The Winless Alternative Championship

[tommykl]

HUZZAH!

[dr-baker]

Since I'm now on a light alternative post, I'll post my predictions for 1970 - 2010 and hide them so people who don't want to be spoiled don't have to be!

Can I ask how they could be spoilers if they are just guesses and could potentially be wrong? (Although of course you're hoping they won't be!)

[James1978]

Since I'm now on a light alternative post, I'll post my predictions for 1970 - 2010 and hide them so people who don't want to be spoiled don't have to be!

Can I ask how they could be spoilers if they are just guesses and could potentially be wrong? (Although of course you're hoping they won't be!)

Sorry, what I meant was that becuase they are all educated guesses, and maybe some people don't even want to see those before the results are posted, they'd rather just go in completely blind (I believe there is a post saying this in effect on the first page on this thread). So people who want to see the educated guesses can read them if they want, and those who don't can easily avoid reading them!

[dr-baker]

Since I'm now on a light alternative post, I'll post my predictions for 1970 - 2010 and hide them so people who don't want to be spoiled don't have to be!

Can I ask how they could be spoilers if they are just guesses and could potentially be wrong? (Although of course you're hoping they won't be!)

Sorry, what I meant was that becuase they are all educated guesses, and maybe some people don't even want to see those before the results are posted, they'd rather just go in completely blind (I believe there is a post saying this in effect on the first page on this thread). So people who want to see the educated guesses can read them if they want, and those who don't can easily avoid reading them!

Fair enough. Can't argue with that. Although if they're not the answers, I don't see why people wouldn't want to see others' postulations.

[FullMetalJack]

Predictions, only from 1988 onwards though

1988: Warwick or Capelli
1989: Warwick
1990: Bernard
1991: Modena
1992: De Cesaris
1993: Brundle
1994: Brundle
1995: Blundell
1996: Salo
1997: Salo or Diniz
1998: Wurz
1999: Salo
2000: Salo
2001: Heidfeld
2002: Heidfeld
2003: Da Matta
2004: Sato
2005: Heidfeld
2006: Heidfeld
2007: Heidfeld
2008: Heidfeld
2009: Rosberg
2010: Rosberg

[James1978]

Quite a few of those are different to mine!

[Warren Hughes]

Is there anyone on this forum who hasn't been waiting with bated breath since February for this very moment - the moment we finally find out who was champion in 1961
Seriously though, I think people will find this championship interesting as it progresses, so I'll try and update it reasonably regularly from now on (by the way I have no idea what happens beyond 1962...).

1961

Points system: 9-6-4-3-2-1 (the first season of 9 points for a win). For some reason, though, the manufacturers' championship remains 8 points for a win, with only the highest placed car scoring. Best 5 results count for the championship.

Drivers
1. Roy Salvadori 30 (2 wins, 2 2nds)
2. Jackie Lewis 24 (2 wins, 1 2nd)
3. Carel Godin de Beaufort 15 (1 2nd, 1 3rd)
4. Masten Gregory 13 (1 2nd, 1 3rd)
5. Hans Herrmann 12 (1 2nd, 1 3rd)
6. Olivier Gendebien 9 (1 win)
7. Cliff Allison 9 (1 win)
8. Trevor Taylor 9 (1 win)
9. Roger Penske 9 (1 win)
10. Henry Taylor 8 (1 2nd)
11. Tony Maggs 8 (2 3rds)
12. Ian Burgess 8 (2 4ths)
13. Peter Ryan 6 (1 2nd)
14. Michael May 4 (1 3rd)
15. Hap Sharp 4 (1 3rd)
16. Tim Parnell 3 (1 4th)
17. Keith Greene 2 (1 5th)
18. Renato Pirocchi 1 (1 6th)

Manufacturers
1. Cooper-Climax 40 (46)
2. Lotus-Climax 32 (39)
3. Porsche 21 (22)
4. Ferrari 8
5. Gilby-Climax 2
6. Cooper-Maserati 1

Where 32 drivers scored points last season, just 18 score this, as out of 8 races only 3 see every points position filled. Multiple race winner Salvadori finally takes the title, as Lewis is scuppered by two mid-season retirements. Roger Penske wins on debut at Sebring, while Tony Maggs makes his debut this season, entering two Grands Prix and finishing on the podium in both. Cooper wins its 3rd consecutive manufacturers' title, but what on earth is a Gilby?!

