Time spent leading the WDC

Time spent leading the WDC

A few days ago I answered a query about two drivers of the same nationality
fighting for the WDC. While looking up the records I started some analysis
of the actual WDC tables. Since the WDC began in 1950 there have been 785
events (includes the 10 Indy 500s from 1950-60) and so there have been
785 Championship tables. I wondered who had occupied the top position
for the greatest length of time - well I didn't really need to wonder
about that, but the rest of the drivers were less certain :-)

Firstly I decided to count all drivers who were in equal first place on
points ignoring the actual finishing positions which can sometimes be
used to separate them. To digress slightly, the lead has been shared
between two (or three) drivers on 34 occasions. On 15 occasions the
drivers could not be separated by most wins, most seconds, etc., leaving
19 when they could have been.

It's possible to sort the drivers in two ways - by the actual number of
days they spent at the top of the table (in the 'fifties there were
bigger gaps between races); and by the number of events where they were
at the top after the event ended.

The time at the top is considered to end with the final event of the
season. Actual time 'serving' as the WDC is a different thing.

Here's the list of 56 drivers who have led (or shared the lead) ordered
by the number of events.

Shared
Days GPs Days GPs
=======================================
1 M Schumacher 1624 122 [35 3]
2 A Prost 1176 81 [63 4]
3 A Senna 717 49 [56 3]
4 N Lauda 665 42 [35 1]
5 F Alonso 483 39 [49 3]
6 JM Fangio 987 34 [52 4]
7 J Stewart 595 33
8 G Hill 545 28 [49 3]
9 E Fittipaldi 517 28 [27 2]
10 M Häkkinen 378 27 [28 2]

11 N Mansell 399 25
12 J Brabham 553 24 [13 1]
13 J Clark 672 22 [21 1]
14 N Piquet 301 21 [77 4]
15 J Scheckter 281 17 [49 2]
16 D Hill 231 17
17 M Andretti 295 16 [35 1]
18 A Ascari 315 15 [22 2]
19 C Reutemann ** 278 15 [63 3] ** - never WDC
20 D Hulme 267 14 [27 2]

21 L Hamilton ** 189 14 [42 2]
22 A Jones 160 11 [14 1]
23 K Räikkönen 133 9 [28 1]
24 S Moss ** 236 8 [68 3]
25 J Rindt 112 8
26 B McLaren ** 174 7 [13 1]
27 G Regazzoni ** 168 7 [14 1]
28 M Alboreto ** 84 7 [7 1]
29 G Farina 64 7 [14 2]
30 E Irvine ** 112 6 [14 1]

31 M Hawthorn 105 6 [13 1]
32 J Villeneuve 77 6 [14 1]
33 P Hill 69 5 [14 1]
34 J Laffite ** 91 4 [14 1]
35 D Coulthard ** 63 4 [28 2]
36 D Pironi ** 42 4
37 J Behra ** 133 3
38 W von Trips ** 84 3 [27 1]
39 R Arnoux ** 78 3 [35 1]
40 P Collins ** 63 3 [28 1]

41 P Taruffi ** 49 3 [14 1]
42 J Watson ** 42 3
43 K Rosberg 27 3
44 E de Angelis ** 42 2
45 G Villeneuve ** 35 2 [14 1]
46 B Vukovich ** 28 2 [28 2]
P Depailler ** 28 2 [14 1]
48 M Trintignant ** 14 2
49 P Rodriguez ** 125 1
50 L Bandini ** 21 1

51 L Wallard ** 18 1 [18 1]
52 G Fisichella ** 14 1
53 L Musso ** 8 1
54 J Parsons ** 5 1 [5 1]
55 J Surtees 0 1
J Hunt 0 1


Note: Surtees and Hunt only took the lead at the final event of the season,
and neither ever led the WDC again.


