F1 Drivers' Enduring Streaks: A Look at the Longest Waits for Victory
In the high-octane world of Formula 1, triumph and setback often walk hand-in-hand. While some drivers ascend to legendary status with multiple victories, others endure a relentless pursuit of the top step, marking their careers with extended periods between wins or, in some cases, never reaching that pinnacle. This exploration delves into the remarkable journeys of several notable F1 competitors who, despite their undeniable talent and dedication, experienced significant dry spells in their quest for Grand Prix glory.
Kevin Magnussen, a Danish driver, has spent a considerable portion of his Formula 1 career with teams that lacked the competitive edge to challenge for victories. Across nine seasons, primarily with Haas and a challenging stint at Renault, Magnussen never found himself leading a Grand Prix lap, despite completing nearly 10,000 racing laps. His career highlight remains a second-place finish in his debut race at the 2014 Australian Grand Prix, a result achieved after Daniel Ricciardo's disqualification, placing him behind race winner Nico Rosberg.
Sergio Perez's path to victory was a test of endurance, marked by 189 Grand Prix starts before he finally claimed his maiden win. His breakthrough moment arrived dramatically at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix. After an early collision with Charles Leclerc sent him to the back of the field, Perez staged an incredible comeback. A combination of strategic safety car periods and a rare pitlane error by Mercedes, which mistakenly gave George Russell the wrong tires, paved the way for Perez's improbable triumph. Prior to this, his closest call was a spirited battle with Fernando Alonso at the 2012 Malaysian Grand Prix while driving for Sauber.
Andrea de Cesaris, often affectionately (or perhaps, regretfully) known as \"De Crasheris\" due to his frequent incidents, competed in 208 Formula 1 races without securing a victory. His career was characterized by a propensity for accidents, resulting in 147 retirements, many of which were self-inflicted or involved collisions. Despite this, de Cesaris showcased glimpses of brilliance. He secured pole position at the 1982 United States Grand Prix West, only to crash out after being overtaken by Niki Lauda. He also led the 1983 Belgian Grand Prix from third on the grid before mechanical issues ended his race. He achieved five podium finishes, with his closest attempts at victory coming in 1983, finishing second at both Kyalami and Hockenheim, and a near-win at the chaotic 1982 Monaco Grand Prix where he ran out of fuel on the final lap while in contention.
Fernando Alonso, a two-time world champion with 32 Grand Prix victories, finds himself on this list due to a prolonged winless streak that stretches over 214 races. His last victory dates back to the 2013 Spanish Grand Prix with Ferrari. Since then, Alonso has navigated the midfield with teams like McLaren, Alpine, and Aston Martin. While he has secured a handful of podium finishes—two with Ferrari in 2014, one with Alpine in 2021, and eight with Aston Martin in 2023—a 33rd career win has remained elusive. His most significant opportunity came at the 2014 Hungarian Grand Prix, where he led until the penultimate lap, engaging in a fierce battle with Daniel Ricciardo and Lewis Hamilton. Despite completing 9,850 laps since his last win, he has only led six of them.
Nico Hulkenberg holds the record for the most Grand Prix starts without a victory, a staggering 241 races. Despite this, he finally achieved his maiden F1 podium at the 239th attempt at the British Grand Prix. Hulkenberg's career has been spent primarily in midfield teams, including Williams, Sauber, Force India, Renault, and Haas. As a rookie in 2010, he secured pole position at the Brazilian Grand Prix for Williams but was overtaken by both Red Bull cars on the opening lap and ultimately finished eighth. He led three F1 races, with his most notable charge occurring at the 2012 Interlagos race, where he commendably led for 30 laps before a half-spin and a subsequent collision with Lewis Hamilton ended his chances.
Among established race winners, Jarno Trulli experienced the second-longest post-victory drought, enduring 135 races without a win after his solitary triumph at the 2004 Monaco Grand Prix. His career, which began promisingly with Prost and continued with Jordan and Renault, saw him join the Enstone-based squad just before their dominant era. However, his performance and relationship with team boss Flavio Briatore soured, leading to a move to midfield teams like Toyota and Lotus. While he secured a pole position and seven podiums for Toyota, he rarely contended for wins. His closest post-victory attempts were a second-place finish at the 2005 Bahrain Grand Prix, 13 seconds behind Alonso, and a third-place finish from pole at the same race in 2009, nine seconds adrift of Jenson Button.
Kimi Raikkonen holds a unique record as the only Formula 1 driver to compete in more than 100 Grand Prix events between two victories, specifically 111 races separating his 2013 Australian Grand Prix win and his 2018 United States Grand Prix triumph. During this extensive period, predominantly with Ferrari, Raikkonen secured 30 podium finishes but consistently missed the top step. He had several opportunities, including a mere one-second deficit to Sebastian Vettel at the 2013 German Grand Prix while driving for Lotus. With Ferrari, he was just 3.4 seconds behind Lewis Hamilton at the 2015 Bahrain Grand Prix and led the 2017 Monaco Grand Prix from pole for 33 laps before being overcut by teammate Vettel. In 2018, he faced further challenges against Mercedes before finally breaking his drought at the Circuit of the Americas.