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All drivers that have raced in Formula 1 have had one goal: to be the fastest, and therefore, to be remembered as the best in history, or at least, of their time. However, the competition is so high that most of them do not go into the history books, or do so subtly.
Many drivers have incredible talent and are very fast, but they can coincide in the same era or team with really exceptional drivers, those who mark a generation, and therefore, despite being good drivers, they are overshadowed.
Those \”number 2\” drivers are called \”wingmen\”, as they are involved in the success of both their teammate and the team and are a key piece for victory. They are drivers capable of great things, but without necessarily producing that as consistently as the greatest.
Below we will review some of the best wingmen, those drivers who, although they have not won drivers\’ titles, have contributed to the success of their teams and have achieved victories and podiums by themselves, so they are drivers of a high level.
1. Rubens Barrichello
Entries: 326
Wins: 11
Podiums: 68
Pole Positions: 14
5 constructors\’ and 5 drivers\’ titles in partnership with Michael Schumacher
1 constructors\’ and 1 drivers\’ title in partnership with Jenson Button
Rubens Barrichello is without a doubt the best \”No. 2\” driver in the history of Formula 1. He is the driver that has been implicated in more success in world championship history, with 6 constructors\’ and 6 drivers\’ titles.
Barrichello will always be remembered for being part of the best Ferrari in the history of F1 in an iconic combination with Michael Schumacher, who won practically everything from 2000 to 2004. However, Barrichello was not only that, but he was a great driver, as fast as Schumacher, and also very complete both in qualifying and in the race.
Already during his first years we could see how good he was, getting podiums and a few poles with Jordan and Stewart, midfield teams. With Ferrari, he achieved 9 wins and 46 podium finishes, achieving his first victory at the 2000 German GP, after 128 GPs, becoming the driver with the most races contested before obtaining a victory.
Years later, in 2009, he was Jenson Button\’s wingman in the renowned Brawn GP, a car that, to everyone\’s surprise, was the best of the season. He managed to be third in the championship, with 4 podiums and 2 victories. Jenson Button was proclaimed world champion, and also Brawn GP won the constructors\’ title.
As a curious fact, Rubens Barrichello is the third driver with the most races in history, with 323, only behind Fernando Alonso and Kimi Räikkönen.
2. Valtteri Bottas
Entries: 179
Wins: 10
Podiums: 67
Pole Positions: 20
5 constructors\’ and 4 drivers\’ titles in partnership with Lewis Hamilton
Valtteri Bottas made his debut in Formula 1 in 2013 with Williams and was called to do great things, because from a very young age he showed himself to be a very fast driver both in race and in qualifying, and between 2014 and 2016 he was very consistent, scoring numerous podiums and beating his experienced teammate Felipe Massa.
When Nico Rosberg retired after the last race of 2016, Bottas seemed like the perfect replacement. In his five years at Mercedes, despite taking 10 wins and 20 pole positions, he has never been able to face Lewis Hamilton, becoming the perfect “No.2”, as he is fast enough to get good results for the team, but not enough to disrupt the team equilibrium with Hamilton, as Rosberg did.
When Bottas is having a good day, he can be as quick as Hamilton, but he lacks consistency as he can\’t maintain that level for as long. Behind Barrichello, Bottas is the driver who has been involved in the most successes in the history of the world championship without being world champion, with 5 constructors\’ titles and 4 drivers\’ titles in partnership with Lewis Hamilton.
3. Mark Webber
Entries: 217
Wins: 9
Podiums: 42
Pole Positions: 13
4 constructors\’ and 4 drivers\’ titles in partnership with Sebastian Vettel
After solid results at Minardi, Jaguar and Williams, Mark Webber joined the new Red Bull project in 2007 to lead it forward. However, in 2009 a young Sebastian Vettel was promoted to the team, and life got a little more complicated for him.
Like Bottas, Mark Webber was as quick as Vettel on many occasions, but he lacked a bit of consistency, with the German winning every driver\’s title from 2010 to 2013, while Webber was only able to cope with him in 2010 when he arrived to the last race of the world championship being one of the contenders to win the championship.
However, unlike Bottas, Webber never accepted the role of second driver, and had many clashes with Vettel and the team both on and off the track, such as the famous “Multi 21” drama at Sepang 2013. All in all, with 9 wins and 42 podiums, Mark Webber was a great driver.
