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2. Chris Amon
Active years: 1963 - 1976
96 Grands Prix - 11 podiums
"If he became an undertaker, people would stop dying", the great Mario Andretti once said of Chris Amon. Indeed, one could write an entire book devoted to the Kiwi's endless misfortunes in Formula 1.
Unfortunately, Amon's poor statistics - despite being void of substance - came to define the career of a man whose superb talent was never in doubt.
From his debut in 1963 with Red Parnell as a mere 20-year-old to his final outing with Ensign in 1976, Amon secured three second places and eight thirds, while missing out on at least a half a dozen wins.
Confirmation of his talent came when he was hired by Ferrari in 1967. There was no turning away from the gates of Maranello. But in hindsight, it was also perhaps the most defining moment in Amon's career.
While the prospects of racing for the Scuderia were obviously enticing, it also meant parting ways with Bruce McLaren, Amon's friend and mentor, who had devised a plan for his company in the following years which included the pair racing in Formula 1 and in the lucrative Can-Am series, while a crack at the Indy 500 was also in the works.
In 1968, the title should have nevertheless fallen to the Prancing Horse and Amon, but dismal reliability deprived the Kiwi from that elusive first win and probably many others.
In 1970, Amon joined the newly established March team. The effort looked promising, Amon even winning - yes, winning - the non-championship Silverstone International Trophy. And at Spa, the Kiwi hounded Pedro Rodriguez's BRM for all its worth in a thrilling race around the perilous Ardennes track, finishing mere feet behind the Mexican.
For 1971, Amon forged a partnership with French manufacturer Matra that got off to a great start when he won a non-championship race in Argentina. However, Matra's screeching V12-powered MS120B was dogged by reliability issues.
But at Monza, despite a poor start after qualifying on pole, Amon carved his way to the front and head a pack of cars with ten laps to go when he inadvertently ripped his visor off while attempting to get rid of a tear-off! The mishap forced the Kiwi into the pits from where he recovered to finish sixth.
The following seasons saw Amon hopelessly linger in the midfield or towards the back of the grid. A glimmer of a recovery appeared with Ensign in 1976, but eventually Amon threw in the towel, retired from racing and returned home to the family farm in New Zealand.