Sorted by number of days led

Shared
Days GPs Days GPs
=======================================
1 M Schumacher 1624 122 [35 3] 4.44 yrs
2 A Prost 1176 81 [63 4] 3.22 yrs
3 JM Fangio 987 34 [52 4] 2.70 yrs
4 A Senna 717 49 [56 3] 1.96 yrs
5 J Clark 672 22 [21 1] 1.84 yrs
6 N Lauda 665 42 [35 1] 1.82 yrs
7 J Stewart 595 33 1.63 yrs
8 J Brabham 553 24 [13 1] 1.52 yrs
9 G Hill 545 28 [49 3] 1.49 yrs
10 E Fittipaldi 517 28 [27 2] 1.42 yrs

11 F Alonso 483 39 [49 3] 1.32 yrs
12 N Mansell 399 25 1.09 yrs
13 M Häkkinen 378 27 [28 2] 1.04 yrs
14 A Ascari 315 15 [22 2] 45 wks
15 N Piquet 301 21 [77 4] 43 wks
16 M Andretti 295 16 [35 1] ~ 42 wks
17 J Scheckter 281 17 [49 2] ~ 40 wks
18 C Reutemann ** 278 15 [63 3] ~ 40 wks
19 D Hulme 267 14 [27 2] ~ 38 wks
20 S Moss ** 236 8 [68 3] ~ 34 wks

21 D Hill 231 17 33 wks
22 L Hamilton ** 189 14 [42 2] 27 wks
23 B McLaren ** 174 7 [13 1] ~ 25 wks
24 G Regazzoni ** 168 7 [14 1] 24 wks
25 A Jones 160 11 [14 1] ~ 23 wks
26 K Räikkönen 133 9 [28 1] 19 wks
27 J Behra ** 133 3 19 wks
28 P Rodriguez ** 125 1 ~ 18 wks
29 J Rindt 112 8 16 wks
30 E Irvine ** 112 6 [14 1] 16 wks

31 M Hawthorn 105 6 [13 1] 15 wks
32 J Laffite ** 91 4 [14 1] 13 wks
33 M Alboreto ** 84 7 [7 1] 12 wks
34 W von Trips ** 84 3 [27 1] 12 wks
35 R Arnoux ** 78 3 [35 1] ~ 11 wks
36 J Villeneuve 77 6 [14 1] 11 wks
37 P Hill 69 5 [14 1] ~ 10 wks
38 G Farina 64 7 [14 2] ~ 9 wks
39 D Coulthard ** 63 4 [28 2] 9 wks
40 P Collins ** 63 3 [28 1] 9 wks

41 P Taruffi ** 49 3 [14 1] 7 wks
42 D Pironi ** 42 4 6 wks
43 J Watson ** 42 3 6 wks
44 E de Angelis ** 42 2 6 wks
45 G Villeneuve ** 35 2 [14 1] 5 wks
46 B Vukovich ** 28 2 [28 2] 4 wks
P Depailler ** 28 2 [14 1] 4 wks
48 K Rosberg 27 3 ~ 4 wks
49 L Bandini ** 21 1 3 wks
50 L Wallard ** 18 1 [18 1] ~ 2 wks

51 M Trintignant ** 14 2 2 wks
52 G Fisichella ** 14 1 2 wks
53 L Musso ** 8 1 ~ 1 wk
54 J Parsons ** 5 1 [5 1] ~ 1 wk
55 J Surtees 0 1
J Hunt 0 1


Top 10 non-WDCs (GPs)

1 C Reutemann 278 15 [63 3]

2 L Hamilton 189 14 [42 2]
3 S Moss 236 8 [68 3]
4 B McLaren 174 7 [13 1]
5 G Regazzoni 168 7 [14 1]
6 M Alboreto 84 7 [7 1]
7 E Irvine 112 6 [14 1]
8 J Laffite 91 4 [14 1]
9 D Coulthard 63 4 [28 2]
10 D Pironi 42 4


Top 10 non-WDCs (Days)

1 C Reutemann 278 15 [63 3] ~ 40 wks
2 S Moss 236 8 [68 3] ~ 34 wks

3 L Hamilton 189 14 [42 2] 27 wks
4 B McLaren 174 7 [13 1] ~ 25 wks
5 G Regazzoni 168 7 [14 1] 24 wks
6 J Behra 133 3 19 wks
7 P Rodriguez 125 1 ~ 18 wks
8 E Irvine 112 6 [14 1] 16 wks
9 J Laffite 91 4 [14 1] 13 wks
10 M Alboreto 84 7 [7 1] 12 wks
W von Trips 84 3 [27 1] 12 wks


'Always bridesmaids'

Drivers who spent most races/days as runner-up.

