Best driver never to win WDC

Mark F1 · 24 Jan 2002, 21:28 (Ref:203864)

For me it would have to be Stirling Moss. Four times runner up, 16 grand prix wins and yet never World Champion.

What do you think?

Speedworx · 24 Jan 2002, 21:51 (Ref:203882)

Its got to be Gilles Villeneuve.

Ferrari Girl · 24 Jan 2002, 23:05 (Ref:203911)

Gotta be Gilles!

Mania · 24 Jan 2002, 23:28 (Ref:203921)

Gilles hands down.

f1manoz · 24 Jan 2002, 23:37 (Ref:203929)

Stirling Moss, although Gilles also deserved to win a WDC.

On statistics alone, Moss should definetely have been World Champion, but luck just never went his way.

On pure raw talent, Gilles would have been World Champion but never really ever had the car needed for the title (except in 1979 when he gave way to Jody).

Dr. Austin · 25 Jan 2002, 00:16 (Ref:203948)

I think as things stand right now, Coulthard has the most wins of any non-champion. Watch how much this will get shot at!

I voted for Ronnie Peterson, but I knew the Villeneuve fans would make it a no contest. Both came from eras when there were plenty of talented drivers, making their achievements even more remarkable. And Moss was a little before my time, though he certainly has his fans as well.

Valve Bounce · 25 Jan 2002, 01:35 (Ref:203971)

Ben Hur, without question. And he also had to contend with a cheating Italian team and driver.

Mekola · 25 Jan 2002, 03:26 (Ref:203994)

Between many drivers who weren't World Champions but deserved to be(Stirling Moss, Gilles Villeneuve, Ronnie Peterson, Jacky Ickx, Carlos Reutemann), my vote goes definitively to Stirling Moss.

RT · 25 Jan 2002, 03:57 (Ref:204008)

Not to be cynical but I wonder how many more votes Sir Stirling Moss would have gotten if his life had been cut short while racing.

I'm glad he made it through all those races. I don't believe anyone else comes close to his "champ without a crown" place. His record is truly awesome even if the WC escaped his grasp.

Gilles, Reutemann, von Tripps, Peterson and others also deserved a WC but Stirling Moss' record still stands alone in that category.

enemy-ace · 25 Jan 2002, 12:09 (Ref:204133)

Quote:

Originally posted by RT
Not to be cynical but I wonder how many more votes Sir Stirling Moss would have gotten if his life had been cut short while racing.

I'm not so sure it's a matter of whether he's alive or dead that cost him the votes, but instead of the era in which he drove. Meaning that it was quite a while ago and people's memories are short. In another 20 years or so I might imagine the memory of Gilles Villeneuve will have faded to have been replaced by another non WDC winning pilot.
Having said that my vote goes to Gilles, with Moss a close second.

Glen · 25 Jan 2002, 12:31 (Ref:204146)

JPM - but that will change!

Maxmil · 25 Jan 2002, 12:37 (Ref:204150)

Quote:

Originally posted by Dr. Austin
I think as things stand right now, Coulthard has the most wins of any non-champion. Watch how much this will get shot at!

Not by me! You are right on Doc. Here is the comparison fromm PlanetF1:

Coulthard Moss
124 Races 66
11 Wins 16
51 Podiums 24
359 Points 176

And in the all-important measure of Points/Race it is Coulthard with 2.90 vs Moss at 2.83 (Using his gross points of 187). David just can't get enough wins to corral his WDC, but he is a very consistant scorer. Stirling is next in line, and very close.

LucaBadoer · 25 Jan 2002, 12:58 (Ref:204163)

It's got to be poor Stirling...

**Aysedasi** · 25 Jan 2002, 13:34 (Ref:204187)

For me it's a case of who do the others think they are - Stirling Moss??

Marshal · 25 Jan 2002, 13:50 (Ref:204193)

Gilles is the one and only driver I've ever described myself as a fan of, but I voted for Moss because he is obviously the correct answer to the question.

Atsedasi -

R · 25 Jan 2002, 14:50 (Ref:204225)

Mark F1, you've taken the words right out of my mouth, as this is a question I've been planning to ask. For me, it's got to be either Stirling Moss, Ronnie Peterson or Gilles Villeneuve. I really don't know which one of them to vote for (perhaps that's why I intended to ask the question in the first place), so I will leave it at that, but definitely one of those, that's for sure.

This will be a very interesting poll to see the results of.

Damon · 25 Jan 2002, 15:24 (Ref:204239)

Are these votes for Coulthard a joke or somthing? DC lacks talent and doesn't deserve that Mclaren seat let alone a WDC. How he can be so far away in at least the second best car year after year is beyond me.

kuchi · 25 Jan 2002, 16:10 (Ref:204268)

Quote:

Originally posted by Valve Bounce
Ben Hur, without question. And he also had to contend with a cheating Italian team and driver.

, I totally agree Valve Bounce, you couldn't said it better.

R · 25 Jan 2002, 22:00 (Ref:204455)

I think dragging Coulthard and Montoya into it is not in accordance with the intention of the question. Surely, we're talking about drivers who are no longer active here, not those who still have their chances to win WDC(s).

BBKing · 25 Jan 2002, 22:50 (Ref:204488)

Quote:

Originally posted by Valve Bounce
Ben Hur, without question. And he also had to contend with a cheating Italian team and driver.

LOL
Brilliant.

**Aysedasi** · 25 Jan 2002, 23:17 (Ref:204499)

How about Chris Amon? Perhaps not WDC, but maybe the archetypal "wrong place/wrong time" driver nevertheless?

R · 25 Jan 2002, 23:36 (Ref:204510)

Amon was the best driver to never win a championship GP, perhaps? Hey, that's an idea for a new poll, though someone with more knowledge than me will have to set it.

TimD · 26 Jan 2002, 00:43 (Ref:204526)

Interesting thread - especially as the three main contenders are all drivers I especially admired.

But I'm curious about the Gilles Villeneuve votes. The reason is, I enjoyed watching Villeneuve race because he was spectacularly chaotic in his style. He was out to win every lap he could, but was only just maturing into a consistent pilot who could pace himself to a race win when he was taken from us.

Jarama '81 demonstrated just how very good he was at a sensible and tactical drive, but there was still that feeling that he was unchecked deep down.

Now, Superswede Ronnie was something very special indeed. Difficult to describe his style. Balls-out but precise, I think is the only way I can describe it. Somehow he was able to kick the back of the Lotus 72 into a powerslide and still make the thing look like it was cornering on rails.

I voted for Stirling, by the way.

JPBeltoise · 26 Jan 2002, 02:08 (Ref:204550)

Although the rational choice has to be Stirling Moss, I couldn't bear to see Jacky Ickx not get a single vote, so I voted for him. Maybe he wasn't as spectacular as Ronnie Peterson or Gilles Villeneuve, but what finesse he had, especially in the rain, and the the Nurburgring. Not to mention all those victories in sports cars. As far as I'm concerned, the fact that he never won the Formula One championship shows just how good Jackie Stewart was.

View Poll Results: Who was the best driver never to be WDC?
Stirling Moss	21	52.50%
Gilles Villeneuve	13	32.50%
Ronnie Peterson	2	5.00%
Jean Alesi	1	2.50%
Jacky Ickx	2	5.00%
Pedro Rodriguez	1	2.50%
Bruce McLaren	0	0%
Didier Pironi	0	0%
Voters: 40. You may not vote on this poll

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