Who's Your Favorite Racing Driver Who Has Never Won A Championship?

An important moment in the journey of any racing fan is the realization that most competitors will spend their entire careers without taking home the big trophy at season's end. For example, over 780 drivers have started an official Formula 1 race, but there have only been 34 world champions. The exclusive club will likely grow one member larger if either of McLaren's drivers, Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri, clinch this year's title.

Who's your favorite racing driver who has never won a championship? In the realm of F1, there are a plethora of options from across the championship's entire history. Stirling Moss became the archetypal bridesmaid after handing the 1958 championship to Mike Hawthorn, his compatriot and my historical nemesis. During that season's Portuguese Grand Prix, Hawthorn spun out and stalled his Ferrari 246. To bump start his car, Hawthorn drove the wrong way on the track to roll the Ferrari downhill. He went on to cross the finish line second behind Moss, but was disqualified for reckless driving. However, Moss went to the stewards and convinced them to overturn the penalty. Hawthorn went on to become Britain's first world champion by a single point over Moss. It was the fourth and final time Moss had been the runner-up in the world championship.

Mark Martin is another name that comes up in conversations about the greatest drivers without a championship. The NASCAR Hall of Famer demonstrated remarkable longevity throughout his Cup Series career. Martin finished in second place in the standings five times over his career. He was the Cup Series runner-up for the first time in 1990 as a 31-year-old. Martin was 50 years old when he finished behind Jimmie Johnson in 2009. The Arkansas native is currently sitting 15th all-time for wins in NASCAR's modern era, which began in 1972, with 40 race victories

Daniel Ricciardo might be a choice for the sport's newer fans. The Australian recently retired from racing after joining Ford Racing as a spokesperson. Ricciardo left F1 in 2024 after a 14-year career, during which he often found himself in the right place at the wrong time. The often-overused "future world champion" label got attached to Ricciardo when he usurped four-time champion Sebastian Vettel at Red Bull Racing in 2014. However, Red Bull was no longer F1's dominant team after a significant change in the engine rules. He finished 3rd in the 2014 and 2016 title races behind the all-conquering Mercedes pairing of Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, then never came that close again.

Be sure to share your favorite racing driver who has never won a championship in the comments below.