10 biggest deficits between F1 world champions and their teammates over a season

Niki Lauda (L) and Alain Prost (R) (Photo by Pool Bakalian-De Keerle/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)
Niki Lauda (L) and Alain Prost (R) (Photo by Pool Bakalian-De Keerle/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)

There have been many F1 world champions in history who have obliterated their teammates in terms of points difference. Such massive deficits can be due to several factors that play out during a season like drivers' personal performance difference, the car being suited to one or the other, etc.

In 2023, Red Bull driver Sergio Perez had 48% fewer points compared to his reigning world champion teammate Max Verstappen. This might seem like quite a lot but it fades in comparison to even larger points difference instances in the history of the sport.

Below is a list of the 10 biggest gaps between F1 world champions and their teammates in terms of points.


List of 10 massive deficits between F1 world champions and their teammates over a season

#10 Eugenio Castellotti vs Juan Manuel Fangio - 1956 - 75% points behind

In 1956, Juan Manuel Fangio won his fourth F1 world championship by beating Stirling Moss. Fangio was so quick that one of his three permanent teammates at Ferrari, Eugenio Castellotti, was miles behind him in the driver standings. At the end of the seven-race season, Castellotti was 75% points behind the world champion. Fangio scored 30 points, while his Italian teammate only racked up 7.5 points.


#9 Richie Ginther vs Graham Hill – 1962 – 76% points behind

Graham Hill was another legendary F1 driver who won two world championships in his career. In 1962, Hill won his first title and obliterated one of his teammates, Richie Ginther. Hill scored five times more points than the latter. At the end of the 1962 season, Graham Hill scored 42 championship points, while Richie Ginther only managed to score 10 points.


#8 Derek Daly vs Keke Rosberg – 1982 – 82% points behind

Before Nico Rosberg won his one and only world championship in F1, his father, Keke Rosberg, was etching the Rosberg name in history. In the 1982 season, Keke Rosberg won his first and only world championship by beating Didier Pironi. He pushed the Williams car to its limits, something his teammates were unable to do. Rosberg's teammate, Derek Daly, was miles behind him in the standings since he finished 13th with only 8 points, while the Finnish racing driver racked up 44 points.


#7 Hector Rebaque vs Nelson Piquet – 1981 – 78% points behind

In 1981, Nelson Piquet Senior won his first world championship by narrowly beating Carlos Reutemann by one point. While Piquet was fighting at the top, his teammate in Brabham, Hector Rebaque, was struggling to drive the Brabham car in the top half of the table. While Nelson Piquet scored a total of 50 points in 1981 and won the championship, Rebaque was only able to collect 11 points.


#6 Riccardo Patrese vs Nelson Piquet – 1983 – 78% points behind

Nelson Piquet Senior continued to dominate his teammates, this time with Riccardo Patrese. In 1983, the Brazilian won his second world championship after fierce competition with Alain Prost. Piquet's teammate, Patrese, encountered loads of retirement from most races and only scored 13 points in the entire season. Nelson Piquet, on the other hand, received 59 points.


#5 Niki Lauda vs Alain Prost – 1985 – 81% points behind

After a fierce title battle in 1984, where Niki Lauda won his third and last world championship by half a point against Alain Prost, the tables were completely turned in 1985. Next season, Alain Prost unleashed himself and won his first world championship, while Lauda struggled with several retirements from races. At the end of the 1985 F1 season, Prost scored 73 points, while Niki Lauda only collected 14.


#4 Mike Spence vs Jim Clark – 1965 – 82% points behind

In 1965, Jim Clark won his second and last world title after defeating Graham Hill. While Clark was fighting at the top, his teammate, Mike Spence, was struggling to score decent points. Despite both Lotus drivers retiring only twice in the 1965 F1 season, Clark scored 54 points while Spence only scored 10 points.


#3 3: John Miles vs Jochen Rindt – 1970 – 96% points behind

Jochen Rindt was a great F1 driver who won his first and last world championship in 1970. Though Rindt could have won many more in his career, he had a fatal accident in the practice session of the 1970 F1 Italian GP. Despite not racing in the last four races of the season, the world championship went to his name. Rindt is the only posthumous world champion to date.

Furthermore, Rindt was so good at the start of the season that he left his teammates miles behind on the championship table. Jochen Rindt's teammate, John Miles, only raced in three races that season and only scored two points, while Rindt scored a total of 45 points.


#2 Trevor Taylor vs Jim Clark – 1963 – 98% points behind

Jim Clark dominated the field in 1963 when he won his maiden world championship. The Brit won seven out of 10 races and scored 54 points. Clark's teammate at Lotus, Trevor Taylor, struggled quite a lot with four retirements and only scored one point in the entire season.


#1 David Walker vs Emerson Fittipaldi – 1972 – 100% behind

Even though there have been massive points differences between world champions and their teammates over a single season, both drivers have at least scored points. However, looking at the 1972 season, Emerson Fittipaldi and David Walker had the largest deficit in points. While Fittipaldi won his first world championship, scoring 61 points, Walker was not able to grab even a single point in the entire season.

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