45 replies to this topic

[skittt]

Every decade has given us one hit wonders WDCs in F1. Drivers that win 1 WDC and never win a WDC again.


1950s - Farina, Hawthorn.


1960s - Phil Hill, Surtees, Hulme.


1970s - Rindt, Hunt, Andretti, Scheckter.


1980s - Rosberg, Jones.


1990s - Mansell, Damon Hill, Jacques Villeneuve.


2000s - ????

[WGD706]

1970s - Rindt
Although he had a valid excuse for only winning one WDC, there were serious rumors about his retirement from active driving after 1970.
Aside from that, hasn't Alonso mentioned that racing wasn't going to be his entire life and that now he's won the WDC, he has his sights elsewhere?

[BorderReiver]

I really don't think "1 hit wonder" does any justice to many of the names on that list.

Certainly not Mansell, Andretti, Surtees, or Hill. All of whom won a great amount of races (F1 or no) outside of their championship year. I mean, Mansell 30+ wins over a decade's F1 racing a 1 hit wonder?

[skittt]

Originally posted by BorderReiver
I really don't think "1 hit wonder" does any justice to many of the names on that list.

Certainly not Mansell, Andretti, Surtees, or Hill. All of whom won a great amount of races (F1 or no) outside of their championship year. I mean, Mansell 30+ wins over a decade's F1 racing a 1 hit wonder?

Yup... but all of them only won 1 WDC.....

[skittt]

If you look at the list every decade had at least 2 hit wonders!!!! In the 70s there were 4! I believe we will have 2 WDC hit wonders in this decade(from 2000-2009).... That is because of so many rule changes in the upcoming years.....


BTW, the last 5 WDC one hit wonders drove a Williams car.... watch out for Webber or Nico in the future.....

[V10 Fireworks]

Kimi & Alonso will win one each in 00's. They won't get another look-in because Trulli & Toyota will clean up the remaining 4. Just watch it happen ;)

[prettyface]

Except for Villeneuve, who more or less squandered his career; all the so-called "one hit wonders" were very much veterans near the end of their F1 life. In the case of Rindt, literally.

Given Alonso's and Kimi's youth, talent and marketability; and the fact that they're likely to remain in top teams for the rest of their potentially long careers; they're your best bet for multiple WDC glory among the current crop, that is if they can avoid the Amon and Villeneuve syndrome.

Then you get the older drivers, who are good enough but also theoretically have less active years remaining by virtue of arriving relatively late to F1 (Webber, Montoya) or to a top team (Fisi, Trulli). These are your best bet for single WDCs.

You can lump Button in the above group, still young enough but arguably not as good as Kimi and Fernando; in a team that's still pretty much a question mark; but who might have the time and talent to get a WDC down the line. Heidfeld, forever underrated in "building" teams; but also still young enough to reap a WDC in his later years if everything comes together.

Count Ralf and Rubens as outsiders (under the premise of their teams coming good and their better rated mates failing) and you could say this group contains the likely single WDCs of the inmediate future.

At least I hope some of them will become champions. You could say that between Kimi and Fernando (I think it's safe to assume Schumi retires next year) many WDC opportunities will vanish for this sort of "second tier".

[Rob G]

Originally posted by prettyface
Except for Villeneuve, who more or less squandered his career; all the so-called "one hit wonders" were very much veterans near the end of their F1 life. In the case of Rindt, literally.

I don't like to nitpick an otherwise really good post, but Hulme won the WDC in his third season out of ten, and Surtees won in his fifth season out of 13.

[boostpressure]

Villeneuve's career isn't finished yet........

Nah, I know, its HIGHLY unlikely......

One hit wonders is a strange way of putting it, either way, all of them are great drivers, great champions. remember alot of those names have been runner up also at some point, luck plays a prettty big part in things too......

[lustigson]

I wouldn't rate Farina a 'one-hit wonder'. He won the first WDC at the age of, what, 48? Hawthorn definitely falls into this category with a rather lucky triumph. For the 60s only Phil Hill comes to min, because he won in the absence of his main rival, Von Trips.

