From 1960 to 2002, the top six finishers in an F1 race received points. 42 years of continuity before some 'genius' felt it had to be changed.
So I felt like honoring the 7th place drivers.
The 7th race ever held in the Formula 1 World Championship, was the Italian Grand Prix in 1950.
So, from that race and onwards, the driver who was in 7th place on the 7th lap during the 7th Grand Prix (not always Italian GP),
was World Drivers Champion of that season.
I wonder who the WDC was in 1977?
1950
Luigi Fagioli WDC
1951
Jean Marie Behra WDC
1952
Robert Manzon WDC
1953
Jean Marie Behra WDC
1954
Sergio Mantovani WDC
1955
Roberto Mieres WDC
1956
Henry 'Harry' Schell WDC
1957
Francisco Godia-Sales WDC
1958
Wolfgang von Trips WDC
1959
Henry 'Harry' Schell WDC
1960
Dan Gurney WDC
1961
Dan Gurney WDC
1962
Tony Maggs WDC
1963
Jack Brabham WDC
1964
Jo Bonnier WDC
1965
Jack Brabham WDC
1966
Ludovico Scarfiotti WDC
1967
Guy Ligier WDC
1968
Denny Hulme WDC
1969
Jean-Pierre Beltoise WDC
1970
Jean-Pierre Beltoise WDC
1971
John Surtees WDC
1972
Mike Hailwood WDC
1973
Jacky Ickx WDC
1974
James Hunt WDC
1975
James Hunt WDC
1976
James Hunt WDC
1977
Niki Lauda WDC
1978
Jacques Laffite WDC
1979
Alan Jones WDC
1980
Gilles Villeneuve WDC
1981
Nelson Piquet WDC
1982
Niki Lauda WDC
1983
Alain Prost WDC
1984
Derek Warwick WDC
1985
Derek Warwick WDC
1986
Alain Prost WDC
1987
Stefan Johansson WDC
1988
Alessandro Nannini WDC
1989
Riccardo Patrese WDC
1990
Thierry Boutsen WDC
1991
Riccardo Patrese WDC
1992
Johnny Herbert WDC
1993
Riccardo Patrese WDC
1994
Rubens Barrichello WDC
1995
Jean Alesi WDC
1996
Heinz-Harald Frentzen WDC
1997
Alexander Wurz WDC
1998
Damon Hill WDC
1999
Olivier Panis WDC
2000
Jean Alesi WDC
2001
Jacques Villeneuve WDC
2002
Rubens Barrichello WDC
2003
David Coulthard WDC
2004
Jarno Trulli WDC
2005
Vitantonio Liuzzi WDC
2006
David Coulthard WDC
2007
Jarno Trulli WDC
2008
Heikki Kovalainen WDC
2009
Fernando Alonso WDC
2010
Robert Kubica WDC
2011
Lewis Hamilton WDC
2012
Romain Grosjean WDC
2013
Valtteri Bottas WDC
Total standings:
James Hunt - 3
Riccardo Patrese - 3
Niki Lauda - 2
Rubens Barrichello - 2
J-P Beltoise - 2
Jean Alesi - 2
David Coulthard - 2
Jean Behra - 2
Jack Brabham - 2
Dan Gurney - 2
Derek Warwick - 2
Jarno Trulli - 2
Henry Schell - 2
Alain Prost - 2