Biggest drop-offs in performance over a season

[Rob Dylan]

2012 has the Rosberg and Perez examples of course, but it seems like we've had a couple of very long stretches of pointlessness this season, be it Mick Schumacher, Yuki Tsunoda or the Alfa Romeos. Admittedly it's compounded by invincible frontrunners always taking up the top six and Alpine almost always taking the next two available places, but there has been a definite showing this year of certain drivers taking points home nearly every race, and others barely getting the scraps.

[Har1MAS1415]

Romain Grosjean had a great start to Haas' first season in 2016. 22 points in the first 4 races but only 7 in the remaining 17.

[Rob Dylan]

Such is the way with Haas. They haven't quite caught on to the fact that in-season development is a thing. I swear they turn up with the same identical car in Abu Dhabi as they do in Melbourne

[Har1MAS1415]

Such is the way with Haas. They haven't quite caught on to the fact that in-season development is a thing. I swear they turn up with the same identical car in Abu Dhabi as they do in Melbourne

Wouldn't put it past them.

[Har1MAS1415]

First thing that came to mind when I read this topic was:::



JARNO TRULLI in 2004.

Had some great results early in 2004, a few podiums, a win in Monaco, then came a error in France, loosing 3rd place in France on last corner, than (correct if im wrong, I get lost sometimes!) had a suspension failure in Britain which saw him crash heavily.

But from that French race, didnt score a point on memory, Briatoire was a little against him, and was dropped by China replaced by Villeneuve.

BTW, I remember my mate, a big fan of JV and remember him saying that he would be mighty dissapointed if the Canadian didnt score a point or two in the Renault...

Well, wasnt he wrong!

Jarno Trulli in 2005 to a lesser extent. After 5 races, he had three podiums to his name and was lying 2nd in the Championship, ironically to former team-mate Alonso. Thereafter, he would remain podium-less until 2008 and with regards to the remainder of 2005, he would only score in half of the following 10 races and not at all in the last four.

[Bleu]

Jarno Trulli in 2005 to a lesser extent. After 5 races, he had three podiums to his name and was lying 2nd in the Championship, ironically to former team-mate Alonso. Thereafter, he would remain podium-less until 2008 and with regards to the remainder of 2005, he would only score in half of the following 10 races and not at all in the last four.

It is notable that in the end he lost the intra-team battle to Ralf, having led from the 2nd race (or even 1st when considering tie-breakers since JT was 9th and RS 12th in Melbourne)

[Har1MAS1415]

Jarno Trulli in 2005 to a lesser extent. After 5 races, he had three podiums to his name and was lying 2nd in the Championship, ironically to former team-mate Alonso. Thereafter, he would remain podium-less until 2008 and with regards to the remainder of 2005, he would only score in half of the following 10 races and not at all in the last four.

It is notable that in the end he lost the intra-team battle to Ralf, having led from the 2nd race (or even 1st when considering tie-breakers since JT was 9th and RS 12th in Melbourne)

I know.

[Har1MAS1415]

Surprised no one's mentioned the late Michele Alboreto in 1985. In the first 10 races, he was never off the podium when he made the finish but after his first non-podium in the 11th round, he failed to score until Belgium the following year!

[yannicksamlad]

Arrows, or rather Ricardo Patrese, in 1981. First pole, two podiums and a near-miss at points in the first 4 races, then nothing better than a 10th place thereafter.

If I recall, this was a lot to do with the change in implementation of the ground clearance and skirts rules, and the accepted workarounds. When the goalposts moved , they lost out.

[Har1MAS1415]

Arrows, or rather Ricardo Patrese, in 1981. First pole, two podiums and a near-miss at points in the first 4 races, then nothing better than a 10th place thereafter.

If I recall, this was a lot to do with the change in implementation of the ground clearance and skirts rules, and the accepted workarounds. When the goalposts moved , they lost out.

That's true.

[Har1MAS1415]

I'd say Mark Blundell in 1993, he scored a 3rd and a 5th in the first two races but after a DNF at Donington, he scored only a solitary 3rd in the remaining 13 races though he was just out of the points in 4 of those races. His team-mate Martin Brundle scored 7 times during that same period and narrowly outscored him.

[Har1MAS1415]

Interestingly in 1994, Jordan scored 14 points in the first half of the season and 14 points in the second half though arguably, the first half was the more successful as they scored their first podium at the 2nd round of the season.

Jordan's 1995 season is more on subject as they scored 13 points in the first 7 races, including the double-podium in Canada, and only 8 in the remaining 10. Consequently, McLaren and Ligier overtook them in the Constructor's Championship by the end of the season, they could have at least held on to 5th with better luck.

[Har1MAS1415]

Does this thread only apply to F1?

