F1 legends who lost close championship battles

An F1 driver's goal is to achieve the maximum points on the tarmac to achieve a world championship at the end of the season. It's a challenging objective as the season is long and consistency is the key to success. Sometimes, a minor slip-up, a loss in concentration, can cost a driver dearly... Even a world championship.

Kimi Raikkonen was arguably one of the most competitive drivers on the grid during the early 2000s. During his second season with McLaren, the Finish driver displayed early signs of top-class driving, however, he only managed to secure one world title (2007).

The Finish driver could've claimed an early championship in 2003, in a season dominated by Ferrari and Schumacher, "Raikkonen was the only driver good enough to challenge him," reports Sportskeeda.

Raikkonen finished the season with 91 points (10 podiums) compared to the 93 points that gave Schumacher the world title.

The Finish driver experienced a similar situation while in McLaren in 2005 when Fernando Alonso snatched the championship in the Renault - pulling away with 21 points.

After winning his 2007 title, Raikkonen finished in the top five at the end of the season, with only 23 points separating him from Lewis Hamilton. It was the last time Ferrari took the Constructor's championship home.

Fernando Alonso is regarded as one of the most successful veteran drivers in Formula 1. The two-time world champion is still active on the grid, where he has competed for over two decades.

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In 2010, the Spaniard was close to securing another world championship title, but was cut short in his points race against Mark Webber and Lewis Hamilton. He lost the championship at the final race in Abu Dhabi by just four points.

A similar situation happened in 2012, when Alonso lost the points race to Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) by just three points.

In 1997, the German pilot was on the verge of claiming the championship battle but was disqualified from the race due to an accident with Jacques Villeneuve. Despite his pole finish, he was stripped away from his position.

Another close call was during the 2006 race season, when Schumacher and young Alonso forged their rivalry for the years to come. Ferrari no longer dominated the grid and struggled to catch up to Alonso's Renault. Schumacher finished 13 points behind Alonso that season.

In 1983, Alain Prost emerged as a serious championship contender for Renault. His rival, Nelson Piquet, claimed the F1 world title with 59 points, while Prost narrowly missed out with 57. A close race!

One of the most recent championship battles that kept fans on the edge of their seats was that of Verstappen and Hamilton. Both drivers were going head-on during the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP, a dramatic season finish that saw Max Verstappen narrowly beat Hamilton during the last lap.

There was less than a ten-point difference between the two, so it all boiled down to the final race. As tensions grew and safety cars interrupted the race flow, it all came down to the last lap.

The young Dutch driver crossed the finish line first, ending his season 8 points ahead. Verstappen became the first Dutchman to claim a world championship title.

Regardless of these last-minute minute losses, these drivers are still regarded as some of the greatest in F1 history. Losing a title battle doesn't overshadow these drivers' immense talents and legacy in the sport.

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