First win: Lewis, T. Taylor, Penske
First podium: Maggs, May, Ryan, Sharp
Unrejectification: Parnell

[tommykl]

but what on earth is a Gilby?!

This is a Gilby.

[James1978]

I'm still interested but mostly waiting till the later years to see which obscure drivers could be champions/winners. Especially as the 2000s might become the Heidfeld massacre, and then we can become extremely bored of him instead of just slightly!

[Warren Hughes]

1962

Points system 9-6-4-3-2-1 (both drivers and manufacturers). Best five results count towards championship.

Drivers
1. Tony Maggs 39 (51) (3 wins, 4 2nds)
2. Carel Godin de Beaufort 22 (23) (2 2nds, 1 3rd)
3. Ricardo Rodriguez 19 (2 wins)
4. Willy Mairesse 18 (2 wins)
5. Trevor Taylor 18 (1 win, 2 3rds)
6. Masten Gregory 17 (1 win, 1 2nd)
7. Neville Lederle 6 (1 2nd)
8. Jackie Lewis 6 (2 4ths)
9. Ian Burgess 5 (1 3rd)
10. Nino Vaccarella 5 (1 3rd)
11. Lucien Bianchi 4 (1 3rd)
12. Roger Penske 4 (1 3rd)
13. John Love 4 (1 3rd)
14. John Campbell-Jones 3 (1 4th)
15. Rob Schroeder 3 (1 4th)
16. Bruce Johnstone 3 (1 4th)
17. Tony Settember 2 (1 5th)
18. Heini Walter 2 (1 5th)
19. Hap Sharp 2 (1 5th)
20. Ernie Pieterse 2 (1 5th)

Manufacturers
1. Cooper-Climax 39 (51)
2. Ferrari 36
3. Lotus-Climax 29 (37)
4. Porsche 22 (23)
5. Lotus-BRM 11
6. BRM 3
7. Emeryson-Climax 2

Total domination from Maggs! He finished in the top two in every race he finished. De Beaufort started strongly, but faded as the season progressed, while Rodriguez missed too many rounds to challenge (he was already out of the championship hunt by the time of his tragic death). Roy Salvadori's title defence was an unmitigated disaster, as he retired from every race he started! Masten Gregory now has 6 wins, tied with Felice Bonetto for the most wins without a title. De Beaufort now has the most podiums without a victory on 6, joint with Baron de Graffenried and Prince Bira.

First win: Maggs, Rodriguez
First podium: Vaccarella, Lederle, Love
Unrejectification: Campbell-Jones, Schroeder, Johnstone

[Warren Hughes]

1963

Points system 9-6-4-3-2-1. Best five results count towards championship.

Drivers
1. Tony Maggs 42 (45) (4 wins, 1 2nd)
2. Jim Hall 36 (44) (2 wins, 3 2nds, 2 3rds)
3. Carel Godin de Beaufort 31 (33) (2 wins, 1 2nd, 1 3rd)
4. Trevor Taylor 23 (2 2nds, 2 3rds)
5. Chris Amon 12 (2 2nds)
6. Gerhard Mitter 9 (1 win)
7. Hap Sharp 9 (1 win)
8. Mike Hailwood 8 (2 3rds)
9. Peter Broeker 6 (1 2nd)
10. Tony Settember 4 (1 3rd)
11. John Love 4 (1 3rd)
12. Bob Anderson 3 (1 4th)
13. Bernard Collomb 3 (1 4th)
14. Moisés Solana 3 (1 4th)
15. Mike Spence 2 (1 5th)
16. Doug Serrurier 2 (1 5th)
17. Masten Gregory 1 (1 6th)
18. Trevor Blokdyk 1 (1 6th)

