The 10 WORST performing Formula 1 Drivers of All-Time!

The 10 WORST performing Formula 1 Drivers of All-Time!

A List Compiled by Brian Cotnoir

Oh it’s a debate that seemingly endless debate across all forms of Auto Racing: who is the worst race car driver of all-time?  Maybe it wasn’t all the drivers fault, maybe it was a bad car design, maybe it was a bad engine, maybe it was a bad season, maybe the whole season was dominated by 1-3 drivers when they ran?   Whatever the reason some drivers in Formula 1 just could not get the right results.  I’m not saying these drivers are the absolute worst drivers in History….just the worst in Formula 1.  I looked at stats, I crunched some numbers, and I think I can safely say this list will show you the Worst Drivers in the History of F1. 

If you’re wondering what kind of mathematic formula I used to calculate the drivers score, I attempted earlier when writing this article to explain it, and I just couldn’t make it clear enough to explain, but I can tell you I factored in things like Career Starts, Career Race Retirements, Career Race Retirement %, Total Championship Points Scored, # of Podiums, and a few wildcard things.  Each driver received an Average Score based on their previous two scores. I don’t want to bore you anymore here are my Top 10 Worst Formula Drivers in History!

10.)  Andrea de Cesaris (Average Score 8 Points)

Many of you are probably shocked to see that Andrea de Cesaris isn’t ranked #1 on this list.  It’s true, he holds the F1 record for race retirements with 135; failing to finish 2/3 of the Grand Prix’s he entered, and yet surprisingly enough the Italian driver managed to finish on the podium 5 times in his career.  Most people in history will remember de Cesaris for his many wrecks and race retirements, but shockingly enough it was only enough to earn him the bottom spot on his list…which is appropriate….I think(?)

9.)  Mika Salo (Average Score 21)

Except for a seat at Ferrari where he filled in for the injured Michael Schumacher and scored the only two podium finishes of his career, Finnish driver Mika Salo did not have much to cheer about in his career.  While his fellow countryman, Mika Hakkinen was winning races and back-to-back World Championships, Salo was driving for teams like Tyrrell and Arrows whose best years were long behind them before finishing up with rides at Sauber and being the first driver to Score Championship points for the Toyota F1 team.

8.)  Tim Schenken (Average Score 30.5)

Yes, I know: Who???  Tim Schenken spent an unremarkable time in F1.  He made his debut in the 1970 driving a handful of races for the Original Frank Williams Racing team, before moving on to run a full season with Brabham, where he’d score a surprise podium finish at the 1971 Austrian Grand Prix (the only one of his career).  The following season he’d go on to race for the struggling Surtees F1 team, and then would spend the next two years driving part-time for back marker teams.    At his last ever race, the 1974 US Grand Prix, Schenken would be disqualified for illegally entering the race.

7.)  David Walker (Average Score 31.5)

Australian David Walker didn’t even run a Full-Season in F1.  He made one start in 1971 for Lotus at the Dutch Grand Prix and the following year he would be teamed up with Emerson Fittipaldi.  While Fittipaldi dominate the 1972 season, easily securing the drivers and constructors championships for Lotus, Walker failed to score a single point!  Fittipaldi single-handedly carried the team through the season, while Walker Contributed nothing.  Walker would be replaced the following season by Ronnie Peterson, and he never raced in F1 again.

6.)  Pedro Diniz (Average score 46.5)

Diniz never earned a ride in F1, he bought them; or rather his family bought them.  His family owns a chain of successful grocery stores in his native Brazil, where he began Karting at age 18, and at 25 made his debut in F1 with the Forti team.  He’d go on to drive for Ligier, Arrows, and Sauber.  Surprisingly enough, he scored at least one championship point in every season in F1, except his first and last season.  His best career finish is 5^th, which he achieved twice in his F1 career.

5.)  Alex Zanardi (Average Score 50.5)

Alex Zanardi almost died in 2001, when his legs were sheared off in a horrific racing accident.  He fortunately survived and master of the Victory Donut celebration, would go on to become an Paralympic Gold Medalist, which is great because his F1 career was absolute sh!t.  He drove a handful of race for the underperforming Jordan and Minardi F1 teams, before driving for Lotus during their swansong season.   Zanardi returned to race in America in the CART series, where he became a 2-time series champion before returning to Formula 1 for one more season at Williams where he was paired up with Ralf Schumacher.   Once again Zanardi failed to perform well in Formula 1.   His only points finish was a 6^th place at the 1993 Brazilian Grand Prix.

4.)  Alex Caffi (Average Score 57.5)

Italian Alex Caffi’s Formula 1 career was a disaster to say the least, and it should have come as a surprise to anyone.  Over the years he drove for some terrible teams Osella Squadra, Footwork, Scuderia Italia.  He scored only 6 career championship points and his best career finish was 4^th place at the 1989 Monaco Grand Prix where he finished 2 laps down.  After a disastrous campaign with Footwork team in 1991, where he only qualified for the final 2 races of the season, Caffi would be tapped to drive for Andrea Moda Formula 1 team, widely be considered by many to be the Worst team in F1 history.  Caffi never even got the chance to qualify for the 2 races he entered for Andrea Moda.

3.)  Aguri Suzuki (Average Score 60.5)

Aguri Suzuki failed to qualify for every single Grand Prix in the 1989 season, and what followed next was two lack luster seasons at Larrousse followed by 2 lackluster seasons at Footwork.  Suzuki’s only shining moment was when he finished 3^rd place at his home Prix; the legendary 1990 Grand Prix.  Suzuki would go on to form who own F1 team in 2006, but Suzuki was an even worst owner and his team shut down after a little over 2 seasons.

2.)  Yannick Dalmas (Average Score 61)

French driver Yannick Dalmas had a short, but absolutely terrible F1 career.  Dalmas only drove for two teams in F1; Larrousse and AGS; both French Teams.  Dalmas Failed to qualify 26 Grand Prix’s he had entered.  His total career starts is 24, of which he failed to finish a 3^rd of them.  His best ever finish in F1 was 7^th place.    But as I’ve mentioned before his a 4-time 24 Hours of Le Mans race winner.  Dalmas never scored a single point in his F1 career.

1.)  Olivier Grouillard (Average Score 69)

Poor Olivier Grouillard, his is the FOURTH time he’s appeared on one of my Worst Drivers list, but this time it’s to take the Top Spot.  Grouillard drove for some Trash F1 teams in his career.  He only scored one Championship Point for Ligier at the 1989 French Grand Prix.  He drove for Osella Squadra, Tyrrell during their downward spiral, Fondemental, and even attempted to make a start for AGS.  He failed to qualify for 21 races and in the races he did qualify for he retired from 63% of them!  Grouillard never found success in F1, and even in other forms of racing he struggled.    He just wasn’t cut out for F1, and many other forms of racing, so I am sad to say that the Worst F1 driver in History has to be Olivier Grouillard.