In trendy Method 1, continuity is taken into account the final word advantage. Drivers like or outline an period with a single staff over years, generally over a decade. However behind the glamour of those long-term marriages hides a totally completely different species of racing driver: the nomads.
Drivers whose careers learn like an prologued journey by way of the paddock and whose mailing addresses modified virtually as shortly as their units of tyres.
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However who stayed the shortest in a single place? We now have undertaken a statistical evaluation to establish the drivers who modified groups most steadily in relation to their whole grand prix begins.
In fact, a line must be drawn someplace; in any other case, Jack Aitken would win by default, having averaged just one race per staff – having solely pushed one single race in his total profession at Sakhir 2020 as a stand-in.
For our rating, we have now subsequently set the requirement {that a} driver should have switched groups no less than thrice to really depend as a nomad. Moreover, the requirement was that they should have made no less than one begin on this millennium – as a result of Method 1 statistics turn out to be more and more diluted the additional again you go.
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That is additionally what positioned our #1 on this listing, as the driving force solely competed in two grands prix within the 2000s – all others had been previous to that.
Had we set the brink barely decrease, particularly at two switches, would have gained, having competed in 21 begins for 3 groups: Tremendous Aguri, Spyker, and HRT. This provides the Japanese driver a mean of solely seven races per staff – precisely what number of he drove as a substitute for every of the three squads.
On this regard, the sheer variety of groups was really not the deciding issue and would solely have led to confusion, as the instance of Tenth-placed reveals: Renault, , and Lotus are clear. After which?
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Podium: second place Heikki Kovalainen, Renault
Podium: second place Heikki Kovalainen, Renault
Caterham was formally a special staff than Lotus, however the Finn did not should go searching for a brand new condominium. And does his look for Lotus – the opposite Lotus, particularly Lotus Renault – in 2013 depend as a brand new staff or nonetheless as Renault?
Due to this, we saved it easy: If a driver modified addresses, it counts as a brand new staff, even when they’d been there as soon as earlier than.
To search out out who switched much more usually than Kovalainen, learn on right here.
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The highest 10 nomads of contemporary F1
10. Heikki Kovalainen: 4 groups in 111 racesÂ
His profession started in 2007 at Renault because the successor to ; a 12 months later, he changed the Spaniard as soon as once more, this time at McLaren. Driving alongside Lewis Hamilton, who grew to become world champion in 2008, he managed solely a single grand prix victory in Hungary. In 2010, the Finn discovered a brand new residence on the newcomer Lotus however had no actual likelihood of scoring factors for 3 years. In 2013, he returned as soon as extra to Enstone, the place he crammed in for for 2 races at Lotus Renault (which was certainly a special staff).
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9. : 6 groups in 156 races
The junior entered F1 in 1994 with Sauber, the place he stayed for 3 years. In 1997, he moved to Williams, the place he grew to become world championship runner-up as ’s successor. Nonetheless, the German was principally overshadowed there by and moved on to Jordan. He skilled his greatest years there and was a long-term contender within the 1999 title race. In 2001, nonetheless, he was fired in the course of the season and moved to Prost in an change with , the place he drove for 5 races. His subsequent cease, Arrows, shut down in the course of the 2002 season earlier than the circle closed with a farewell season at Sauber.
8. : 4 groups in 99 racesÂ
One wouldn’t have thought the Pole would seem right here after the primary years of his profession, as he remained loyal to BMW-Sauber for 3 and a half years after his 2006 debut. In 2010, he moved to Renault, the place he stayed for just one 12 months – although involuntarily. His horrific rally accident earlier than the 2011 season initially ended his F1 profession. Nonetheless, Kubica fought his approach again and accomplished a comeback season with Williams in 2018, which proved to be sobering in an underperforming automotive. In 2021, he additionally stepped in for Kimi Raikkonen at Alfa Romeo for 2 races.