Manufacturers
1. Cooper-Climax 42 (45)
2. Lotus-BRM 39 (47)
3. Porsche 37 (42)
4. Lotus-Climax 24 (29)
5. Lola-Climax 16
6. Stebro-Ford 6
7. Scirocco-BRM 4
8. BRM 3
9. LDS-Alfa Romeo 2
10. Cooper-Maserati 1

With one race to go, reigning champion Maggs was level on points with Jim Hall, but because results had to be dropped, Hall would have had to win the final Grand Prix at East London to deny Maggs the title. However, Hall's team BRP didn't travel to South Africa, and Maggs rounded off the season in style with victory at his home race. De Beaufort finally got his first victory, while Mitter won on debut in his home Grand Prix at Nurburgring. Chris Amon and Mike Hailwood both made their debuts this season, both securing two podiums. F1Rejects' favourite Mexican unrejectified himself too!

First win: De Beaufort, Mitter, Sharp
First podium: Settember, Amon, Hailwood, Broeker
Unrejectification: Collomb, Anderson, Solana

[tommykl]

I actually expected that

[Warren Hughes]

I realised tonight that I mucked up all the manufacturers' championships when I worked them out originally. They're now all fixed.

[Warren Hughes]

1964

Points system 9-6-4-3-2-1. Best 6 results count towards championship. Double world champion Maggs left the works Cooper team, joining Scuderia Centro Sud with a privately entered BRM.

Drivers
1. Bob Anderson 35 (2 wins, 1 2nd, 2 3rds)
2. Peter Arundell 33 (3 wins, 1 2nd)
3. Mike Spence 30 (2 wins, 2 2nds)
4. Mike Hailwood 22 (2 2nds, 1 3rd)
5. Trevor Taylor 15 (1 win, 1 2nd)
6. Tony Maggs 15 (1 win, 1 2nd)
7. Chris Amon 13 (1 2nd, 1 3rd)
8. Walt Hansgen 9 (1 win)
9. Moisés Solana 6 (1 2nd)
10. Hap Sharp 4 (1 3rd)
11. John Taylor 4 (1 3rd)
12. Gerhard Mitter 4 (1 3rd)
13. Ronnie Bucknum 2 (1 5th)

Manufacturers
1. Lotus-Climax 54 (72)
2. Brabham-Climax 35
3. Lotus-BRM 28
4. BRP-BRM 15
5. BRM 15
6. Brabham-BRM 4
7. Cooper-Climax 4
8. Honda 2

Peter Arundell, in a works Lotus, started the season like a train, winning three of the first four races and finishing 2nd in the other. However, he suffered a serious injury in a Formula 2 race, which meant he missed the rest of 1964, and the whole of 1965. His seat at Lotus was taken over by Mike Spence, but he couldn't quite do enough to overhaul Bob Anderson, despite the latter not travelling to the last two Grands Prix of the season in North America. Solana finished 2nd at the Mexican GP! In the Manufacturers' championship, Lotus-Climax were unstoppable, as Arundell's and Spence's results were effectively combined.

First win: Arundell, Anderson, Spence, Hansgen
First podium: Solana, J. Taylor

[Warren Hughes]

Ahem... The next episode in this stop-start series, it's 1965!

1965

Points system 9-6-4-3-2-1. Best 6 results count towards championship. Peter Arundell was still recuperating from his injuries (see 1964) so Mike Spence continued at Team Lotus. Reigning world champion Bob Anderson continued with the DW Racing Enterprises team, which for the first time ran a second car on a couple of occasions, driven by Aussie Paul Hawkins.

