F1 Records Unlikely To Be Broken

If the time comes where someone wins a championship with one or zero wins, I wonder how it'll be received? I suppose it may depend on what car/team he drives for. If Rosberg won it this year for instance, I don't think he'd get as much applause/credibility for it, as a champ would in most cases. But when we look at Raikkonnen at Lotus the last couple of years, I think he would've got tremendous praise.

Even Kubica too in 08. I don't think he would've been diminished had he won.

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Originally Posted by steveaki13

Good one.

I cant see anyone only winning 1 race in a championship winning season.

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Thanks

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Originally Posted by steveaki13

Good one.

I cant see anyone only winning 1 race in a championship winning season.

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The current point system rewards 2nd proportionally similarly to 1958 and 82, but 58 had points for FL.
Conceivably it could happen again, with a year similar to 1982. However the real kicker is the double points on tap for the last race. Someone could keep in play with a run of podiums and win the title on the last race. Wonder how that would go down.

That's another one that looked difficult to beat - 1982's 11 winners. Then we had eight winners at the start of 2012 and maybe that looked entirely beatable... :D Especially with so many races now.

What about John Watson's deepest starting spot to win a race? 22nd if you didn't know.

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Originally Posted by journeyman racer

What about John Watson's deepest starting spot to win a race? 22nd if you didn't know.

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I think that will be done. Vettel came from 23rd to 3rd at Abu Dhabi in 2012. Imagine if one of the Mercs got a grid penalty or something and had to start at the back this year. The way they've been dominating one of them could do it. I think what makes Watson's extra difficult is that he did it on a street circuit at Long Beach. That can't be easy.

Well it can only be equalled this year! Unless they start adding more cars for some reason. But yes, it could be done - see Raikkonen's last-to-first drive at Suzuka in 2005 (he started somewhere near the back but, since there were only 20 cars that season, the record wasn't under any threat).

In 2003 Räikkönen was only 2 points shy of a WDC with a single win. I do think a championship in such circumstances is a possibility though the likeliness is pretty small.

In Hawthorn's case there were much fewer races in a season, so to put it into perspective with current almost 20 races, his wins have to be multiplied by 2 or 2.5.

Rosberg is a good case though and as mentioned, 1982 has another record - 11 winners. It was a very unique and messy season and to be honest, unlikely to be repeated. In some seasons we have got close to it (like 2008 or 2012), but I don't think current level and structure of competition enables us to see 5-7 almost evenly matched teams, who keep taking wins and points off each other all season. But that would be the only possibility, how we could possibly see a new record for the closeness of a season.

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Originally Posted by pcal226

I think that will be done.

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The more I think about it, with safety car situations and variable conditions, it could be knocked off.

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Originally Posted by pcal226

I think what makes Watson's extra difficult is that he did it on a street circuit at Long Beach. That can't be easy.

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There's a wider, variable gap in performance between qualifying and racing, in those days. I've watched the 83 USGP on YT. It seemed quite processional. Watson was up the front by 1/3 distance. Had the lead by 2/3, and just cruised to an easy win. As if he started on the front row.

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Originally Posted by inimitablestoo

Well it can only be equalled this year!

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Maybe. But I think, regardless of the size of the field, starting from pit lane would top it?.

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Originally Posted by jens

In 2003 Räikkönen was only 2 points shy of a WDC with a single win.

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Raikkonnen would've had to have won the last race to make it 2 wins?

Alright, I'll take this low amount of winning even further. Phil Hill has the record for the least amount of wins in a career for a champion, with 3. Is anyone going to "beat" that? Nicky Hayden has, embarrassingly imo, equalled that in motogp.

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Originally Posted by jens

In Hawthorn's case there were much fewer races in a season, so to put it into perspective with current almost 20 races, his wins have to be multiplied by 2 or 2.5.

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Yep, that's a good point.

How about Stirling Moss's record for most wins without a title? It'd be pretty hard, even with the increasing amount of races. Coulthard couldn't break it, and he was in a prime position to do it. Going by jens's logic, Moss's record would be the equivalent of 40+ wins without knocking off a title!

edit: Come to think of it. I can now recall many races (at Williams and early McLaren years) was denied by mechanical, circumstantial, or other non-driving errors. If you gave him every race where he was in a strong, leading position, he'd easily have had 20+ wins!

Any of the "proper" lap records by the looks of it.