F1 Drivers Who Finished Runner-Up at Least 3 Times

While we continue to bring you stories about forgotten F1 drivers, we also want to explore the careers of those who fought at the front, including World Champions and some of the sport’s biggest names. This time, we’re looking at F1 drivers who finished runner-up at least three times. The list focuses on drivers who finished second in the World Championship three or more times, looking back at their careers and the stories behind how they came so close to winning the title but ultimately missed out.

F1 Drivers Who Finished Runner-Up

Winning a championship is the greatest thing a driver can achieve, and that is what they are all there for. But in the past, we have seen difficult moments even for the best drivers, losing the title in the final moments, sometimes even at the last corner. We have seen it happen many times, even to legends with plenty of experience, as the championship prize slipped through their fingers.

While there are champions with plenty of titles, such as Lewis Hamilton, even he has experienced the disappointment of losing a championship at the final race of the season. Despite being one of the most successful drivers in F1 history, tied with Michael Schumacher on seven World Championships, Hamilton has seen the title slip through his fingers in the season finale.

However, some drivers missed out by a single points, others were beaten by teammates, while a few suffered mechanical failures or unfortunate incidents at the worst possible moment.

Here are some of the greatest F1 drivers who finished runner-up in the World Championship at least three times.

Lewis Hamilton – 3 Runner-Up Finishes (2007, 2016, 2021)

One of the most successful drivers in the history of the sport, with seven Formula 1 World Championships to his name, Hamilton’s career has also included three particularly difficult championship defeats, each coming under very different circumstances.

Hamilton’s first runner-up finish arrived during his remarkable rookie season in 2007. That year, two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso also joined McLaren, but the young Briton immediately challenged him for the title. Lewis Hamilton entered the final race in Brazil with a chance to become World Champion, holding a seven-point advantage over Kimi Räikkönen. However, a difficult afternoon allowed Ferrari’s Räikkönen to take the championship by just one point. Hamilton suffered an unexpected gearbox problem, which caused his car to drop into neutral, costing him valuable time. He also finished level on points with Alonso in the final standings, with Hamilton taking second place on countback.

However, an earlier race at the 2007 Chinese Grand Prix proved even more decisive for Lewis Hamilton. He went into the gravel while entering the pit lane, forcing him to retire from the race and costing him valuable points. Those points could have made the difference in the championship fight and potentially allowed him to secure the title before heading into the season finale.

His second disappointment came in 2016, when he lost the championship battle to Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg. Despite winning 10 races that season, an engine failure at the Malaysian Grand Prix put Hamilton in an even more difficult position in the title fight. He eventually finished five points behind Rosberg, who secured his only F1 World Championship before announcing his retirement shortly after the season ended.

The third defeat came in 2021, in one of the most controversial and dramatic championship finales in F1 history. Hamilton and Verstappen arrived at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix level on points, with everything to play for. Hamilton appeared to be on course for his eighth title before a late Safety Car period allowed Verstappen to pit for newer tyres. This gave the Red Bull driver the opportunity to overtake Hamilton on the final lap and secure his first World Championship.

Sebastian Vettel – 3 Runner-Up Finishes (2009, 2017, 2018)

The German driver enjoyed one of the most dominant periods in modern F1, winning four F1 titles in a row with Red Bull between 2010 and 2013. However, before and after that remarkable run, he experienced three seasons in which he finished runner-up in the championship.

His first runner-up campaign came in 2009, when Vettel emerged as a serious championship contender during the second half of the season. Brawn GP had made an extraordinary start to the year, but as the season progressed, Vettel began closing the gap and fighting for the title. However, his challenge came a little too late to catch Jenson Button. Despite winning four races, Vettel couldn’t overcome Button’s early advantage and finished 11 points behind the British driver.

After his four title run, Vettel moved to Ferrari in 2015 with the ambition of bringing the championship back to Maranello. The 2017 season looked promising for the German, as he challenged Lewis Hamilton for much of the campaign. Vettel even held the championship lead during the first half of the year, but a difficult run of the races, including incidents in Singapore and reliability problems, allowed Hamilton to pull away.