Drivers
1. Mike Spence 54 (60) (6 wins, 1 2nd)
2. Richard Attwood 29 (1 win, 1 2nd, 3 3rds)
3. Bob Anderson 15 (1 win, 1 2nd)
4. Frank Gardner 14 (2 2nds)
5. Masten Gregory 12 (1 win)
6. Paul Hawkins 12 (2 2nds)
7. Bob Bondurant 9 (1 win)
8. Ronnie Bucknum 9 (1 2nd)
9. Lucien Bianchi 6 (1 2nd)
10. Moisés Solana 4 (1 3rd)
11. Ian Raby 4 (1 3rd)
12. Peter de Klerk 4 (1 3rd)
13. Nino Vaccarella 4 (1 3rd)
14. Roberto Bussinello 3 (1 4th)
15. Tony Maggs 3 (1 4th)
16. Sam Tingle 1 (1 6th)

Manufacturers
1. Lotus-Climax 54 (70)
2. Lotus-BRM 30 (32)
3. BRM 21
4. Brabham-Climax 15
5. Brabham-BRM 14
6. Ferrari 13
7. Honda 9
8. Brabham-Ford 6
9. Alfa Romeo 4
10. LDS-Alfa Romeo 1

How do you like your domination? Spence won 5 of the first 6 Grands Prix of the season (Team Lotus missed the other one because they were at the Indy 500) meaning that a win at the Nurburgring in Round 7 would give him maximum points and guarantee him the title. In the event, the title was confirmed on lap 8 of the race, when the last of his challengers, Richard Attwood, fell foul of a water leak. Although Spence retired on the same lap, he was already champion. He went on to win the final Grand Prix of the season in Mexico to end up with maximum points. Masten Gregory now has 7 wins (4th on the all-time list) without a world championship to his name. In Monaco, Paul Hawkins was classified 2nd despite driving into the harbour (he was unhurt). Meanwhile, touring car legend Frank Gardner made the podium at Silverstone and Zandvoort.

First win: Attwood, Bondurant
First podium: Hawkins, de Klerk, Gardner, Raby, Bucknum
Unrejectification: Bussinello

[Warren Hughes]

1966

Points system 9-6-4-3-2-1, best 5 results count towards championship. Peter Arundell returned to Team Lotus, meaning world champion Mike Spence left the team to join Reg Parnell's privateer effort.

Drivers
1. Peter Arundell 29 (2 wins)
2. Mike Parkes 18 (2 wins)
3. John Taylor 18 (3 3rds)
4. Bob Bondurant 16 (1 win, 1 3rd)
5. Mike Spence 15 (1 win, 1 2nd)
6. Chris Irwin 9 (1 win)
7. Bob Anderson 8 (2 3rds)
8. Guy Ligier 7 (1 3rd)
9. Ronnie Bucknum 6 (1 2nd)
10. Chris Amon 3 (1 4th)
11. Chris Lawrence 2 (1 5th)
12. Geki 1 (1 6th)
13. Hubert Hahne 0 (1 win [F2])
14. Jo Schlesser 0 (1 2nd [F2])
15. Hans Herrmann 0 (1 3rd [F2])

Manufacturers
1. Lotus-BRM 33
2. Ferrari 18
3. Brabham-BRM 18
4. Brabham-Climax 17
5. BRM 16
6. Lotus-Climax 10
7. Cooper-Maserati 10
8. Honda 6
9. Cooper-Ferrari 2

Arundell won the last two Grands Prix to snatch the title after an early season dominated by DNFs. John Taylor was the championship leader going into the German Grand Prix at the Nurburgring, but it was to be his last Grand Prix, as he collided with Jacky Ickx, sustaining severe injuries to which he was to succumb to four weeks later. To compound the tragedy, Ickx was driving an F2 car, which meant he was ineligible for points. Guy Ligier, meanwhile, is left to rue the new classification rules that were introduced for this season, which denied him 2nd at Monaco and victory in Belgium, where nobody was classified.

On the subject of F2 entries, they actually locked out the podium at that German Grand Prix. I have therefore awarded fourth-placed finisher Arundell the 9 points, using the same logic that gave Guy Ligier a point for 8th place at the 1967 German Grand Prix. However, I have not counted it as a win to Arundell in the official statistics.

