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Nov 10, 2026, 8:29 AM GMT
Mary is currently studying for her NCTJ diploma with PA Media Academy, building on over a year of experience in public relations and communications. She has a degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from Durham University, where she also worked as a sport contributor on the student paper, Palatinate.
Recently, Mary was shortlisted for the MCC’s Young Female Broadcaster of the Year (2024) competition for her showreel on England Women’s ODI series against Pakistan, and she has written for several outlets including; CRICKETher and the Scottish Rugby Blog.
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Every Formula 1 season has two ultimate prizes; the Constructors’ Championship for the teams, and the Drivers' Championship for the drivers. While the former celebrates collective brilliance, the latter recognises the sport’s very best - those who’ve conquered the grid as individuals.
But not every exceptional driver gets their fairytale ending.
It’s important to look at the big picture when it comes to points when comparing drivers from different eras. Formula 1's scoring system overhaul in 2010, which increased the points awarded for victory from 10 to 25, means modern totals often dwarf those of the past.
Still, there’s a fascinating club of drivers who’ve amassed a huge number of career points without ever claiming the Drivers' Championship - let’s take a look at the top 10 drivers who missed out.
The 20-year-old “Rubinho” made his Formula One debut in 1993 with Jordan at the South African Grand Prix, becoming the sixth-youngest GP driver at the time. Barrichello stayed with Jordan for three seasons, securing his maiden podium in 1994 at the Pacific Grand Prix and finishing sixth in the World Drivers' Championship.
In 1997, he joined Stewart, where he raced for three seasons. Barrichello's highlights include a second-place finish at the Monaco Grand Prix in 1997, and pole position at the 1999 French Grand Prix. He moved to Ferrari in 2000, partnering with Michael Schumacher, and claimed his first race victory at that year's German Grand Prix. The Brazilian played a key role in securing five consecutive Constructors' Championships for Ferrari, with 51 podium finishes across 85 races.
Barrichello twice came close to the Drivers' Championship, finishing as runner-up to Schumacher in 2002 and 2004.
Oscar Piastri is next on the list, and if he's not careful, he'll likely continue to go higher and higher as he's currently an active driver with McLaren.
The Australian came so close to removing his name from this list last season, 2025, but was pipped to the championship by his teammate Lando Norris, and eventually even finished behind Red Bull's Max Verstappen.
His poor form at the business end of the season saw his title chances vanish, and for that reason, he makes it ninth on this list, with plenty of chances for him to move up higher.
Australian Mark Webber made his F1 debut with Minardi in 2002, where he finished fifth and earned the team's first points in three years. Webber then signed with the newly rejuvenated Jaguar Racing team, and subsequently joined Williams in 2005. The Aussie achieved success after moving to Red Bull Racing in 2007, when he took his first Formula One win at the 2009 German Grand Prix.
Over his 12 years in Formula One, Webber notched up 215 races, nine victories – most notably becoming a double winner of both the Monaco and British Grands Prix – and accumulated an impressive tally of 42 podium finishes, 13 pole positions, and 19 fastest laps.
Despite never winning the Drivers' Championship, Webber helped Red Bull Racing to four consecutive Constructors’ Championships.
Brazilian driver Felipe Massa came agonisingly close to a Drivers' Championship win in 2008, finishing just a single point behind champion Lewis Hamilton. Massa was briefly in a championship-winning position as he crossed the line at the final race of the season in Brazil, only to lose the title when Hamilton overtook Timo Glock on the final lap.
The Brazilian drove for Ferrari from 2006 to 2013, after joining them as a test driver in 2003, following his Formula One debut at 20 years old for Sauber in 2002 at the Australian Grand Prix.
After 15 seasons, Mass retired from Formula One in 2017 without ever winning a Drivers' Championship, but nonetheless, achieving 11 Grands Prix wins and 41 podiums.
George Russell joined Mercedes-AMG Petronas back in 2022, with his first season yielding eight podiums and his maiden win at the Brazilian Grand Prix, and a fourth-place finish in the Drivers' Championship. In 2023, alongside teammate Hamilton, Russell helped Mercedes secure second place in the Constructors' Championship.
Russell's Formula One career began when he made his debut at the 2019 Australian Grand Prix for Williams Racing. The Brit was a member of the Mercedes Junior Team from 2017 and had previous experience of F1 as a reserve driver for Mercedes and Williams in 2018.
Though a Drivers' Championship title currently eludes Russell, his potential as a future champion remains undeniable.
One of the most loved characters in Formula One, Daniel Ricciardo made his Formula One debut in 2011 with HRT, part of the Red Bull Junior Team. From 2012 to 2013, he raced for Toro Rosso, before being promoted to Red Bull in 2014. He claimed his first podium at the Spanish Grand Prix after a disqualification in his debut race, and secured his first win at the 2014 Canadian Grand Prix, followed by victories at the Hungarian and Belgian Grands Prix.
Over 14 seasons, Ricciardo secured eight wins across five different teams. While a Drivers' Championship eluded him, Ricciardo remains one of the most well-regarded names in Formula One and beyond, loved for his charisma and attitude.
Spanish racing driver Carlos Sainz Jr has racked up 1,343.5 points in his career so far. While he has come close, he has yet to win a Drivers' or Constructors' Championship.
In 2022, he helped Ferrari secure second place in the Constructors' Championship, and in 2021, he contributed to their third-place finish. He made his debut for Toro Rosso in 2015, and has since raced for Renault, McLaren, and Ferrari. He now races for Williams, so his chances of winning a Drivers' Championship look seriously unlikely.
Sergio "Checo" Perez was the runner-up in the 2023 Formula One Drivers' Championship with Red Bull, but that's the closest he's ever come to a title.
Over 14 seasons, he won six Grands Prix. Starting his career in 2011, the Mexican raced for Sauber before moving to McLaren in 2013. He then joined Force India in 2014, where he scored five podiums before the team re-branded as Racing Point in 2018. Perez achieved a career milestone in 2020, winning his first Grand Prix at the Sakhir Grand Prix, after starting from last on the first lap, and finished fourth in the Championship.
In 2021, he joined Red Bull, partnering Verstappen, and claimed his first victory for the team at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Despite third and second-place finishes in the Drivers' Championship in 2022 and 2023 respectively, after a winless 2024 season, he and Red Bull mutually agreed to part ways.
He now races for the new boys on the block, Cadillac, alongside someone else who features high on this list.
Valtteri Bottas was the holder of the most frustrating Formula One record for the most career points without a Drivers' Championship... until the 2026 season.
The Finn debuted at the 2013 Australian Grand Prix for Williams, and after four seasons, he moved to Mercedes, where his five years there provided his best chance at securing the Drivers' Championship.
Finishing as runner-up twice in 2019 and 2020 respectively, Bottas was beaten to the title by teammate Hamilton, while the pair contributed to five Constructors' Championship wins for Mercedes. Bottas swapped the front-runners for Alfa Romeo in 2022, and now he's racing for Cadillac, so it's realistically likely he will stay high on this list for a long time to come.
Charles Leclerc narrowly missed out on the Drivers' Championship in 2022 with Ferrari, finishing second to Verstappen.
Monaco-born Leclerc made his Formula One debut in 2018 with Sauber, earning a seat at Ferrari in 2019. The 2019 season saw him claim his first career win in Belgium, followed by another victory a week later at the Italian Grand Prix.
Leclerc has shown he has the potential to fight for titles, but whether he can secure a Championship in the coming years remains to be seen.
Points correct as of 10/11/26
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