Formula One: Top five drivers with most career points without a win

In the world of Formula One (F1) racing, victories are often what drivers dream of achieving. However, for some drivers, a win seems to be just out of reach. Despite their best efforts, they are unable to achieve the ultimate prize.

Nevertheless, these drivers have still made their mark on the sport by showing their incredible perseverance and skill, consistently finishing higher up the standings, and proving that winning isn't everything in the world of Formula One.

In this article, we will take a look at the top five drivers with the most career points without recording a win in F1 history. So without further ado, let's dive into it.

5. Lance Stroll: 241 points 

In 2017, Lance Stroll made the jump to Formula One after securing a seat with Williams Racing. A podium at the 2017 Azerbaijan Grand Prix made him the second-youngest driver to step on the podium and the youngest ever to do so in a rookie season. Following his heroics at Baku, it has been a topsy-turvy stint in Formula One for the 24-year-old.

Stroll's first pole position came at the 2020 Turkish Grand Prix after a wet qualifying session. In doing so, he became the first Canadian F1 driver to take pole position since Jacques Villeneuve at the 1997 European Grand Prix. The Racing Point driver led the race for 32 of the 58 laps but reported severe tire graining before eventually falling down to ninth place by the end of the race.

In his 137 Formula One race starts, the Canadian has only stepped on the podium three times, with his maiden victory still out of reach.

4. Nick Heidfeld: 259 points 

German driver Nick Heidfeld currently holds two records: most podium finishes without a race win (13), and most second-place finishes without a win (8).

A career that stretched over 11 seasons and 183 Grand Prix, Heidfeld enjoyed his most fruitful seasons with Williams and BMW Sauber from 2005–2008, registering a majority of his 13 podiums during that stint, including a career-high 5th place in the Driver's Championship in 2005.

His final podium came at the 2011 Malaysian GP, driving as a replacement driver for Lotus F1. He was later replaced by Bruno Senna after the Hungaroring GP that season.

3. Romain Grosjean: 341 points 

French driver Romain Grosjean spent nine full seasons in Formula One before making the switch to the IndyCar Series after his horrific crash at the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix.

After making his return to Formula One in 2012 with the Lotus F1 team, the Frenchman took his first podium at the 2012 Bahrain Grand Prix. In 2013, what was arguably his best season in F1, Grosjean secured six podium finishes in his Lotus, finishing 7th in the Driver's Championship.

His last five seasons were rather uneventful, as he and the Haas Racing Team struggled to keep pace with the leading pack.

2. Nico Hulkenberg: 530 points 

Nico Hulkenberg has been the ultimate journeyman in Formula One. There are very few teams, except the front-runners, that the 36-year-old German driver hasn't raced for. From Williams to Force India to Sauber and beyond, however, after 197 starts and 530 career points, the German is yet to taste the champagne in a Formula One podium, let alone stand on top of one.

Currently, Hulkenberg holds the record for most races without a race victory or a race podium, and given Haas Racing's evident struggles, it is set to extend for a few more races at least. 

1. Lando Norris: 564 points 

The rate at which McLaren are developing their car, it looks like just a matter of races before their number one driver steps on the top step of the podium. While team orders prevented him from challenging former teammate Daniel Ricciardo for the win at Monza and inexperience cost him the win at Russia against Lewis Hamilton, this season, Lando Norris has been driving more maturely and has been able to extract maximum performance from that McLaren car on most race weekends.

Norris already has four second-place finishes this season, and with Zak Brown throwing hints at McLaren's reluctance to stop developing the current car, there's every chance Lando Norris finally gets his maiden Formula One victory before the end of the 2023 Formula One season.