First win: Parkes, Irwin, Hahne (F2 - no points scored)
First podium: Ligier, Schlesser (F2 - no points scored)

[Warren Hughes]

Here's a bump for you!

1967

Points system 9-6-4-3-2-1. Only the best 5 scores from the first 6 races, and the best 4 scores from the other 5 races, counted towards the championship. With reigning champion Peter Arundell leaving the sport, the pre-season favourites were Ferrari team-mates Mike Parkes and Chris Amon, along with 1965 champion Mike Spence who had taken a works drive with BRM. Chris Irwin looked a decent outside bet from the 3rd event onwards, as he took up a seat in Reg Parnell's privateer team.

Drivers
1. Chris Amon 61 (5 wins, 2 2nds, 1 3rd)
2. Mike Spence 42 (3 wins, 2 2nds)
3. Chris Irwin 23 (1 win, 1 2nd, 1 3rd)
4. Guy Ligier 14 (3 4ths)
5. Bob Anderson 12 (1 2nd, 1 3rd)
6. John Love 9 (1 win)
7. David Hobbs 8 (2 3rds)
8. Mike Parkes 6 (1 2nd)
9. Jonathan Williams 6 (1 2nd)
10. Alan Rees 3 (1 3rd [F2], 1 4th)
11. Richard Attwood 3 (1 4th)
12. Mike Fisher 2 (1 5th)
13. Jackie Oliver 0 (1 2nd [F2])

Manufacturers
1. Ferrari 63
2. BRM 61
3. Brabham-Climax 12
4. Brabham-Repco 11
5. Cooper-Climax 9
6. Cooper-Maserati 9
7. Lotus-BRM 6

It took Chris Amon 18 starts, but once he'd won his first race, he never looked back, following it up with another 4 from the next 5 races before holding off a late-season charge from Mike Spence to claim his first world title. Sadly, Mike Parkes' championship tilt was cut short by a career-ending (but not fatal) accident at Spa. Spence's 3 wins from the last 4 races wasn't enough for BRM to pip Ferrari to the Manufacturers' title, but it was enough to see him break Luigi Villoresi's long-standing record for career victories. A couple of other points of interest - John Love gets the win he's always deserved and Jonathan Williams, who finished 2nd in Mexico, is the driver who would later carry cameras at the Le Mans 24 hours for the film Le Mans.

First win: Love, Amon
First podium: Hobbs, Williams, Oliver (F2 - no points scored), Rees (F2 - no points scored)

[James1978]

I had Nico Rosberg as a shoe-in for 2009-11 in this so his elimination should make things interesting!!

(I'm thinking Glock for 2009, Sutil for 2010 and 11)

[Warren Hughes]

1968

Points system 9-6-4-3-2-1. Only the best 5 results from the first 6 races, and the best 5 results from the remaining 6 races, counted towards the championship. Continuing at Ferrari, Chris Amon looked like a big favourite for a successful defence of his title, although Mike Spence could have been a threat with BRM. Piers Courage, driving a private BRM for Reg Parnell, would also have been optimistic for a successful season. Jim Clark's death was to trigger a chain of events that completely changed things, as Colin Chapman drafted Spence into his team for the Indy 500, only for the 1965 world champion to suffer a fatal accident in practice for the event. Richard Attwood stepped into Spence's BRM seat, while Team Lotus' new driver was to be Jackie Oliver.