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Pedro Diniz, Forti Corse
Pedro Diniz, Forti Corse
7. : 4 groups in 98 racesÂ
The basic pay-driver of the 90s, who however carried out fairly respectably. Regardless of modest prior success, he was signed by Forti in 1995 as a result of he introduced some huge cash from Brazil. He was really supposed to remain there for 3 years, however Forti was a hapless case. Consequently, Diniz moved to Ligier after only one 12 months after which to Arrows a 12 months later, the place he managed to final two years. The Brazilian additionally stayed for 2 years at his ultimate cease, Sauber, earlier than his profession ended following a scoreless 2000 season.
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6. : 7 groups in 160 racesÂ
Herbert additionally simply barely qualifies for this listing on account of his ultimate season in 2000. The Briton was dismissed by Flavio Briatore after just a few races at Benetton in 1989, had a quick stint at Tyrrell, and was then lively for Lotus till 1994, earlier than finishing one begin for Ligier. After returning to Benetton alongside , he moved through Sauber to Stewart, the place he took a shock victory on the Nurburgring in 1999. Jaguar purchased the staff, however after the 2000 season, Herbert’s time in Method 1 was over.
5. : 5 groups in 104 racesÂ
After stints at Arrows and Jaguar, driving two seasons for every, he signed as a check driver for McLaren, the place he changed Juan Pablo Montoya, first quickly after which completely on the finish of 2006. This was the Spaniard’s most profitable interval in F1. De la Rosa moved again into the second tier to make approach for Lewis Hamilton, however acquired an sudden comeback likelihood at Sauber in 2010. He drove his ultimate season in 2012 for the hopelessly outclassed backmarker staff HRT.
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4. : 4 groups in 80 racesÂ
Initially, he was presupposed to share a cockpit with Christian Klien throughout Crimson Bull’s 2005 entry, however Liuzzi solely bought 4 races and have become one of many drivers for Crimson Bull’s new second staff, Toro Rosso, the next 12 months. After being outperformed there by , he joined Pressure India as a check driver. In mid-2009, he changed , who had moved to as ’s substitute, and remained on board by way of 2010. In 2011, there was one ultimate, unsuccessful swan tune season with backmarker HRT.
3. : 7 groups in 109 racesÂ
After two races for Lotus on the finish of 1994, the Finn really appeared steady. Three years at Tyrrell was an enormously very long time for a driver within the 90s, however after that, Salo grew to become the king of team-switching. He first went to Arrows for one season earlier than 1999 grew to become his main 12 months. That season, he grew to become the final word “super-sub” for 2 groups: first changing Ricardo Zonta at BAR for 3 races, after which Michael Schumacher at Ferrari – he famously handed a victory in Hockenheim over to team-mate . Salo then discovered a seat at Sauber and helped Toyota enter F1 in 2002.
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2. : 7 groups in 106 racesÂ
The Dutchman was handed across the midfield within the 90s. With Benetton, Simtek, Footwork, Tyrrell and Stewart, he drove for 5 groups in 5 years between 1994 and 1998. In 1999, he additionally almost grew to become the substitute at Jordan for Damon Hill, who wished to stop spontaneously. Arrows is the one staff the place Verstappen stayed for greater than a 12 months, however with solely three points-scoring finishes in two years, success remained elusive. After a scoreless 2003 season with Minardi, he bid farewell to F1.
1. : 5 groups in 50 racesÂ
The Italian nonetheless holds the file for essentially the most world championship begins with out ever scoring a degree. With Scuderia Italia (1993), Minardi (1995), Forti (1996), and Minardi once more (1999), the equipment was just too poor – although it virtually labored out on the Nurburgring in 1999. Within the present millennium, Badoer drove solely two races: in 2009 as a substitute for the injured Felipe Massa. Ferrari rewarded him on the time for his lengthy years of service as a check driver, however the comeback became a catastrophe, and Badoer was taken out of the automotive after solely two races.
Luca Badoer, Minardi M01 Ford
Luca Badoer, Minardi M01 Ford
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