Who was the worst driver to become F1 World Champion?

To give you ideas:


Mike Hawthorn


Phil Hill


Denny Hulme


Jody Scheckter


Keke Rosberg


Nigel Mansell


Damon Hill


Jacques Villeneuve.

Who was the worst driver to become F1 World Champion?
Thank heavens, a question that doesn't involve Lewis Hamilton. Get bored waiting for questions worth answering.


I'd rule Hawthorn out of the list, because he was to only original Ferrari team member to survive the 1958 season and he'd been a good enough driver to get into the Ferrari team in the first place (not easy for a non-Italian in those days).


Phil Hill is right near the top of the list, as he not only had the best car but his Championship-leading teammate was killed before the end of the season, handing him the title on a plate. He only won 3 races in his career, and in one of those the British teams didn't show up and it was a Ferrari 1-2-3-4-5.


Denny Hulme was really underrated, even during his career. Ok, he wasn't an all-time great, and he won his title with reliability (He finished all but 2 races in the points and won twice, whereas Clark won 4 times, but only finished 6 races all season). Still not the worst in this list.


Scheckter was in the right place at the right time, had a quick and reliable car, didn't make too many mistakes, with an honest teammate (who honoured their No1/No2 contracts)who didn't try to pass him at Monza when they finished 1-2 to win the drivers' and constructors' titles. Not a great, but at least he won more races in his career than most of the drivers in the list.


Rosberg lucked into his title by having the most reliable car in a year where the fastest often didn't finish. Without Pironi's accident Rosberg would be just the answer to an obscure quiz question about Monaco 83 or Dallas 84.


I'm a Mansell-hater, he really aws the luckiest driver in the world to get the best car for so long. He only won one title with a massive car advantage and no in-team competition. Still probably the best driver in this list however.


Damon Hill got lucky in that Schumi handicapped himself with an uncompetitive Ferrari for the season and Villeneuve wasn't quite up to speed. Otherwise he was a journeyman, not even as good as his father (who was probably the least talented multiple champion in history).


Villeneuve is another who suffers by comparison with his father, but he was better than Hill. Maybe lots of people chose him when answering this question because they don't remember any of the other drivers?





To sum up, I'd go for Phil Hill. Lucky more than once. Rosberg second and Damon Hill third.
Reply:alan jones
Reply:No bad drivers win championships. Were talking about the best drivers in the world and the difference between the first ten is about tenths of a second, even if a driver won a single championship he's still a deserving world champion.
Reply:Good question but can I choose from a non driving prospective?





If I can, it's Mansell! A moustache!!!!!!!!!


"Cheats and grasses,


Have beards and moustaches....."
Reply:Emerson Fittipaldi Won it 1974 Nationality:Brazilian Car: Mclaren M23 Ford/Cosworth
Reply:Jacques Villeneuve.
Reply:Perhaps your question should be rephrased, changing `worst driver' to `least deserving driver' and, undoubtedly the would be Michael Schumacher in 1994, when he won the title by a single point from Damon Hill.


Some of us vividly remember the details of his coming together with Hill, midway around the track on the 36th lap of the season finale, the Australian Grand Prix at Adelaide.


Both drivers exited the race and Schumacher was crowned champion by virtue of the one-point lead he had going into the race.


However, if I'm to answer your question in its original form (and I really shouldn't have changed it), then I'll suggest Nigel Mansell as the `worst driver to become F1 World Champion.'
Reply:Keke Rosberg...no doubt,that year John Watson deserves even more..
Reply:Jacques Villeneuve
Reply:jacques villeneuve becoz he always despite msc
Reply:Jacques Villeneuve was my fav one anyway


I loved his platinum hair
Reply:Rosberg, it was all car.
Reply:some of those names were way before my time,but of the more recent ones, it has to be Jacques Villeneuve... after lucking out the championhship using a vastly superior car he carried this unbelievable misplaced arrogance after even when when he got kicked out of his drive...
Reply:Jacques Villeneuve
Reply:SCHUMACHER
Reply:Well this is a VERY subjective question, but I'd have to say none of the above. Because almost none of the drivers you mention above sailed to victory because their car was sooo much better than any other in the field. To me it would have to come down to two things. a) the fellow who took way too many chances putting himself and other drivers in danger, and b) the fellow who only made it because of the car.





The answer to a) IMHO would have to be Ayrton Senna


The answer to b) would have to be Michael Schumaker





Forced to choose one i'd probably go with Schumaker.