Ranked: Longest winless streaks for F1 world champions

Abu Dhabi F1 GP Auto Racing
Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso

F1 world champions are known for setting records for winning races and titles, but sometimes they go into winless streaks, which see them struggling to taste silverware.

There have been several world champions in F1 who have gone through winless streaks. Below is the list of longest winless streaks in F1 for world champions:


Fernando Alonso - 179* (Spain 2013 – Abu Dhabi F1 2023)

The two-time world champion has won 32 times in his illustrious F1 career and won titles in the 2005 and 2006 seasons.

He also tasted success with McKaren in 2007 and Ferrari from 2010-2013. However, he last tasted victory in his home race in the 2013 Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona.

Since then, he has gone winless and is waiting to break this drought with his new team, Aston Martin.

Jacques Villeneuve – 130 (Europe 1997 – Germany 2006)

The 1997 world champion won his last race in the sport in his title-winning season with the Williams F1 team.

After leaving the Grove-based outfit, the Canadian driver never really got the opportunity to fight for race wins before he retired in 2006.

Kimi Raikkonen– 112 (Australia 2013 – United States 2018)

The 2007 world champion was touted as one of the fastest drivers in the history of the sport and won 21 times in his glorious career.

However, he went on a rather long winless streak from Australia in 2013 with Renault, which he broke five years later with Ferrari at the 2018 US Grand Prix.

Emerson Fittipaldi – 81 (Great Britain 1975 – United States 1980)

The two-time world champion took the chance of running his team after leaving McLaren in the 1975 season, which also saw him winning his final race in the sport at the iconic Silverstone track.

Post that, he never had the chance to fight for race wins till his retirement in the 1980 season.

Jenson Button – 78 (Brazil 2012 – Monaco 2017)

The 2009 world champion was known for his smooth racing style and excellent driving in changing weather conditions.

He was the last McLaren driver to win a race before Daniel Ricciardo's win in Italy in 2021 ,when he won the final race of the 2012 season. That also happened to be Button's final race win in the sport, as he retired in Monaco in 2017.

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