The 70s were a special something, because a lot of teams/cars could win with the combined force of Cosworth and Hewland. So it was to be expected that many different drivers would win. The only true one-hit wonders in the 70s were Hunt and Scheckter, I guess. The 80s were of course dominated by one team; McLaren. I'd like to think of Rosberg as the only true one-hit wonder of the 80s, since 1980 is technically part of the 70s.;)

The 90s are a difficult case. I would hesitate to call Mansell a one-hit wonder, because he was rather close on two (?) previous occasions. Hill really doesn't fall into the category either, with a third and two seconds in 93, 94 and 95 respectively. Villeneuve is the one that comes close, eventhough he was second in '96.

[marcotulio]

oh it must be coulthard!

[SeanValen]

You can't answer this thread without having some disrespect for the driver skills and separating it from what the team gives him.

Mansell for example could of stuck around in 1993, and possibly have won another title or won another before 92 if his tyre didn't go out, a 2 times WC mantle I think he deserved.

Hakkinen would of been a one hit wonder if Schumacher didn't break his leg in 99, he and mclaren allowed mistakes to creep in, and Irvine suddenly had a shot lol.


Championships depend on alot of things, even if your a great driver, something doesn't go your way, no title for you. It's as good as guessing what cards your gonna get for your poker game.

[BRG]

Surtees had already been a world champion seven times on two wheels, so he can hardly be described as a one-hit wonder!

I think that title is a bit derogatory anyway; world champions are surely something pretty special and to win even one title is a massive achievement. Especially when you consider the calibre of some drivers who were never able to manage it - Moss, Villeneuve, Depailler, Amon etc.

I hope this decade will see some more one-time WDCs. The Team Schumacher steamroller was tedious beyond belief and we don't want an repetition of that.

[Tubbs]

Originally posted by SeanValen
Hakkinen would of been a one hit wonder if Schumacher didn't break his leg in 99, he and mclaren allowed mistakes to creep in, and Irvine suddenly had a shot lol.

There's no way for you to know that.

[Mauseri]

Originally posted by SeanValen
Hakkinen would of been a one hit wonder if Schumacher didn't break his leg in 99, he and mclaren allowed mistakes to creep in, and Irvine suddenly had a shot lol. [/B]

You cant say for sure. If Schumacher was around DC hardly would have been given the go to challenge Mika mid season.

[SeanValen]

Originally posted by micra_k10

You cant say for sure. If Schumacher was around DC hardly would have been given the go to challenge Mika mid season.

Schumacher dealt with Couthard in 2000, and when Couthard was fast mid season a bit, Mika had problems with consistency even in 2000. So in 1999, add Mika's driving mistakes of Monza and Imola, giving away 20 points, and Schumachers overall pace compared to Irvine and and Salo, he would of won it, my belief anyway.

Nothing is certain of cource, that's the how point of this thread isn't it.



.

[kismet]

Funnily enough, these so-called one hit wonders actually outnumber the multiple WDCs. Perhaps there's a conclusion to be drawn there...

[Mohican]

I do not see the point of derogatory remarks about champions like Hawthorn, Rindt, Hunt and Scheckter - all of whom realised their life ambition, but also came to realise that success came at a high personal cost and accompanied by great personal danger.

They all confronted their fears, and were not afraid to let the world know.
Respect is due, nothing else.

[JesseFriz]

Button

[BRG]

Originally posted by JesseFriz
Button

I pressed it, but nothing happened.

[lustigson]

Originally posted by Mohican
I do not see the point of derogatory remarks about champions like Hawthorn, Rindt, Hunt and Scheckter - all of whom realised their life ambition, but also came to realise that success came at a high personal cost and accompanied by great personal danger. They all confronted their fears, and were not afraid to let the world know. Respect is due, nothing else.

All very true, albeit a very different discussion. All WDC are worthy champions, however, some are not of the calibre of the Fangio's, the Clarks, the Stewarts, the Sennas and the Schumachers.

[Lontano]

WDC one-hit wonders? it would be more like 15-hit wonders. you need a full seasson on top to be WDC!!

[Lada Lover]

JVil is only going to win one F1 WDC this decade. After 06 BMW is going to fire him in order to go with younger drivers.
Prepare for another decade of bitching and moaning.

[McHulme]

Originally posted by boostpressure
One hit wonders is a strange way of putting it, either way, all of them are great drivers, great champions. remember alot of those names have been runner up also at some point, luck plays a prettty big part in things too......

I agree. A true one hit wonder would have won the WDC out of the blue, and never been close again.

