A1GP race in Durban in 2006, it was his first win in a major international race since 1993. So it is definitely possible for a driver to return to winning ways after a long period in the wilderness (especially if that wilderness is the result of a long time in F1 in cars that aren’t really capable of winning).
21. 

    Ollie (@olz21)
    17th March 2011, 11:52

    For me, these statistics justify teams opting for young talent over more experienced midfield drivers.
    young drivers who are used to winning in lower formulae are surely much more likely to have the killer instinct and winning mentality than Heidfeld or Rosberg. Especially with the big changes of rules, everyone starts on a level playing field. For these reasons I think the rookies and more recent winners will have a relatively strong year.
    1. 

       montreal95
       17th March 2011, 12:58

       I disagree. The hunger for winning doesn’t go anywhere and the experience can’t be bought for any amount of money, as Hulkenberg found out last season, for example. And about “killer instinct”, it’s easier to remember something you’ve forgotten than to learn something new(see the case of Button in 2009).
    2. 

       David-A (@david-a)
       18th March 2011, 0:04

       young drivers who are used to winning in lower formulae are surely much more likely to have the killer instinct and winning mentality than Heidfeld or Rosberg.

       Rosberg is a young driver who was used to winning in lower formulae. So what are you on about?
22. 

    Bobtehblob
    17th March 2011, 12:13

    Got to feel for old Heidfeld
23. 

    I P
    17th March 2011, 13:03

    narain actually won a race! amazing
    1. 

       montreal95
       17th March 2011, 13:35

       He has won a whole bunch of races in junior formulae before 2005, so how’s that a surprise?
24. 

    AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
    17th March 2011, 13:21

    Great list and quite a depressing read for some of them.
25. 

    ajokay (@)
    17th March 2011, 14:23

    Makes you wonder which drivers has made it into, through, and out of F1 with the fewest number of race wins in their career. There must be a fair few drivers with only a handful of career wins to their name.
    1. 

       Kimster
       19th March 2011, 9:23

       Kimi did 23 races in total before going into F1, of those 23 he won 13
26. 

    Icemangrins
    17th March 2011, 15:24

    I don’t about you guys, but MSC will win atleast one race this year. I guess atleast in one race the car, tyres & the strategy will come together !
27. 

    '
    17th March 2011, 16:09

    I laughed out loud when I saw Heifeld’s…
28. 

    Robbie
    17th March 2011, 16:14

    It’s been 12 years for Heidfeld? I feel sad.
29. 

    MattW
    18th March 2011, 5:10

    Keith, if you have time putting the number of races since their last win would be interesting too, taking into account things like Schuey’s retirement.
30. 

    strictly commercial
    18th March 2011, 9:09

    Hasn’t Schumacher won a couple ROC’s in the recent years? (I do get why one wouldn’t consider them as proper races though.)
31. 

    Kimster
    19th March 2011, 10:43

    At the bottom of this page. There are links to every race in 2011, every team in in 2011 and every driver bar D’Ambrosio in 2011.
    Why is that?

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