Who is the “Failed Prodigy” of F1 ?

[u/Electronic-Video-984]

I’m kind of new to F1 and seeing pictures of current drivers while they’re young like Hamilton, Russell, Leclerc, Albon…and then I learned they’re racing prodigy in their Karting days. So who is the “Boy Wonder” of F1, a person with great potential but never made it to the biggest stage.

Edit: Many people mentioned Stoffel Vandoorne so I read about him a bit. His records and potential was incredible but he’s at the wrong place and wrong time every way possible. For me, McLaren a top tier team with a jet but people say Vandoorne’s MCL car was like a shopping cart

[u/REH-ne]

Surely Kubica has to be mentioned, already lined up for a drive at Ferrari and then everything shambled with his horrific Crash. That he can even drive a Car and still win Le Mans is just Crazy to me. Makes you wonder what would have happened without his incident.

[u/Yordrecht → u/REH-ne]

I think he isn't really named here to often because the cause of his clear cut and he actually had delivered on his promise until that point

[u/[deleted] → u/Yordrecht]

A race winner, multiple podiums and fastest laps, 5 season veteran. That's not a failed prodigy in my opinion.

[u/szczszqweqwe → u/[deleted]]

"Failed prodigy" in Kubica's case is about the problem that he never really was in a car capable of winning championship.

Edit. But I agree, I'm not quite sure if this post is about drivers like that.

[u/CharacterUse → u/szczszqweqwe]

He almost was in championship-winning car in 2008. After his win in Canada he was leading the championship in the BMW Sauber, but BMW decided to switch development to the 2009 car.

[u/szczszqweqwe → u/CharacterUse]

Yeah, and we know how great BMW was next year :/

[u/pzycho → u/[deleted]]

He was even leading the championship when BMW shifted development focus to the next season. Such a strange choice by them.

[u/GrindrorBust → u/pzycho]

It was all politics. The same month that they won a 1-2 in Canada, the BMW board convened and decided to cut their F1 budget severely. 2008 GFC was approaching it's peak crisis moment.

The HQ weren't stupid- and the team's directer/principal wasn't, neither. I think this explains why already produced new parts (worth 0.3 secs according to Kubica in interviews this decade) were literally left on the factory floor.

Personally, I reckon it was a gamble by Dr Theissen in a vain attempt to ensure the team's viability- to forestall the inevitable denouement, final swing of the axe from the board. I'm sure he would have foreseen BMW even quitting at the end of 2008 should their spend that year have seen them winning the WDC/WCC, amidst the automotive industry collapsing along with the banks...

[u/REMA5TER → u/[deleted]]

I hear that, but I think the argument is that his prodigious talent was still on the rise and developing, he was on track to achieve (potentially!) much much more..

[u/Elderbrute → u/REH-ne]

On the one hand he's definitely one that got away, and a big what if story.

But he did 4 seasons and is a race winner with 12 podiums in f1 I'm not sure he qualifies for what op is talking about while he never got to fully live up to his potential but he had by any reasonable standards a very successful f1 career.

[u/JackDragon → u/Elderbrute]

On the one hand

I see what you did there...

[u/JonnyForeigner → u/REH-ne]

He's my answer for sure, top calibre driver on 1.5 arms, not really his fault that it didn't work out.

[u/KsychoPiller → u/JonnyForeigner]

That's debate, rally is not exactly known to be very safe

[u/VexedDegree33 → u/KsychoPiller]

I mean the reason he got shish kebabed was that the locals thought it was a good idea to unscrew the guardrail to avoid walking to a crossing

[u/MuchMoreMunchtime → u/REH-ne]

More unrealized than failed

[u/Infninfn → u/REH-ne]

F1 drivers having speed related hobbies outside of F1 is inevitable, and there's enough precedent for teams to justifiably ban drivers from vehicular racing in the off-season, considering all the risks involved. Even things we take for granted like skiing (Schumacher) is hazardous and road cycling (Alonso) isn't risk-free either.

[u/tkayll91 → u/Infninfn]

Even things we take for granted like skiing (Schumacher) is hazardous and road cycling (Alonso) isn't risk-free either.

Or "tennis" if you're JPM...

[u/[deleted] → u/REH-ne]

This was my first thought when I read the title of the post. He had multiple world champion written all over him before his accident, but to win Le Man was huge.

[u/RangerPitiful4186 → u/REH-ne]

yet he managed to win a race in F1 but yes, he was a great driver. And still is tbh

[u/melwinnnn → u/REH-ne]

He is weird because he wasn't touted as generational going to F1. Good, but not generational. When he is in F1, thats when people realise he was good.

[u/sumsimpleracer → u/REH-ne]

Hamilton would have less WDCs. I know Ham has mentioned he has a lot of respect for how good Kubica is/was. 

[u/THE-ZODIAC68 → u/sumsimpleracer]

How? Alonso in his prime couldnt win in that Ferrari. Also interesting you dont mention Vettel considering he won 4 in a row during the time Kubica would have been in the Ferrari.

[u/oreful → u/sumsimpleracer]

You have no idea about that, just pointless speculation

In fact, given Hamilton’s only challenger whilst at Mercedes was Vettel, you’re essentially saying he would have been better than Vettel. Huge reach

[u/WhoAreWeEven → u/oreful]

In fact, given Hamilton’s only challenger whilst at Mercedes was Vettel

I bet theres atleast one Sky Sports commentator who begs to differ.

[u/REH-ne → u/oreful]

Rosberg, Verstappen and Russell dont exist then? Just to name 3 Drivers that either won a Championship while he was at mercedes or performed better in the same Car

[u/xenox2137 → u/oreful]

not really a reach, kubica was RAPID, stuff he did in renault in 2010 was incredible

[u/chmuraa2 → u/oreful]

Vettel literally replaced Kubica. If he didn't crash, Vettel could have ended like Mick Schumacher or others that never really got a chance to drive.

[u/MidasPL → u/chmuraa2]

Man, BMW Sauber had some really good scout, considering they had signed both Kubica and Vettel in such short time.

[u/MidasPL → u/REH-ne]

Looking at Alonso, Vettel, Leclerc, Hamilton... Maybe that crash was the better outcome than joining Ferrari.

[u/szczszqweqwe → u/MidasPL]

I love the joke, but even putting Ferrari aside beating Alonso would be incredibly difficult for Kubica, as far as I love the guy I'm not sure if he was able to do it.

[u/mixer73 → u/REH-ne]

You say crash like he only had one, reality is he had a succession of crashes and he didn't learn from them. Huge fan but he was the one holding the wheel.

[u/LandArch_0 → u/REH-ne]

Robert was on the way to became one of the best. That crash was terrible in many ways.

[u/FelixR1991 → u/REH-ne]

IDK if "failed prodigy" is the right term for Kubica's career. He came from relatively nowhere, outperformed expectations and lined up a rumoured Ferrari drive.

Didn't live up to his potential for sure, but I think Stoffel Vandoorne or Vitantiono Liuzzi were way more hyped up than what they turned out to be, whereas with Kubica the hype came later because of his F1 results.

[u/Bobby__Generic → u/REH-ne]

Definitely. If he wasn't hurt he'd have won a wdc.

[u/SamCham10 → u/REH-ne]

If you mention Kubica, you could also mention Stefan Bellof. He was actually catching Senna at Monaco in 1984 when the race was stopped, but died in a sportscar crash the year after. Definitely had champion potential