Working backwards through the list, and looking at each drivers best years other than their championships, we get:

Jacques: 2nd once
Damon: 2nd twice
Nigel: 2nd 3 times
Alan: 3rd twice
Keke: 3rd once
Jody: 2nd once, 3rd once
Mario: 3rd once
James: 4th once
Jochen: 3rd once
Denny: 3rd twice
John: 2nd once
Phil: 4th once
Mike: 3rd once
Nino: 2nd once, 3rd once

Based on these simplistic stats, it looks like Phill Hill and James Hunt are the closest to one bit wonders, followed by Mike Hawthorn, Mario Andretti and Keke Rosberg. The closest to NOT being one hit wonders are Nigel, then Damon, then Jody & Nino, then Jacques & John.

The thing that strikes me about this analysis is that it doesn't really back up the one hit wonder theory at all. Only two of the drivers in the original list didn't make it to the top 3 again. James Hunt was in it for a bit of a laugh and the crumpet, so its no great surprise he's there, and I don't know enough about Phil Hill to comment on him.

[LuckyStrike1]

Kimi Raikkonen

[jokuvaan]

So if half of this decade is gone and Alonso is only person to qualify as possible "one person WDC" so far. Does it make him as most potential person?

My other candidates:
Trulli
Räikkönen
Rosberg
Kovalainen

[Sakae]

Montoya; or maybe not. The other guys are just too hungry to let him have at least one, and they don't know what fear means, as name Montoya has no effect on them.

[JForce]

I can see Montoya winning 1 only (if at all). He lacks the consistency to stay on top for a long time, and the other guys (Kimi, Alonso, MS etc) are too good for him to be there either. I can see him "lucking" into a WDC, but he'd only ever get 1

[HardRock]

I'd say either Button or Barrichello.

[SchuOz]

World Champ 2010:

Sebastian Vettel

[boostpressure]

Originally posted by SeanValen
Hakkinen would of been a one hit wonder if Schumacher didn't break his leg in 99, he and mclaren allowed mistakes to creep in, and Irvine suddenly had a shot lol.

exactly. it shows that luck is a big thing, big part of it. No matter what anyone says, that was a lucky break for Hakkinen, just as Mansell's tyre at adelaide 1986 was very unlucky. JV created his own bad luck, Hill was arguably unlucky in 1994, etc.

[boostpressure]

Originally posted by JForce
I can see Montoya winning 1 only (if at all). He lacks the consistency to stay on top for a long time, and the other guys (Kimi, Alonso, MS etc) are too good for him to be there either. I can see him "lucking" into a WDC, but he'd only ever get 1

you don't win a World Champiionship by purely being lucky. Yes you can get some good breaks and some bad ones but, overall, you need a huge amount of talent and consistency to win the ultimate prize. Not everyone is capable.

I reckon Raikkonen could easily be a so called 'one hit wonder'. Alonso too.

[HSJ]

Originally posted by SchuOz
World Champ 2010:

Sebastian Vettel

Next decade, I hope, we'll see Vettel vs. Rosberg battles.

[Mohican]

Originally posted by boostpressure


you don't win a World Champiionship by purely being lucky. Yes you can get some good breaks and some bad ones but, overall, you need a huge amount of talent and consistency to win the ultimate prize. Not everyone is capable.

I reckon Raikkonen could easily be a so called 'one hit wonder'. Alonso too.

Alonso was in the right team at the right time in 2005. McLaren were unreliable and Williams and Ferrari were not factors; and who else was there ? BAR were as unreliable as McLaren early in the year, and not fast enough later. Toyota was the team to benefit, looking much better relative to the opposition than they should have.

In 2006, Renault need to improve as they fell behind McLaren in the second part of the year (China being the exception). This may or may not happen, with engines and tyres being the main variables.

But the thing is that Alonso is tied to renault through Briatore. Flavio can hardly let his man sign for anybody else and then remain as Renault team principal. Meaning that Alonso may be tied down next year. Although he could always do a Button and ignore contracts altogether.

[armonico]

Originally posted by Mohican


Alonso was in the right team at the right time in 2005. McLaren were unreliable and Williams and Ferrari were not factors; and who else was there ? BAR were as unreliable as McLaren early in the year, and not fast enough later. Toyota was the team to benefit, looking much better relative to the opposition than they should have.

In 2006, Renault need to improve as they fell behind McLaren in the second part of the year (China being the exception). This may or may not happen, with engines and tyres being the main variables.

