The number 13 is considered an unlucky number in some countries. Charles Stewart Parnell had an irrational fear of the number thirteen. The end of the Mayan calendar's 13th Baktun was superstitiously feared as a harbinger of the apocalyptic 2012 phenomenon. Fear of the number 13 has a specifically recognized phobia, Triskaidekaphobia, a word coined in 1911. The superstitious sufferers of triskaidekaphobia try to avoid bad luck by keeping away from anything numbered or labelled thirteen. As a result, companies and manufacturers use another way of numbering or labeling to avoid the number, with hotels and tall buildings being conspicuous examples (thirteenth floor). It's also considered unlucky to have thirteen guests at a table. Friday the 13th has been considered the unluckiest day of the month.
There are a number of theories behind the cause of the association between thirteen and bad luck, but none of them have been accepted as likely.
In this alternate reality, using real life statistics, I have decided that the thirteenth driver of the Monaco Grand Prix (13th most laps, as long as they weren't disqualified), is the WDC of that season.
Monaco is the most iconic track on the F1 calendar, and the Monaco Grand Prix has been held the second most number of times since 1950. The Monza Grand Prix is number one, being held 63 times over Monaco's 60 times.
Therefore, in the years that F1 did not race at Monaco (1951-1954), I have replaced the WDC result to the thirteenth driver of the Monza Grand Prix instead.
This is how it turned out:
1950
WDC - #16 Louis Rosier, Talbot Lago Talbot (Monaco GP - 0 laps - DNF = Pile-up)
1951
WDC - #20 Louis Chiron, Talbot Lago Talbot (Monza GP - 23 laps - DNF = Ignition)
1952
WDC - #36 Eric Brandon, Cooper Bristol (Monza GP - 73 laps - Classified)
1953
WDC - #32 Louis Chiron, OSCA OSCA (Monza GP - 72 laps - Classified)
1954
WDC - #22 Luigi Villoresi, Maserati Maserati (Monza GP - 42 laps - DNF = Clutch)
1955
WDC - #36 Roberto Mieres, Maserati Maserati (Monaco GP - 64 laps - DNF = Rear axle)
1956
WDC - #16 Harry Schell, Vanwall Vanwall (Monaco GP - 2 laps - DNF = Accident)
1957
WDC - #22 Horace Gould, Maserati Maserati (Monaco GP - 10 laps - DNF = Accident)
1958
WDC - #6 Jean Behra, BRM BRM (Monaco GP - 29 laps - DNF = Brakes)
1959
WDC - #26 Masten Gregory, Cooper Climax (Monaco GP - 6 laps - DNF = Gearbox)
1960
WDC - #26 John Surtees, Lotus Climax (Monaco GP - 17 laps - DNF = Transmission)
1961
WDC - #16 Tony Brooks, BRM Climax (Monaco GP - 54 laps - DNF = Valve)
1962
WDC - #20 Trevor Taylor, Lotus Climax (Monaco GP - 24 laps - DNF = Oil leak)
1963
WDC - #4 Dan Gurney, Brabham Climax (Monaco GP - 25 laps - DNF = Transmission)
1964
WDC - #5 Jack Brabham, Brabham Climax (Monaco GP - 29 laps - DNF = Fuel injection)
1965
WDC - #19 Ronnie Bucknum, Honda Honda (Monaco GP - 33 laps - DNF = Gearbox)
1966
WDC - #17 John Surtees, Ferrari Ferrari (Monaco GP - 16 laps - DNF = Transmission)
1967
WDC - #4 Jackie Stewart, BRM BRM (Monaco GP - 14 laps - DNF = Transmission)
1968
WDC - #2 Jack Brabham, Brabham Repco (Monaco GP - 7 laps - DNF = Suspension)
1969
WDC - #17 Silvio Moser, Brabham Ford Cosworth (Monaco GP - 15 laps - DNF = Joint)
1970
WDC - #8 Jean-Pierre Beltoise, Matra Matra (Monaco GP - 21 laps - DNF = Transmission)
1971
WDC - #20 Chris Amon, Matra Matra (Monaco GP - 45 laps - DNF = Transmission)
1972
WDC - #5 Mike Beuttler, March Ford Cosworth (Monaco GP - 76 laps - Classified)
1973
WDC - #12 Graham Hill, Shadow Ford Cosworth (Monaco GP - 62 laps - DNF = Suspension)
1974
WDC - #24 James Hunt, Hesketh Ford Cosworth (Monaco GP - 27 laps - DNF = Transmission)
1975
WDC - #9 Vittorio Brambilla, March Ford Cosworth (Monaco GP - 48 laps - DNF = Steering)
1976
WDC - #22 Chris Amon, Ensign Ford Cosworth (Monaco GP - 74 laps - Classified)
1977
