Those who finish second are often considered the “first loser”. They are the individual that is forgotten, as only the winner is remembered. Unfortunately, in an event involving competitive racing, someone has to finish in that position.
Formula 1 has had its fair share of memorable winners, with Max Verstappen the latest to be etching his name into glory and being a famed driver. Whether he manages to reach the heights of past iconic competitors like Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel, Alain Prost, and Ayrton Senna remains to be seen. However, it would be a safe bet to think he would reach that level sooner than later, given what he has been achieving for Red Bull Racing over the last few years.
However, while Verstappen’s name is likely to go down in racing folklore and history once he has had his time, there are many who may find their names harder to remember. These can be the drivers that are known as the F1’s silver medalists.
They are individuals who, in their own right, were exceptional drivers but could never really get the job done for a variety of reasons. They may have been part of an era that had a driver who was a “once in a generation” talent that they could not beat – think Schumacher and Miki Hakkinen’s epic rivalry during the 90s and 00s – or they may not just have had the next gear to close the gap between them and first place.
Some of F1’s most famous silver medalists
While the current F1 Championship is already wrapped up with Verstappen the champion and likely to be the next season’s winner too, given the prices that have been made available at a site that provides the ability to Bet online with the best odds already, there are some that may become silver medalists in their own right.
Verstappen’s 1/4 makes him a clear favorite for the upcoming season, with Lando Norris priced as the next-best at 6/1. Fernando Alonso (10/1) and Lewis Hamilton (12/1) are former multi-time champions, thus making the Brit the one individual in the top four not to have done so. He will be hoping to add a world championship to his trophy cabinet some day and not join some of the more memorable silver medalists of the sport…
Rubens Barrichello
Perhaps more shocking that he did not win a single world championship during his racing career, Rubens Barrichello is one driver who really was a victim of an elite competitor being on the grid at the same time he was. At least it was at Ferrari with Schumacher being a teammate.
The Brazilian is one of the most experienced F1 drivers in history, having completed 322 races in his career. However, he won only 11 of those races and obtained 14 pole positions. He did manage to get on the podium 68 times throughout his career. His list of accomplishments includes being a five-time constructors champion, but he was second in 2002 and 2004 for the world championship.
Gilles Villeneuve
A career that did not go to plan in terms of how long it should have lasted, Gilles Villeneuve was an incredible driver who may have actually won a championship if it had not ended fatally in 1982 at the Belgian GP. He attempted to pass Jochen Mass in qualifying but his car was launched into the air at around 140mph.
In six seasons, he managed to have an impact on motorsport immediately. In 1979 – his second year – he missed out on the world title to his teammate, Jody Scheckter, by four points.
David Coulthard and Mark Webber
David Coulthard and Mark Webber were nearly men during their time behind the wheel. The Scottish driver was second when he drove for McLaren in 2001, finishing behind Schumacher but improving on four third-place world championship finishes during his career.
The Australian was successful during his time with Red Bull Racing, and almost came close to winning the grand title in 2010. However, an issue with a tire cost him dearly. He would wind up finishing third in the championship on three occasions throughout his career, which as a No. 2, was not bad going, especially when he teamed with the highly successful Vettel.
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