But the thing is that Alonso is tied to renault through Briatore. Flavio can hardly let his man sign for anybody else and then remain as Renault team principal. Meaning that Alonso may be tied down next year. Although he could always do a Button and ignore contracts altogether.

All champions have been in the right team at the right time. Multiple champions have enjoyed the right team at the right time more often than not.

Change the names of those mentioned above and you will have the same picture nearly every year. This year, for example, Renault and McLaren had performed a step ahead of the rest. They would have walked both championship without the opposition of the other, just like Ferrari did in 2002 and 2004.


BTW, on topic, F1 champions are not one hit wonders, because their success didn't depend on the public liking and their changeable tastes. They are not "pop starts".

[BlackCat]

forget those hit-and-runs; as a former Rindt fan i've been waiting for the next posthumous champ for quite a long time already. sadly, Michael and Freddy were not the ones...

[MPea3]

Originally posted by BlackCat
forget those hit-and-runs; as a former Rindt fan i've been waiting for the next posthumous champ for quite a long time already. sadly, Michael and Freddy were not the ones...

Please tell me I'm misunderdstanding your post; if not it seems in very bad taste.

[Slyder]

Originally posted by BlackCat
forget those hit-and-runs; as a former Rindt fan i've been waiting for the next posthumous champ for quite a long time already. sadly, Michael and Freddy were not the ones...

That was not a very intelligent thing to say.

[Mohican]

Originally posted by armonico


All champions have been in the right team at the right time. Multiple champions have enjoyed the right team at the right time more often than not.

Change the names of those mentioned above and you will have the same picture nearly every year. This year, for example, Renault and McLaren had performed a step ahead of the rest. They would have walked both championship without the opposition of the other, just like Ferrari did in 2002 and 2004.

You are right - but it could be added that a certain multiple champion has been helped by team orders being imposed.

And this is not a reference to Hakkinen, Prost or Senna.

[grg]

if things carry on this way DC will grab it and run - he has the experience to do it
- just needs one moreyear after 2006

[F1 Tor.]

Originally posted by BlackCat
forget those hit-and-runs; as a former Rindt fan i've been waiting for the next posthumous champ for quite a long time already. sadly, Michael and Freddy were not the ones...

[JesseFriz]

If I read that right thats an extremely tasteless statement.

[Rraman]

Originally posted by BlackCat
forget those hit-and-runs; as a former Rindt fan i've been waiting for the next posthumous champ for quite a long time already. sadly, Michael and Freddy were not the ones...

Are you joking??? Am i reading this correctly.... you're waiting for... a death?

[inaki]

Originally posted by Mohican


Alonso was in the right team at the right time in 2005.

Yeah, but I'm convinced that most of drivers in the current grid/line up, would have not been able to get WDC, given Alonso's car and team.

Originally posted by Mohican

In 2006, Renault need to improve as they fell behind McLaren in the second part of the year (China being the exception). This may or may not happen, with engines and tyres being the main variables.

After seeing Japan and China GP performances, and knowing that Renault had this engine since Magny Cours (8 GPs earlier), Renault could have beaten McLarens if needed. The only circumstance preventing so, was that Renault was weighting as a team much more reliability than performance. But you have to have necessary guts and cold blood to resist the pressure they were resisting and keep yourself getting points relentlessly GP after GP. It's not that easy.

Originally posted by Mohican

But the thing is that Alonso is tied to renault through Briatore. Flavio can hardly let his man sign for anybody else and then remain as Renault team principal. Meaning that Alonso may be tied down next year. Although he could always do a Button and ignore contracts altogether.

Alonso and Briatore are much more intelligent and serious people/businessmen that Button, and both will respect a contract.
The problems with BAR contract during 2004 when Jenson wanted to leave the team and the affair about his contract not respected with Williams during 2005 demonstrate that Button has an IQ level below Forrest Gump.

[lustigson]

Originally posted by inaki
Alonso and Briatore are much more intelligent and serious people/businessmen that Button, and both will respect a contract.

Yeah, right. Then explain Flavio's conduct after the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix...

[polaris]

I think this is a very disrespectful thread.. Almost all of the drivers have to go through hell to get where they are to start with and then its money and politics and if you happen to be in the right team at the right time. There may be many drivers that get into F1 but dont shine but to get to a point where you win a WDC you have to be doing something right. you try it...