4. Carlos Reutemann
Entries: 146
Wins: 12
Podiums: 45
Pole Positions: 6
2 constructors\’ titles and 1 drivers\’ title in partnership with Alan Jones
1 constructors\’ and 1 drivers\’ title in partnership with Niki Lauda
Although he appears on this list, Carlos Reutemann was not a number two driver, but circumstances forced him to be. Reutemann had humble origins and gave everything to get to F1, and again excited Argentina 20 years after Fangio\’s titles, being one of the main protagonists of the 70s and early 80s.
He raced for some of the most prestigious F1 teams, such as Brabham, Ferrari, Lotus and Williams, and already during his first years at Brabham he showed his talent, achieving many podiums and four victories.
In 1976, Reutemann was hired by Enzo Ferrari to replace Niki Lauda after his accident at Nurburgring, which angered the Austrian driver, thus precipitating his return to F1 just 38 days after his near-fatal accident. Reutemann continued that season at Ferrari in a third car and continued with the team in 1977 and 1978, with Lauda being drivers\’ champion in 1977 and Ferrari constructors\’ champion.
In 1978, he left Ferrari due to discrepancies with some members of the team and joined Williams, where he stayed until he retired in 1982. In both 1980 and 1981, Williams won the constructors\’ title. Alan Jones was world champion in 1980 and in 1981 Reutemann brushed the title when he finished second in the championship just one point behind Nelson Piquet.
His last seasons were fraught with a bad atmosphere in the team, as he did not accept being Alan Jones\’ second driver. After motorsport, he turned to politics.
5. Gerhard Berger
Entries: 210
Wins: 10
Podiums: 48
Pole Positions: 12
2 constructors\’ and 2 drivers\’ titles in partnership with Ayrton Senna
Gerhard Berger epitomizes perseverance, and he is a very peculiar guy who experienced some unexpected victories, had an accident that almost cost him his life, and in the paddock he was a very funny guy.
Berger made his F1 debut in 1984, and scored his first win and podium finish in 1986 with Benetton, earning him a move to Ferrari for 1987.
At Ferrari he acted as team leader in both 1987 and 1988, achieving several victories and podiums. However, in 1989 he was beaten by his new teammate Nigel Mansell as he was only able to finish 3 races.
Berger\’s time as “wingman\’\’ was between 1990 and 1992 when he drove for McLaren alongside Ayrton Senna. The Brazilian won the 1990 and 1991 championships and Berger was a very consistent number two driver and key to winning the constructors\’ championship. Senna gave him the victory of the last race of 1991 when he was leading and he let himself pass in the last corner, since the Brazilian was already world champion.
From 1993 until his retirement in 1997, Berger shared team with Jean Alesi, first at Ferrari and then at Benetton, where there was no clear leader among them, although Alesi was almost always slightly ahead.
6. Giancarlo Fisichella
Entries: 231
Wins: 3
Podiums: 19
Pole Positions: 4
2 constructors\’ and 2 drivers\’ titles in partnership with Fernando Alonso
Giancarlo Fisichella was a very fast driver with a great character both on and off the track. Fisichella raced in F1 between 1996 and 2009 and the peculiarity of him compared to other \”wingmen\” is that the Italian has only been beaten by teammates 5 times in his entire career.
During his early years, the Italian beat tough teammates such as Alexander Wurz, Ralf Schumacher, Jenson Button, Takuma Sato and Felipe Massa, scoring numerous podium finishes with Benetton, and establishing himself as a highly prized driver on the grid.
His stage as a \”wingman\” was in 2005 and 2006, when he drove for Renault together with a young Fernando Alonso, two-time world champion in those years. Fisichella was always behind the Spaniard, although he was able to take two wins and numerous podium finishes that made it possible for Renault to win the constructors\’ championship both seasons.
In 2007 he was also beaten by new teammate Heikki Kovalainen, and in 2008 and part of 2009 he raced for Force India, scoring the team\’s first-ever podium finish. Later in 2009, he replaced Massa at Ferrari before retiring.
