Didier Pironi, great driver who was able to mix it with the best, and not just a F1 driver.
Are you not curious as to why the no hopers are prepared to keep on trying when there is no chance of top 5 position let alone a win. Some of them shone in F2 or F3 but where not suited to F1, Pesca for example, a master in F2 and Sports cars, but never gelled with F1.
Hector Rebaque is another one who has always intrigued me, little talent but a shed load of money, given his resourse's would i have done the same, In some ways I admired his sprit (and as a little lad, he spared the time to show me round his Lotus 79 at silverstone in 1979) and think that I would like to have given it a shot, regardless of my talent level.