More often than not, the best drivers in the best cars will be the ones fighting for victory in Formula 1. But it’s rare for an underdog to punch past his weight to stay at the front of the pack, only to fall heartbreakingly behind. We’ve sifted through the archives and found some of those moments where racers got this close – but so far.
There are moments when the underdog retires after narrow losses, such as Force India’s Giancarlo Fisichella, who was narrowly edged out by Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen at Spa 2009. Jean Alesi also lost in his Tyrell at the 1990 USA GP in a tough battle against Ayrton Senna’s McLaren.
Also on that list are riders like Damon Hill and Ivan Capelli, both riders notoriously missing out on unlikely victories due to mechanical issues. While still completing their respective races, they were overtaken by them in the closing stages of the Grand Prix and took the lead.
We also see times when a wet track cost a rider a win. Who could forget Lando Norris and McLaren’s decision not to pit because of the wet tyres, which not only cost them the win but also a podium finish?
Much like Norris, Senna and his Toleman team also missed out on their first Formula One win due to wet weather conditions when the 1984 Monaco GP was abandoned due to dangerous conditions while the Brazilian was second.
For all of these moments and more, click the video player above to relive the 13 times an underdog almost made it to the top step of the podium.
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