7. David Coulthard
Entries: 247
Wins: 13
Podiums: 62
Pole Positions: 12
1 constructors\’ title in partnership with Damon Hill
1 constructors\’ title and 2 drivers\’ titles in partnership with Mika Hakkinen
David Coulthard is the fifth driver in history with the most points in his career and the first of those who have not won a world championship. His career stands out for its great consistency, as he was 7 times in the top five of the championship.
During his first two years in F1 with Williams, he already showed his enormous talent, taking the constructors\’ title with Damon Hill in 1994 and third in the championship with 7 podiums and 1 win in 1995 while still very young.
Then in 1996, he signed for McLaren, where he would drive until 2004, and during his early years served as the second driver for Mika Hakkinen, who was world champion in 1998 and 1999 and together with whom he achieved the constructors\’ title for McLaren in 1998.
Despite being the No. 2 driver, Coulthard posted solid results, finishing third in the championship 3 times and inching closer to Hakkinen, becoming the team leader in 2001 when he finished second in the championship.
From 2005 to 2008 he drove for the new Red Bull team, scoring the first podium in the team\’s history at the 2005 Monaco GP.
8. Felipe Massa
Entries: 272
Wins: 11
Podiums: 41
Pole Positions: 16
2 constructors\’ titles and 1 drivers\’ title in partnership with Kimi Raikkonen
Felipe Massa, like Barrichello, spent many years in F1, and in his prime, he was one of the best drivers of his generation.
During his first years in Sauber, he attracted the eyes of the big teams, having good and solid performances and beating his teammate, 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve in 2005.
In 2006, Massa signed for Ferrari to be Schumacher\’s second driver, where he would get his first podiums and victories. In 2007, however, he did not establish himself as a leading driver, as he helped McLaren newcomer Kimi Raikkonen win the world title.
However, in 2008, his best year in F1, he became the leader of Ferrari. He had a great fight with Hamilton for the championship and lost it by just one point after Hamilton overtook Timo Glock in the last corner of the last race, at the Brazilian GP, a sad ending for the Brazilian driver against his public. Ferrari won the constructors\’ championship that season.
In 2009 he had an accident at the Hungarian GP, which kept him away from F1 until 2010, and from then on Massa was never the same driver.
From 2010 to 2013 he worked as Fernando Alonso\’s second driver and in 2014 he signed for Williams until he retired in 2017, always staying a little behind Valtteri Bottas and beating Lance Stroll in 2017. If it had not been for the whims of fate, Massa would be world champion and would not be on this list.
9. François Cevert
Entries: 47
Wins: 1
Podiums: 13
Pole Positions: 0
1 constructors\’ title and 2 drivers\’ titles in partnership with Jackie Stewart
François Cevert was one of the greatest lost talents in the history of F1. He was one of a kind, an iconic playboy from the F1 of the 70s in a romantic era of the sport.
He raced in 47 Grands Prix, getting thirteen podiums and one victory. Paradoxically, where he found that one victory, at the United States Grand Prix, also found his death, at Watkins Glens in 1973. He competed four seasons with Tyrrell, along with Jackie Stewart, forming one of the most complete pairs on the grid, and the good relationship of both drivers fostered a great atmosphere and functionality in the team.
In those years, Jackie Stewart won the drivers\’ championship in 1971 and 1973, and Cevert finished third in the 1971 championship, thus Tyrrell winning the constructors\’ title that season. Cevert was characterized by his consistency, which made him a perfect driver to be alongside the legend Jackie Stewart.
Unfortunately, Cevert died too young, and could have achieved great success had things not turned out that way.
10. Riccardo Patrese
Entries: 257
Wins: 6
Podiums: 37
Pole Positions: 8
1 constructors\’ and 1 drivers\’ title in partnership with Nigel Mansell
Riccardo Patrese is the ninth driver with the most Grand Prix races in history, and was the first to exceed 200 and 250 Grand Prix races. He made his F1 debut in 1977, so by the early 1990s, Patrese was the most experienced driver in F1 history.
With such a long career, Patrese raced for many teams including Shadow, Arrows, Brabham and Benetton, scoring occasional podium finishes and wins given the quality of his cars. However, his most notable period was from 1988 to 1992 when he raced for Williams in one of the British team\’s golden eras.