88 drivers have spent time in second place - most of them also spent
a lot of time as leader too. I'll restrict the list to the top 30.

Time Spent in 2nd Place (Days)

Driver Days GPs [Shared]
===========================================
1 A Prost 689 47
2 A Senna 581 43 [35 3]
3 M Schumacher 567 41 [14 1]
4 J Stewart 518 25 [40 3]
5 G Hill 496 21
6 D Hill 462 32
7 N Piquet 453 30 [14 1]
8 D Coulthard ** 441 32
9 R Barrichello ** 385 30 [28 2]
10 G Farina 351 8 [126 1]

11 J Villeneuve 350 26
12 N Lauda 337 22 [29 1]
13 S Moss ** 316 16
14 C Reutemann ** 310 15 [43 2]
15 D Hulme 273 9 [28 1]
16 J Ickx ** 267 17
17 J Clark 267 11 [14 1]
18 R Patrese ** 245 16
19 J Scheckter 244 15 [28 2]
20 J Surtees 240 6 [35 2]

21 K Räikkönen 238 22 [21 1]
22 E Fittipaldi 226 13 [91 2]
23 J Brabham 224 14 [35 2]
24 N Mansell 210 19
25 B McLaren ** 190 8
26 R Peterson ** 183 14
27 R Ginther ** 183 10 [14 2]
28 JM Fangio 183 9
29 JP Montoya ** 182 12 [28 2]
30 M Trintignant ** 175 5 [8 1]


Most events

Driver Days GPs [Shared]
===========================================
1 A Prost 689 47
2 A Senna 581 43 [35 3]
3 M Schumacher 567 41 [14 1]
4 D Hill 462 32
5 D Coulthard ** 441 32
6 N Piquet 453 30 [14 1]
7 R Barrichello ** 385 30 [28 2]
8 J Villeneuve 350 26
9 J Stewart 518 25 [40 3]
10 N Lauda 337 22 [29 1]

11 K Räikkönen 238 22 [21 1]
12 G Hill 496 21
13 N Mansell 210 19
14 J Ickx ** 267 17
15 S Moss ** 316 16
16 R Patrese ** 245 16
17 C Reutemann ** 310 15 [43 2]
18 J Scheckter 244 15 [28 2]
19 J Brabham 224 14 [35 2]
20 R Peterson ** 183 14

21 F Alonso 168 14 [0 1]
22 E Fittipaldi 226 13 [91 2]
23 JP Montoya ** 182 12 [28 2]
24 J Clark 267 11 [14 1]
25 J Hunt 162 11 [22 1]
26 M Häkkinen 147 11 [14 1]
27 R Ginther ** 183 10 [14 2]
28 G Berger ** 154 10 [42 3]
29 D Hulme 273 9 [28 1]
30 JM Fangio 183 9

Top 10 non-WDCs (days)

1 D Coulthard 441 32
2 R Barrichello 385 30 [28 2]
3 S Moss 316 16
4 C Reutemann 310 15 [43 2]
5 J Ickx 267 17
6 R Patrese 245 16
7 B McLaren 190 8
8 R Peterson 183 14
9 R Ginther 183 10 [14 2]
10 JP Montoya 182 12 [28 2]


Top 10 non-WDCs (events)

1 D Coulthard 441 32
2 R Barrichello 385 30 [28 2]
3 J Ickx 267 17
4 S Moss 316 16
5 R Patrese 245 16
6 C Reutemann 310 15 [43 2]
7 R Peterson 183 14
8 JP Montoya 182 12 [28 2]
9 R Ginther 183 10 [14 2]
10 G Berger 154 10 [42 3]

--

Brian W Lawrence
Wantage,
Oxfordshire, UK
Brian_W_Lawrence@msn,com