| COULTHARD | Scottish former Formula One driver who was the runner-up in the 2001 championship, David _ (9) |
| LAMBERT | Singer who was the runner-up in American Idol in 2009 and now performs with Queen, Adam - - - (7) |
| SABINE | ___ Lisicki, tennis player who was the runner-up in the 2013 Wimbledon women's singles (6) |
| GATES | Gareth, British singer-songwriter who was the runner-up in the first series of Pop Idol (5) |
| JABEUR | Tunisian tennis player who was the runner-up at Wimbledon and the US Open in 2022, Ons _ (6) |
| SPAIN | Which country was the runner-up in the Davis Cup in 2025? (5) |
| JESSEMCCARTNEY | Pop singer with Dream Street who was the runner-up on season 3 of The Masked Singer as the Turtle: 2 wds. |
| PETERSON | Ronnie, Swedish Formula One driver who was twice runner-up in the World Drivers' Championship (8) |
| LEE | Who ended as the runner-up in the men's singles at the All-england badminton championship 2025? (3) |
| JAMESHUNT | Former Formula One champion - just he-man (anag) (5,4) |
| TAYLOR | Who ended as the runner-up in the season-ending ATP Tour Final in Turin? (6) |
| SANDYLYLE | Scottish former professional golfer (5,4) |
| HERBERT | Johnny ___ , British former Formula One driver who won the British Grand Prix in 1995 (7) |
| LEHTO | J J ___, Finnish former Formula One driver who won the 24 Hours of Le Mans twice, in 1995 and 2005 |
| SATO | Takuma, Japanese former Formula One driver who won the Indy 500 in 2020 (4) |
| JENSEN | _ Button, British racing driver who was the 2009 Formula One World Championship (6) |
| VILLENEUVE | Jacques ---, Formula One driver who was the 1997 World Champion (10) |
| MANSELL | Former British Formula One driver who was World Champion in 1992 (7) |
| MARCUSERICSSON | Swedish former Formula One driver who won the 2022 Indianapolis 500 |
| IRVINE | Eddie ___, former Formula One driver born in Northern Ireland in 1965 (6) |
