10 Most Unlucky Drivers in F1 History

10. Mark Webber

Fast, fearless, and always in the wrong place at the wrong time. From gearbox failures to team orders favoring Vettel, Webber’s career was a masterclass in missed timing — proof that sometimes talent alone isn’t enough when luck’s not on your side.

9. Robert Kubica

After his stunning 2008 Canadian GP win, Kubica looked destined for greatness — until a rally crash in 2011 derailed everything. His injury cut short what could’ve been a championship career, and his comeback only showed how much fate had taken from him.

8. Chris Amon

The ultimate symbol of bad luck in F1. Amon led countless races only for his cars to break down, tires to explode, or victory to slip away by pure misfortune. Despite his talent, he retired without a single Grand Prix win — a cruel injustice in motorsport history.

7. Charles Leclerc

A modern master trapped in Ferrari chaos. Engine failures, pit strategy errors, and cruel timing have cost Leclerc multiple wins and maybe even titles. From Monaco heartbreaks to wrong tire calls, Leclerc’s luck feels like a modern curse.

6. Stirling Moss

The greatest driver to never win a championship. Moss lost four titles — not through lack of skill, but through mechanical failures and fate. In 1958, he even lost the title because he defended a rival from disqualification. Legendary driver, brutally unlucky.

5. Daniel Ricciardo

Brilliant behind the wheel, cursed in the pits. Ricciardo’s career has been a string of “what ifs” — from Red Bull’s 2016 Monaco disaster to reliability issues at Renault and the McLaren slump. When the car was good, luck wasn’t. When luck turned, the car fell apart.

4. Ronnie Peterson

One of the fastest men of the 1970s, yet rarely in the right car at the right time. Despite his immense talent, politics, poor team choices, and reliability issues kept him from ever becoming world champion. Fate took him far too soon in 1978.

3. Valtteri Bottas

If there’s a modern face of F1 bad luck, it’s Bottas. From pit stop disasters to engine penalties and safety car nightmares, he’s been on the wrong side of fortune more times than anyone deserves — often losing out through no fault of his own.

2. Gilles Villeneuve

A fan favorite and Ferrari legend whose potential was cut short by tragedy. Fast, fearless, and relentless, Gilles suffered mechanical heartbreaks in 1981–82, only to lose his life in qualifying after a team betrayal weeks earlier. Pure talent, cruel fate.

1. Andrea de Cesaris

Often mocked for his crashes, but few endured worse luck. De Cesaris had the speed to win races, yet unreliable cars and constant DNFs defined his career. 208 starts, no wins — but plenty of heartbreaks. The definition of F1’s unlucky survivor.