WDC - #6 Gunnar Nilsson, Lotus Ford Cosworth (Monaco GP - 51 laps - DNF = Gearbox)
1978
WDC - #6 Ronnie Peterson, Lotus Ford Cosworth (Monaco GP - 56 laps - DNF = Gearbox)
1979
WDC - #9 Hans Joachim Stuck, ATS Ford Cosworth (Monaco GP - 30 laps - DNF = Wheel lost)
1980
WDC - #22 Patrick Depailler, Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo (Monaco GP - 50 laps - DNF = Engine)
1981
WDC - #2 Carlos Reutemann, Williams Ford Cosworth (Monaco GP - 34 laps - DNF = Gearbox)
1982
WDC - #1 Nelson Piquet, Brabham BMW (Monaco GP - 49 laps - DNF = Gearbox)
1983
WDC - #25 Jean-Pierre Jarier, Ligier Ford Cosworth (Monaco GP - 33 laps - DNF = Suspension)
1984
WDC - #1 Nelson Piquet, Brabham BMW (Monaco GP - 14 laps - DNF = Electrics)
1985
WDC - #22 Riccardo Patrese, Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo (Monaco GP - 16 laps - DNF = Collision)
1986
WDC - #3 Martin Brundle, Tyrrell Renault (Monaco GP - 67 laps - DNF = Collision)
1987
WDC - #14 Pascal Fabre, AGS Ford Cosworth (Monaco GP - 71 laps - Classified)
1988
WDC - #15 Mauricio Gugelmin, March Judd (Monaco GP - 45 laps - DNF = Fuel pump)
1989
WDC - #22 Andrea De Cesaris, Dallara Ford Cosworth (Monaco GP - 73 laps - Classified)
1990
WDC - #6 Riccardo Patrese, Williams Renault (Monaco GP - 41 laps - DNF = Gearbox)
1991
WDC - #11 Mika Hakkinen, Lotus Judd (Monaco GP - 64 laps - DNF = Oil leak)
1992
WDC - #28 Ivan Capelli, Ferrari Ferrari (Monaco GP - 60 laps - DNF = Accident)
1993
WDC - #29 Karl Wendlinger, Sauber Sauber (Monaco GP - 74 laps - Classified)
1994
WDC - #33 Paul Belmondo, Pacific Ilmor (Monaco GP - 53 laps - DNF = Driver unfit)
1995
WDC - #4 Mika Salo, Tyrrell Yamaha (Monaco GP - 63 laps - DNF = Engine)
1996
WDC - #4 Gerhard Berger, Benetton Renault (Monaco GP - 9 laps - DNF = Gearbox)
1997
WDC - #17 Nicola Larini, Sauber Petronas (Monaco GP - 24 laps - DNF = Puncture)
1998
WDC - #12 Jarno Trulli, Prost Peugeot (Monaco GP - 56 laps - DNF = Gearbox)
1999
WDC - #18 Olivier Panis, Prost Peugeot (Monaco GP - 40 laps - DNF = Gearbox)
2000
WDC - #23 Ricardo Zonta, BAR Honda (Monaco GP - 48 laps - DNF = Accident)
2001
WDC - #21 Fernando Alonso, Minardi European (Monaco GP - 54 laps - DNF = Gearbox)
2002
WDC - #24 Mika Salo, Toyota Toyota (Monaco GP - 69 laps - DNF = Accident)
2003
WDC - #20 Olivier Panis, Toyota Toyota (Monaco GP - 74 laps - Classified)
2004
WDC - #6 Kimi Raikkonen, McLaren Mercedes (Monaco GP - 27 laps - DNF = Engine)
2005
WDC - #18 Tiago Monteiro, Jordan Toyota (Monaco GP - 75 laps - Classified)
2006
WDC - #21 Scott Speed, Toro Rosso Cosworth (Monaco GP - 77 laps - Classified)
2007
WDC - #4 Heikki Kovalainen, Renault Renault (Monaco GP - 76 laps - DNF = Engine)
2008
WDC - #11 Jarno Trulli, Toyota Toyota (Monaco GP - 75 laps - Classified)
2009
WDC - #9 Jarno Trulli, Toyota Toyota (Monaco GP - 77 laps - Classified)
2010
WDC - #12 Vitaly Petrov, Renault Renault (Monaco GP - 73 laps - DNF = Brakes)
2011
WDC - #21 Jarno Trulli, Lotus Renault (Monaco GP - 76 laps - Classified)
2012
WDC - #20 Heikki Kovalainen, Caterham Renault (Monaco GP - 77 laps - Classified)
2013
WDC - #12 Esteban Gutierrez, Sauber Ferrari (Monaco GP - 78 laps - Classified)
Driver Championships
Jarno Trulli - 4
John Surtees - 2
Nelson Piquet - 2
Riccardo Patrese - 2
Olivier Panis - 2
Mika Salo - 2
Heikki Kovalainen - 2
Louis Chiron - 2
Jack Brabham - 2
Chris Amon - 2
Multiple drivers - 1
Constructor Championships
Brabham - 6
Lotus - 5
Toyota - 4
Sauber - 3
Maserati - 3
BRM - 3
March - 3
Williams - 2
Tyrrell - 2
Prost - 2
Matra - 2
Renault - 2
Ferrari - 2
Cooper - 2
Alfa Romeo - 2
Talbot Lago - 2
Multiple constructors - 1
Winning Engine
Ford Cosworth - 13
Renault - 7
Climax - 6
Toyota - 5
Maserati - 3
Ferrari - 3
Alfa Romeo - 2
BRM - 2
BMW - 2
Honda - 2
Judd - 2
Matra - 2
Peugeot - 2
Talbot - 2
Multiple engines - 1
For 2014, I'm guessing the WDC will be Marcus Ericsson!
(Tony Jardine, 1988)