[Har1MAS1415]

As the 'End of DC's Championship Dreams' article on the main site testifies, David Coulthard's 2001 Season has got to be one of the biggest drop-offs in F1 History, he scored 38 points and two wins in the first 6 races.

In the remaining 11, he only scored 27 points, less than every other Ferrari/McLaren/Williams driver except Juan Pablo Montoya!

[Har1MAS1415]

Williams in 2002, 3 points behind Ferrari after 4 races, 129 behind by the end of the season.

[Har1MAS1415]

Which got me thinking, what other teams/drivers have started a season like a greyhound, only to finish it like a snail, and why? This thread doesn't have to be confined to F1, any race series can be discussed...

The Ford works team in the 1995 British Touring Car Championship.

After 16 races:

Paul Radisich has 1 Win and 128 points to his name and is lying 4th in the Championship.

Kelvin Burt has just racked up his 4th podium of the season and has 78 points to his name.

By the end of the season:

Radisich has added just a solitary 9th place at Snetterton to his tally and dropped to 6th in the championship and probably would have dropped even lower if James Thompson's season hadn't been curtailed by his Knockhill crash.

Burt has done slightly better, scoring his first win at Snetterton but has only added 15 points to complement that, which amounts to a grand total of just 41 points from both drivers after scoring 206 in the first 16 races.

Ford's performance proceeds to worsen in 1996 and their gradual improvement takes the whole of 1997, 1998 and 1999 to culminate in their dominant 2000 Season.

[Alextrax52]

One of my favorite drop offs is one that I still remember left us shaking our heads at the time

Stefano Colleti GP2 2013

After 11 races he’s sat top of the standings with 135 points, he’s had 3 wins, 7 podiums, 1 pole, 2 fastest laps and only 2 no scores to this point

In the last 11 races he scored no points and his best finish is 1 9th place which with GP2 using an older points system at the time doesn’t give him any points. Despite this collapse he still finishes 5th in the championship which led us to wonder just how poor the GP2 talent pool was at this time.

[Har1MAS1415]

One of my favorite drop offs is one that I still remember left us shaking our heads at the time

Stefano Colleti GP2 2013

After 11 races he’s sat top of the standings with 135 points, he’s had 3 wins, 7 podiums, 1 pole, 2 fastest laps and only 2 no scores to this point

In the last 11 races he scored no points and his best finish is 1 9th place which with GP2 using an older points system at the time doesn’t give him any points. Despite this collapse he still finishes 5th in the championship which led us to wonder just how poor the GP2 talent pool was at this time.

Well, when Fabio Leimer goes on to become that year's Champion and proceeds to drop off the radar almost instantly, that does make for a questionable talent pool.

[James1978]

Having had Big Zeddie cover 2000 on YouTube, and me do an alternative championship for that year along with it (ie lose Ferrari and McLaren and see what you're left with) - Fisichella scored 49 points up to Canada and 3 for the rest of the year

[Har1MAS1415]

Having had Big Zeddie cover 2000 on YouTube, and me do an alternative championship for that year along with it (ie lose Ferrari and McLaren and see what you're left with) - Fisichella scored 49 points up to Canada and 3 for the rest of the year

Well Fisichella had seasons like that three years in a row from 1998-2000.

[Har1MAS1415]

Without Fernando Alonso, I dare say Aston Martin this year would be a contender for this thread

[Har1MAS1415]

Without Fernando Alonso, I dare say Aston Martin this year would be a contender for this thread

They certainly are this year and this time, Alonso's presence doesn't seem to be making any difference.

[James1978]

Footwork in 1994 but think they suffered technically with all the safety regulations that came in after Senna and Ratzenberger's deaths and the other injuries like Wendlinger and Montermini.

[Har1MAS1415]

Kimi Raikkonen in 2019, after the Hungarian GP, he had 31 points and had scored in 8 out of 12 races. Only scored one 4th place thereafter.

Typical Team Hinwil 2nd-half-of-season drop-off in form.

[FullMetalJack]

Romain Grosjean had a great start to Haas' first season in 2016. 22 points in the first 4 races but only 7 in the remaining 17.

Think the penny's finally dropped. Recent upgrades seem to have worked a treat with two consecutive 6th place finishes for Hulkenberg. 5th in the Constructors Championship may be out of reach, but 6th is certainly up for grabs. Encouraging improvement from last season.

[Har1MAS1415]

Romain Grosjean had a great start to Haas' first season in 2016. 22 points in the first 4 races but only 7 in the remaining 17.

Think the penny's finally dropped. Recent upgrades seem to have worked a treat with two consecutive 6th place finishes for Hulkenberg. 5th in the Constructors Championship may be out of reach, but 6th is certainly up for grabs. Encouraging improvement from last season.

No offence to Gunther Steiner but maybe his departure has also had a bearing on that...