The following season in 2018 offered another opportunity. Vettel again started strong and appeared capable of challenging for the championship. But incosistent results during the second half of 2018 damaged his title hopes, while Hamilton and Mercedes maintained their advantages.

Vettel finished runner-up to Hamilton in both 2017 and 2018, ending his Ferrari championship challenge without achieving the fifth title he had hoped for.

Fernando Alonso – 3 Runner-Up Finishes (2010, 2012, 2013)

Fernando Alonso is remembered as one of the most talented drivers of his generation. Even during his early years with Renault, he made a strong impression, particularly in 2003, when he took pole position at the Hungaroring and went on to win the race that weekend. His performance shocked the grid, as few expected Renault to challenge the established front-runners, with Ferrari, McLaren and Williams fighting for the championship that season.

After winning two consecutive World Championships in 2005 and 2006, Fernando Alonso went on to finish runner-up three times in Formula 1. Even in 2007, he came extremely close to adding another title, finishing third with McLaren on the same 109 points as teammate Lewis Hamilton and just one point behind champion Kimi Räikkönen. Although it wasn’t a runner-up finish, it was another season in which Alonso came remarkably close to the championship.

The closest disappointment arrived in 2010, Alonso’s first season with Ferrari. He entered the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi leading the championship standings and appeared to have an opportunity to secure his third. However, Ferrari’s decision to bring him into the pits early, Alonso was unable to overtake Vitaly Petrov, left him finishing seventh. Vettel won the race and his first championship, beating Alonso by just four points.

In 2012, Alonso produced another outstanding campaign. Despite Red Bull often having the stronger overall package, the Spaniard remained a serious championship contender through consistency and exceptional race performances. He arrived at the Brazilian season finale with a mathematical chance of winning the title, but Vettel’s recovery from a difficult opening lap proved enough to secure the championship by three points.

His third runner-up finish came in 2013, when Red Bull and Vettel dominated much of the season; Alonso finished second in the standings, but the gap between the two drivers had grown considerably compared with their previous championship battle, with Sebastian 397 points and Fernando Alonso 242.

Nigel Mansell – 3 Runner-Up Finishes (1986, 1987, 1991)

Before becoming World Champion in 1992, Nigel Mansell endured three frustrating championship campaigns that could easily have ended differently. He was known for his aggressive driving style, but mechanical problems and unfortunate incidents repeatedly interrupted his title ambitions.

The 1986 season provided perhaps the most heartbreaking example for Mansell. Driving for Williams, he arrived at the Australian Grand Prix leading the championship and needing only a third-place finish to secure his first title. However, a dramatic tyre failure on his Williams FW11 at high speed forced him to retire. Alain Prost went on to win the race and the championship, finishing just two points ahead of Mansell.

The following year in 1987, Mansell once again found himself fighting for the title against his teammate Nelson Piquet at Williams. He remained in contention throughout much of the season, but an incident during practice for the Japanese Grand Prix ruled him out of the final two races. Piquet went on to secure his third World Championship, leaving Mansell second in the standings.

Mansell’s third runner up campaign came in 1991, this time, his main rival was Ayrton Senna, who had very strong start with McLaren. Mansell fought back during the second half of the season but reliability problems and earlier lost opportunities mean he couldn’t close the gap.

Nigel Mansell finally achieved his long-awaited goal in 1992, winning the championship with Williams and ending years of frustration.

Graham Hill – 3 Runner-Up Finishes (1963, 1964, 1965)

Graham Hill was one of the most successful British drivers of the 1960s. A two time world champion.

After winning his first World Championship in 1962, Hill finished runner-up to Jim Clark in 1963. Clark dominated the season, winning seven of the ten championship races with Lotus, while Hill remained his closest challenger.

The 1964 season brought another opportunity, and Hill entered the final round in Mexico with a chance of winning the title. However, a collision with Lorenzo Bandini damaged his BRM, leaving him unable to score points. John Surtees claimed the title by just one point, with Hill finishig second.

In 1965, Hill again finished behind Clark, who secured his second World CHampionship with another impressive campaign. Although Hill remained competitive, Lotus and Clark proved too difficult to beat over the season.

