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F1 is a sport that features only the best at all times. For a driver to make it to F1, however, there are too many things that need to work. First of all, of course, you need to have talent. Then you need the right funding as well to support your career. Even then, it's not a certainty that you'll find a seat on the F1 grid — just ask Oscar Piastri.
The fight doesn't end when you have finally made it to the sport. For you to prove yourself and be successful, you need to have the right machinery underneath you at all times.
This synergy is the most important thing that any driver requires to be able to showcase his skills in F1. Luck, therefore, plays an important role in any F1 driver's career. In this piece, we will talk about the top three drivers of the 21st century for whom, more often than not, this synergy of having the right machinery at the right time never happened. Had that been the case, they could have had an entirely different career.
Ranking the top 3 unfortunate F1 drivers of the 21st century
#3 Daniel Ricciardo
Daniel Ricciardo is one of the best drivers on the grid. The Australian's career, however, has not been a fortunate one if looked at closely.
He joined the Red Bull team in 2014 and proved himself by beating Sebastian Vettel in the same car. In hindsight, however, his timing of joining the team could not have been worse. A massive power unit deficit against Mercedes meant the Milton Keynes-based team could not possibly compete for the title at the time.
Things took a turn for the worse when a certain teen sensation, Max Verstappen, turned up to Red Bull. With the writing on the wall in the team, Ricciardo's subsequent moves across the grid saw him at McLaren in 2021 where yet again he finds himself battling a young driver who is starting to take over the team.
Despite being regarded as one of the best drivers on the F1 grid since 2014, Ricciardo has not even once fought for the title. His best finish of third in the championship came in 2014 and 2016 when Mercedes were in a different league.
In his 30s now with a dream of fighting for the title someday, Ricciardo is at McLaren with Lando Norris as his teammate. It does appear that the Australian's hopes of fighting for and winning a championship might be a bridge too far.
If only Max Verstappen had not turned up at Red Bull, or if only Ricciardo had been promoted a year earlier in 2013 by the team, the Australian's career might have had an entirely different complexion than what it is right now. Eight career wins is not bad by any means but for a driver of Ricciardo's caliber, it would hurt not fighting for the championship even once in his career.
#2 Nico Hulkenberg
Nico Hulkenberg had one of the most impressive junior careers before he made his debut in F1. He won titles in every category he raced (A1 GP, GP2 Series and F3) on his way to F1. Further, it's not as if he had just won those titles. He had dominated those categories, beating the likes of Sergio Perez, Pastor Maldonado and Jules Bianchi, and looked set to do the same in F1.
He made an immediate impact in F1 by grabbing pole position at Brazil in 2010 in his debut season for Williams. Sadly, however, that was the best he could have hoped for in a career that promised so much but shockingly could not deliver even a single podium position.
A driver who had talks with almost all the top teams on the grid, from Ferrari to Mercedes to Red Bull, Hulkenberg just could not get the big break throughout his career for one reason or the other.
Whether it was Ferrari opting for Kimi Raikkonen over him in 2014 or Mercedes securing Lewis Hamilton in 2013, there were too many scenarios where Hulkenberg narrowly missed out on that big break that would have allowed him to show how good he is.
For a former Le Mans 24 Hours winner, scoring zero podiums in 182 entries has to be considered disappointing. Hulkenberg is one of the drivers that never got his shot in the big leagues. In the end, he might be ending his F1 stint with one of the more underachieving careers in the history of the sport for the talent that he had.
#1 Fernando Alonso
It might seem surprising to place a two-time world champion on the list of the unluckiest drivers in F1. There is, however, an element of truth attached to it. The last time Fernando Alonso drove the fastest car on the grid was in 2007. Since then, the Spaniard has been unable to get his hands on a car that could be considered the fastest over the course of a season.
He almost won the title in 2010 and 2012, but the car he was in was just not in the same league as the Red Bull that eventually won the title. It is a testament to his talent more than anything else.
To add to this, Alonso himself made some career decisions that would in hindsight prove to be significant blunders. He was approached by both Honda (that would eventually become Brawn GP and dominate the 2009 season) and Red Bull to drive for their respective teams. He declined and chose Ferrari instead.
In hindsight, these were the two teams that dominated the aero and turbo era from 2009 onwards, while Ferrari never produced a car capable of a direct challenge. At the time, opting for Ferrari over Red Bull seemed like a prudent choice. As it turned out, however, Alonso would face defeat against the same team from 2010 to 2013.
That wasn't all as Alonso, after finally giving up on the dream of winning the title with Ferrari, moved to McLaren-Honda and then had to endure the catastrophic failure of the partnership. Alonso has been one of, if not the, best drivers on the grid since 2006 when he last won the title. Unfortunately, the Spaniard has no titles to show for it.
In retrospect, Alonso's career in terms of driving quality mirrors the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher. Owing to a lack of competitive machinery, however, he does not get the same recognition. 32 career wins and two World Championships don't look that bad in a career, but when you consider what could have been for the Spaniard, it does feel like an underachievement.