With them he was runner-up in 1992 and third in 1989 and 1991. In 1988 and 1989 he was very even with his teammate Thierry Boutsen, but with the return of Nigel Mansell in 1990, Patrese clearly became number two in the team, although the Italian continued to post consistent results, earning Williams the constructors\’ title in 1992, while Mansell went on to become world champion.
11. Peter Collins
Entries: 35
Wins: 3
Podiums: 9
Pole Positions: 0
1 drivers\’ title in partnership with Juan Manuel Fangio
1 drivers\’ title in partnership with Mike Hawthorn
Peter Collins was one of the drivers of the first generation of Formula 1, and ran alongside other great drivers of the time such as Juan Manuel Fangio, Alberto Ascari and Nino Farina.
Collins made his F1 debut in 1951 at the age of 21, a very young age for the time, and raced for HW Motors, Vanwall and BRM, albeit without scoring any points. His most notable period was between 1956 and 1958, when he raced for Ferrari, taking 3 wins and 9 podium finishes, and being third in the 1957 drivers\’ championship as the best result.
However, Collins was never Ferrari\’s number 1 driver, as he had the misfortune to coincide in the team with the legendary Fangio, who won the world championship in 1957 with the Italian team, and with the British Mike Hawthorn, winner in 1959. Unfortunately, Collis died in an accident at the 1958 German GP and we were unable to see his full potential.
12. Bruce McLaren
Entries: 104
Wins: 4
Podiums: 27
Pole Positions: 0
2 drivers\’ titles in partnership with Jack Brabham
Bruce McLaren is known for being the founder of McLaren, one of the most iconic and successful teams in Formula 1 history, but not everyone knows that Bruce was an F1 driver, both for Cooper from 1959 to 1965 and for his own team from 1966 to 1970.
Bruce adapted very quickly to F1, achieving a podium and a victory already in his first season. During his first two years in F1, he was Jack Brabham´s teammate, who won the title in both years, in 1959 and 1960.
Interestingly, both Bruce and Jack would later found their own F1 teams. Already driving for his own team, Bruce would have a tight fight with his teammate Denny Hulme for several seasons until he died in 1970 in an accident.
As well as founding a legendary team, Bruce McLaren was also fast on the track, coming runner-up in 1960 and third in both 1962 and 1969.
13. Luigi Villoresi
Entries: 34
Wins: 0
Podiums: 8
Pole Positions: 0
2 drivers\’ titles in partnership with Alberto Ascari
Luigi Villoresi was one of the best Italian drivers of his time, and one of the drivers who participated in the first F1 season in 1950. Villoresi made his F1 debut at the age of 41, and was a very experienced driver, having participated in numerous races in the 30s and 40s.
Villoresi raced in F1 from 1950 to 1956, driving for Ferrari, Alfa Romeo and Lancia. His most outstanding stage was his first 4 seasons with Ferrari, being Ascari\’s great mentor and accompanying him in his two winning seasons, 1952 and 1953, while scoring solid results and numerous podium finishes.
Villoresi was deeply marked by the death of his friend Ascari in 1955, leaving F1 a year later after a serious accident and finally accepting the wishes of the family, as his brother had already died in an accident before the war.
14. Richie Ginther
Entries: 54
Wins: 1
Podiums: 14
Pole Positions: 0
1 drivers\’ title in partnership with Phil Hill
1 drivers\’ title in partnership with Graham Hill
Richie Ginther was an American driver who competed in F1 from 1960 to 1967, scoring a single victory at the 1965 Mexican GP, which was Honda\’s first Grand Prix win.
Richie raced for Ferrari, BRM, Honda, Cooper and Anglo American Racers, his time being more successful for Ferrari and BRM, with whom he achieved numerous podium finishes. At Ferrari he served as wingman to Phil Hill, who became world champion in 1961 and with BRM he served as wingman to Graham Hill, winner in 1962.
Richie was a very fast driver, and perfect to be the number 2 driver of two great legends like Phil Hill and Graham Hill, as he got solid results with consistency.
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Conlcusion
Although these are the “number 2 drivers” we must remember that to reach these levels of competition it takes a lot of talent and skill, and all of these drivers are some of the best drivers of their generation.
However, given the circumstances or simply due to luck, they were often relegated to the role of “No. 2” driver.
