This is a list of drivers who finished as runner-up in the World Championship.
See the List of World Drivers' Champions for the champions.
Runners-up[]
- 1950: Juan Manuel Fangio (Alfa Romeo)
- 1951: Alberto Ascari (Ferrari)
- 1952: Guiseppe Farina (Ferrari)
- 1953: Juan Manuel Fangio (Maserati)
- 1954: José Froilán González (Ferrari)
- 1955: Stirling Moss (Mercedes)
- 1956: Stirling Moss (Maserati)
- 1957: Stirling Moss (Maserati / Vanwall)
- 1958: Stirling Moss (Cooper-Climax / Vanwall)
- 1959: Tony Brooks (Ferrari)
- 1960: Bruce McLaren (Cooper-Climax)
- 1961: Wolfgang von Trips† (Ferrari)
- 1962: Jim Clark (Lotus-Climax)
- 1963: Graham Hill (BRM)
- 1964: Graham Hill (BRM)
- 1965: Graham Hill (BRM)
- 1966: John Surtees (Ferrari / Cooper-Maserati)
- 1967: Jack Brabham (Brabham-Repco)
- 1968: Jackie Stewart (Matra-Ford Cosworth)
- 1969: Jacky Ickx (Brabham-Ford Cosworth)
- 1970: Jacky Ickx (Ferrari)
- 1971: Ronnie Peterson (March-Ford Cosworth)
- 1972: Jackie Stewart (Tyrrell-Ford Cosworth)
- 1973: Emerson Fittipaldi (Lotus-Ford Cosworth)
- 1974: Clay Regazzoni (Ferrari)
- 1975: Emerson Fittipaldi (McLaren-Ford Cosworth)
- 1976: Niki Lauda (Ferrari)
- 1977: Jody Scheckter (Wolf-Ford Cosworth)
- 1978: Ronnie Peterson† (Lotus-Ford Cosworth)
- 1979: Gilles Villeneuve (Ferrari)
- 1980: Nelson Piquet (Brabham-Ford Cosworth)
- 1981: Carlos Reutemann (Williams-Ford Cosworth)
- 1982: Didier Pironi (Ferrari)
- 1983: Alain Prost (Renault)
- 1984: Alain Prost (McLaren-TAG)
- 1985: Michele Alboreto (Ferrari)
- 1986: Nigel Mansell (Williams-Honda)
- 1987: Nigel Mansell (Williams-Honda)
- 1988: Alain Prost (McLaren-Honda)
- 1989: Ayrton Senna (McLaren-Honda)
- 1990: Alain Prost (Ferrari)
- 1991: Nigel Mansell (Williams-Renault)
- 1992: Riccardo Patrese (Williams-Renault)
- 1993: Ayrton Senna (McLaren-Ford Cosworth)
- 1994: Damon Hill (Williams-Renault)
- 1995: Damon Hill (Williams-Renault)
- 1996: Jacques Villeneuve (Williams-Renault)
- 1997: Heinz-Harald Frentzen* (Williams-Renault)
- 1998: Michael Schumacher (Ferrari)
- 1999: Eddie Irvine (Ferrari)
- 2000: Mika Häkkinen (McLaren-Mercedes)
- 2001: David Coulthard (McLaren-Mercedes)
- 2002: Rubens Barrichello (Ferrari)
- 2003: Kimi Räikkönen (McLaren-Mercedes)
- 2004: Rubens Barrichello (Ferrari)
- 2005: Kimi Räikkönen (McLaren-Mercedes)
- 2006: Michael Schumacher (Ferrari)
- 2007: Lewis Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes)
- 2008: Felipe Massa (Ferrari)
- 2009: Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull-Renault)
- 2010: Fernando Alonso (Ferrari)
- 2011: Jenson Button (McLaren-Mercedes)
- 2012: Fernando Alonso (Ferrari)
- 2013: Fernando Alonso (Ferrari)
- 2014: Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)
- 2015: Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)
- 2016: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
- 2017: Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)
- 2018: Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)
- 2019: Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)
- 2020: Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)
- 2021: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
- 2022: Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
- 2023: Sergio Pérez. (RedBull Racing)
† Posthumous awards
* Michael Schumacher was second, but was disqualified from the championship for causing an avoidable accident with the champion Jacques Villeneuve at the European Grand Prix; as a result Heinz-Harald Frentzen was promoted to 2nd.