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F1 is a cutthroat business, a place where the best of the best in the world compete against each other. Yet, in this world, talent is not distributed in equal proportions. Some have more of it, while others, not so much. That is one of the reasons why only a handful of the drivers on an F1 grid are race winners and fewer are world champions.
There are some on an F1 grid that are unable to fulfill their potential for one reason or the other, yet there are others that extract every bit of that talent and sometimes even end up achieving beyond what their talents had on offer. In this piece, we take a look at some such drivers that overachieved in their careers.
Top 3 overachieving careers in F1
#3 Giancarlo Fisichella
The Italian was never the most talented driver on the grid. Nor was he the most charismatic. Especially with drivers like Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso and Mika Hakkinen on the grid, the Italian hardly ever stood out. What he had, however, was the ability to make the most of the opportunities given to him, as exemplified by his race win in a Jordan in 2003. He did that again by securing a seat with 2005-06 champions Renault during that period and winning a couple of races with the team.
He repeated his feats with Force India as he clinched pole position and finished second at Spa in 2009. The drive was significant in Fisichella's career because it gave him the opportunity to drive for Ferrari, a dream for every Italian. After his stint at Ferrari, Fisichella's dream was fulfilled as he ended up achieving a lot more than what drivers of his talent are able to.
A career with just three race wins might not look that great, but for a driver that could not match elites like Schumacher, Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen and Juan Pablo Montoya while driving a competitive Renault, it was a career fulfilled.
#2 Felipe Massa
Felipe Massa's career story can be divided into two parts. The one before the accident in Hungary in 2009, and the one after that. Before Hungary 2009, Massa was one of the best drivers in F1. Yet, after the accident, Massa was unable to reach those same heights. This is the perception that almost every F1 fan has of the Brazilian.
The reality is slightly different. Massa was never as complete as some of the elites in F1. He lacked consistency, had the propensity to be crash-prone, and he was not the best driver in wet weather — the 2008 British GP where Massa had multiple spins in his Ferrari in treacherous conditions, is an example. He was picked by Ferrari as the new 'number two' for their top drivers — Michael Schumacher, Kimi Raikkonen, and Fernando Alonso.
Yet after his first season with Ferrari in 2006 where he progressed well, Massa improved into a very good driver. He contended for titles in 2007 and 2008, but if we are fair, he lacked those finishing touches, which was exposed from time to time. Skills like racecraft, better wet weather driving skills, etc. were what set drivers like Lewis Hamilton, Alonso, and Raikkonen apart.
For a driver lacking those qualities, however, Massa was almost able to beat Hamilton in a straight fight and lead Ferrari's challenge in 2008. For the gifts that Massa had and a final tally of 11 wins, he did end up achieving a lot more than what he had the talent for.
#1 Nico Rosberg
Nico Rosberg is a former F1 world champion. Yet he finds himself on this list as a testament to what the German driver achieved in his career. Rosberg was a solid driver throughout his career. Whether he was championship material is something that could be argued upon.
Before his stint at Mercedes, there weren't too many standout drives to say that Rosberg belonged in the same category as the top drivers on the grid. Something that could be said for Fernando Alonso, who impressed at Minardi early in his career, or Sebastian Vettel, who won a grand prix in a Torro Rosso.
Even when Lewis Hamilton was announced as his teammate, it did appear that the writing was on the wall for Rosberg. The German had been dominated by Hamilton in the junior categories — The Briton had beaten Rosberg when both drove for Team Mercedes-Benz-McLaren in Formula A. So, it wasn't going to be much of a surprise if Hamilton did that again.
Yet, in 2016, Rosberg did in F1 what not many believed he could do. The German went head-to-head against Hamilton in the same car and beat him to the title. He did that with consistency and using all the tools at his disposal. Ending up as a world champion by beating an all-time great in Lewis Hamilton is what makes Nico Rosberg a true overachiever in his career.