Drivers
1. Chris Amon 27 (2 wins, 1 2nd)
2. Piers Courage 27 (1 win, 3 2nds)
3. Vic Elford 24 (2 wins, 1 2nd)
4. Jackie Oliver 22 (2 wins, 1 3rd)
5. Richard Attwood 19 (1 win, 2 3rds)
6. Lucien Bianchi 12 (2 2nds)
7. Johnny Servoz-Gavin 9 (1 win)
8. Brian Redman 9 (1 win)
9. Silvio Moser 9 (1 win)
10. John Love 6 (1 2nd)
11. Hubert Hahne 6 (1 2nd)
12. Henri Pescarolo 4 (1 3rd)
13. Kurt Ahrens, Jr 3 (1 4th)

Manufacturers
1. Cooper-BRM 45
2. BRM 40
3. Ferrari 27
4. Lotus-Ford 22
5. Brabham-Repco 18
6. Matra-Ford 9
7. Lola-BMW 6
8. Matra 4

So, eight (count 'em, 8) different winners in 12 races, as well as one (USA) with no classified finishers. As everyone struggled for consistency, it was 'Quick Vic' Elford, brought in by Cooper after 5 races, who made a late-season charge with two wins and he could still have won the title at the deciding round in Mexico if he won and both Amon and Courage failed to score. Amon's retirement after 16 laps meant that a point would be enough for Courage to take the championship, but his BRM's engine failed 9 laps later. This passed the initiative to Elford, but he could only finish a distant 2nd to Jackie Oliver's Lotus-Ford, meaning he missed out on the title by just 3 points. Not bad for a man who made his debut midway through the season! The fact that Cooper won the Manufacturers' Championship suggests that they might well have won the Drivers' too had they had a consistent driver lineup instead of constant chopping and changing.

First win: Redman, Oliver, Moser, Elford, Courage, Servoz-Gavin
First podium: Pescarolo
Unrejectification: Ahrens

[Warren Hughes]

Two in one day! Crazy times.

1969

Points system 9-6-4-3-2-1. Best 5 results from the first 6 races, and best 4 from the next 5, count towards the championship. 1969 looked set up to be a three-horse race between Chris Amon, driving a works Ferrari; Jackie Oliver, who had moved from Lotus to BRM, and Piers Courage, who drove a private Brabham entered by one Frank Williams. The demise of Cooper meant that Vic Elford was left without a ride at the beginning of the season but from the 3rd round onwards drove as a privateer for a team known as Antique Automobiles.

Drivers
1. Piers Courage 39 (4 wins)
2. Vic Elford 25 (1 win, 2 2nds, 1 3rd)
3. Jackie Oliver 18 (2 wins)
4. Johnny Servoz-Gavin 15 (1 win, 1 2nd)
5. Silvio Moser 14 (2 2nds)
6. Pete Lovely 10 (1 2nd, 1 3rd)
7. Chris Amon 9 (1 win)
8. Richard Attwood 6 (2 2nds [1 F2])
9. Sam Tingle 6 (1 2nd)
10. John Miles 4 (1 3rd)
11. Henri Pescarolo 0 (1 win [F2])
12. Kurt Ahrens, Jr 0 (1 3rd [F2])
13. Rolf Stommelen 0 (1 4th [F2])
14. Peter Westbury 0 (1 5th [F2])
15. Xavier Perrot 0 (1 6th [F2])

Manufacturers
1. Brabham-Ford 45
2. McLaren-Ford 21
3. Lotus-Ford 20
4. BRM 18
5. Matra-Ford 15
6. Ferrari 9
7. Brabham-Repco 6
8. Cooper-Maserati 4

Unreliability prevented both Oliver and Amon from mounting a championship challenge. In fact, both won every race that they finished! So frustrated was Amon with his Ferrari's repeated mechanical failures that he walked out on the team midway through the season. Oliver stuck with BRM but his win at the final round in Mexico was too little too late. So it was left to Elford to take the fight to Courage, and he was the only driver to find any consistency, taking four successive podiums to lead the championship after 6 races. However, a collision with Mario Andretti on the first lap at the Nurburgring left his arm broken in three places. His season was over, virtually handing the championship to Courage, although he wasn't confirmed as champion until three races later when he won at Watkins Glen. One point of interest was that Johnny Servoz-Gavin drove the 4WD Matra MS84 to victory in Canada.

First win: Pescarolo (F2, no points scored)
First podium: Tingle, Miles, Lovely, Ahrens (F2 - no points scored)
Unrejectification: Stommelen (F2 - no points scored)