The Formula 1 drivers with the most runner-up title finishes with Lewis Hamilton close to Fernando Alonso

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There are seven drivers in Formula 1 history who have finished second in the drivers’ championship three or more times, and some of the names may shock you.

In fact, of the top 10, there are Formula 1 drivers from every single decade that the sport has operated – showing just how stiff the competition has been for such a long time.

The top driver on the list even managed to finish as a runner-up in four consecutive seasons and never managed to win a Drivers’ Championship.

The sport crowned a new vice-champion in the form of Lando Norris at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – marking the closest that his McLaren team have got to the trophy since 2011.

Fans could be in store for one of the closest seasons in the sport’s history in 2025, too, with four teams in McLaren, Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes in contention for both titles.

Three of those teams will have new driver line-ups too, so watch out for the likes of young rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli who could burst onto the scene and cause some disruption with Mercedes.

Frequent F1 runner-ups include Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel

Sitting level on top of the pile with the most runner-up finishes in Formula 1 history is a man widely regarded as the greatest driver to never win a title in Stirling Moss.

Moss managed to finish second in the standings every season between 1955 and 1958 – likely the most dangerous era of racing ever.

The only other driver to join him in being the first of the losers that many times is Alain Prost, who took second place in 1983 and in a mega fight with Niki Lauda in 1984 plus in infamous battles with Ayrton Senna in 1988 and 1990.

The following five drivers all achieved the unwanted feat three times, starting with Graham Hill who did so between 1963 and 1965, as well as Nigel Mansell (1986, 1987, 1991).

The last three are all from the modern era of driving, where reliability, speed and safety have all been at their greatest levels.

Fernando Alonso, a man widely regarded as one of the most special talents ever, finished second for Ferrari three times in four years between 2010 and 2013.

Sebastian Vettel is another man who finished as a runner-up with the Scuderia in both 2017 and 2018, but also came agonisingly close to beating Jenson Button in 2009 during his debut season with Red Bull.

Lastly, by virtue of having done so most recently, Lewis Hamilton is the seventh driver on the list of F1 drivers with the most second-place finishes with three in 2007, 2016 and 2021.

Lewis Hamilton is the most likely driver to add another F1 title runner-up finish to his record

With Alonso being the only other driver currently on the Formula 1 grid, and competing for a midfield team too in Aston Martin, Hamilton is the most likely person to climb the list of championship runners-up before he eventually retires.

If Vettel and his Spanish rival Alonso managed to finish second with Ferrari, Hamilton can do it too when he joins them in 2025 alongside Charles Leclerc.

The Scuderia have a car that is capable of fighting for the championship but in new surroundings, it may take Hamilton some time to get used to how Ferrari operate.

READ MORE: Lewis Hamilton’s former teammate says he’s ‘100%’ worried about ‘painful’ experience at Ferrari

Finishing second in his pursuit of a record-breaking eighth world championship again after the 2021 season would be painful.

But Hamilton already has the most titles, so adding the most runner-up finishes to his record could consolidate his place as the greatest ever.

It will all come down to whether the Briton can dethrone the relentless Max Verstappen as the Red Bull chases a fifth consecutive drivers’ crown.