Driver who never got the break

[ArrowsFA1]

Mike Thackwall always struck me as someone who should have made it in F1. He had a few stabs at it in uncompetitive machinery, had a couple of races with Penske in CART, then won races in F3000 before quitting the sport. I'm not sure if it was a case of not getting the breaks, or not wanting it enough, but he had the talent to do more than his record shows.

Stephen South was another who seemed destined to do well. He could have been in the Toleman team that dominated F2 with Henton & Warwick, tested (IIRC) for Lotus at the same time as Mansell, but made just one DNQ appearance for McLaren at Long Beach in 1980. A serious accident in Can-Am ended his career.

[Bolton Midnight]

Martin Brundle either had second rate cars or top notch team mates who got everything their own way, also Jonny Herbert.

J P Jarier could have done better had he had a decent car.

Odd to think that people like Tambay, Depailler, Arnoux, Lafitte, Reutemann, Regazoni and Berger could quite easily have been world champions had things unfolded differently.

Am sure if you had put someone like Trulli in championship winning car from the last 5 years he'd have a crown by now.

Phillippe Streiff & Allan McNish.

Streiff put his Ligier 5th on the grid on his first proper F1 start (he did the '84 Portugal GP in a 3rd Renault 'camera' car but the Euro GP of '85 was his first genuine GP). Just as good as any of his more experienced team-mates in pretty average Tyrrells, found his spiritual home at AGS then suffered a broken back in testing.

McNish was just as good (even better?) than Hakkinen when they were team-mates at Dragon. It took Mika only another 2 seasons to break into F1 and McNish another 15 seasons, which never seemed right.

[Dazz9908]

Razenberger, who if I remember correctly died in his first race in Imola 1994.

His First Season. Failed to Qualified at Brazil, Raced in the Pacific GP, Died in Practice at Imola.

[Dazz9908]

James Courtney
Brilliant By the wheel of any car.
Made it as high as a test driver a test driver.
Career destroyed by Suspension failure in testing for Jaguar at Monza were he suffered server head injuries. I think in 2002 or 03.
No trusted him with a F1 car ever again because of his injuries suffered. Mika HAkk Suffered head injuries in Australia in 05, came back and won 2 wdc.

[nik]

I never knew that about Courtney. I saw him in British F3 and thougt his single seater career had just ended. Not to worry, he's doing great in V8 Supercars.

Tommy Byrne anyone?

He drove for Theodore for half a season as substitute for Patrick Tambay.

[Ranger]

How about Ryan Briscoe?

Obviously talented and very quick.

Pity he only got a chance with the driver void that is the Toyota works team.

[Ranger]

I never knew that about Courtney. I saw him in British F3 and thougt his single seater career had just ended. Not to worry, he's doing great in V8 Supercars.

That guy is a champion in waiting much like Marcos Ambrose.

[Stuartf12007]

Martin Donnelly outstanding in F3000 and would have been world champion but for his serious track accident in the Jordan.