Hill eventually added his second World Championship in 1968, becoming one of the defining drivers of his era.

Related to Graham Hill: He also founded the Embassy Hill team, which disappeared from Formula 1 in the mid-1970s.

Alain Prost – 4 Runner-Up Finishes (1983, 1984, 1988, 1990)

Alain Prost won four F1 World Championships during his career, but his record could have been even more impressive.

His first runner-up finish came in 1983 with Renault. Prost entered the final race of the season as a championship contender, but a turbocharger problem forced him to retire. Nelson Piquet finished third and secured the title by just two points.

The following year produced an even closer defeat. Driving for McLaren, Prost challenged teammate Niki Lauda throughout the 1984 season. Although Prost won seven races compared with Lauda’s five, the Austrian driver secured the title by just half a point, the smallest winning margin in F1 history. It all came down to the Monaco Grand Prix, where the race was stopped due to heavy rain, meaning drivers received only half points. Prost won the shortened race, but had it continued for the full distance, the additional points would have given him the championship instead of Lauda.

Prost’s next runner-up finish came in 1988, during one of the most famous teammate rivalries in the sport. Alongside Ayrton Senna at McLaren, Prost actually scored more points across the season under the original total-points system. However, the championship used a system that counted only a driver’s best 11 results, and Senna’s greater number of counted points gave him the title.

Their rivarly continued into 1990, when Prost had moved to Ferrari. Once again, he faced Senna, who was now driving for McLaren. The championship was effectively decided at the Japanese GP, where a first-corner collision between the two drivers ended Prost’s race and secured Senna’s second title.

Despite these four defeats; Prost’s four F1 titles place him among F1’s greatest champions, his runner-up finishes also demonstrate how close he came to an even more remarkable title record.

Stirling Moss – 4 Runner-Up Finishes (1955, 1956, 1957, 1958)

Stirling Moss is also one of the drivers with more than 10 Grand Prix victories who never managed to win a World Championship. Like Prost, he finished runner-up four times during his career, coming close to the ultimate prize on several occasions.

What makes his career even more special is that he won 24.24% of the Grands Prix he entered, with 16 victories from 66 Formula 1 starts. That remarkable win rate is one of the reasons Stirling Moss is regarded as one of the greatest drivers of his era, despite never winning a World Championship.

His first three runner-up campaign came during the period of Juan Manuel Fangio’s dominance. In 1955, Moss joined Mercedes and became Fangio’s teammate. Although he won the British GP at Aintree, his first World Championship victory remained out of reach as Fangio secured the title.

THe following two seasons brought similar outcomes, Moss continued to challenge Fangio, finishing second again in 1956 and 1957. He won several races during this period, proving that he could compete with the very best, but Fangio remained the benchmark.

The 1958 season brought Moss perhaps his greatest opportunity. Moss fought against Mike Hawthorn, and the battle eventually went down to the final races.

At the Portuguese Grand Prix, Hawthorn could have been disqualified following an incident, but Moss defended his fellow British driver, arguing that Hawthorn had not broken the rules. That decision allowed Hawthorn to retain his second-place finish and the points that came with it. The moment proved decisive, as Hawthorn went on to win the championship by a single point, with Moss finishing second.

The Champions and Legends Who Came Close

Finishing runner-up in F1 is an achievement in itself, but doing so three or four times highlights how difficult it can be to convert championship potential into the ultimate prize.

Alain Prost and Stirling Moss stand out with four runner-up finishes each. Their histories are different: Prost managed to win four world titles, while Stirling Moss never won one.

Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso also experienced multiple championship defeats despite winning several titles. Some of their World Championships were lost in the final races of the season.

Nigel Mansell and Graham Hill eventually reached the top of the sport after enduring repeated disappointments.

However, every story is difficult in its own way when you live through it. We have seen many heartbreaking moments in the past. Even Felipe Massa lost the championship on the final lap of the 2008 season, something no driver would want to experience. But that’s Formula 1: championships can be decided by the smallest of moments.

FEATURED IMAGE CREDITS: Alain Prost at the 1991 Monaco GP. Photo by Jmex60, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.