BBC: F1's Greatest Driver

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lebesset
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Re: BBC: F1's Greatest Driver

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during the many years that I have followed F1 I can only remember one driver who was regarded by every one of his contemporaries as being at a different level to the rest of them

RIP jim clark
to the optimist a glass is half full ; to the pessimist a glass is half empty ; to the F1 engineer the glass is twice as big as it needs to be

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Phil
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Re: BBC: F1's Greatest Driver

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Nando wrote:Senna and Clark are the absolute greatest.

Why? Because when it rained they made the worlds greatest driver´s look like "idiots" to quote Berger.

that´s why. they were unreal when the rain came down.
I think if you would stick one of the former absolute greatest in todays F1 season, even they'd be limited to what is possible and they wouldn't outshine the current F1 drivers by any margin. That's not to say if you would stick current F1 drivers in the historic seasons that it would be a similar picture. In fact, I think the older formula 1 seasons (when the sport was also more dangerous) it was also easier to differentiate yourself through sheer speed and perhaps a bit of crazyness, driving beyond the limit. The driver was a much bigger factor then nowdays. This would also make it easier for certain drivers to comprehensively outshine the rest of the pack and seem special, as in greatest of all times. Not to take anything away from their achievements, but I think some of them in todays Formula would look rather ordinary compared to back then. Guess it shows you how the sport has changed - for better or for worse.
Not for nothing, Rosberg's Championship is the only thing that lends credibility to Hamilton's recent success. Otherwise, he'd just be the guy who's had the best car. — bhall II
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Nando
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Re: BBC: F1's Greatest Driver

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Phil wrote:I think if you would stick one of the former absolute greatest in todays F1 season, even they'd be limited to what is possible and they wouldn't outshine the current F1 drivers by any margin. That's not to say if you would stick current F1 drivers in the historic seasons that it would be a similar picture. In fact, I think the older formula 1 seasons (when the sport was also more dangerous) it was also easier to differentiate yourself through sheer speed and perhaps a bit of crazyness, driving beyond the limit. The driver was a much bigger factor then nowdays. This would also make it easier for certain drivers to comprehensively outshine the rest of the pack and seem special, as in greatest of all times. Not to take anything away from their achievements, but I think some of them in todays Formula would look rather ordinary compared to back then. Guess it shows you how the sport has changed - for better or for worse.
I agree 100%

Many people will laugh a bit but to me, i think Hamilton, in terms of raw ability would have given Senna a run for his money had they raced in same cars and same time period.

Not only were there cars that allowed the driver to make a difference, it was also not even close to the amount of talented drivers it is today.

Bit like Maradona, he was so ahead of his time but today you have several Maradona´s but because the game of football has evolved so much through the years it´s not easy to replicate what he did.

But since we don´t have a time machine i just go with what staggered me the most and those two are the ones that really was something very special in terms of taking a car and going fast around a circuit.

I think they would do fine but i´ve heard the argument from Piquet for example that Senna would not do well.
I think it´s bullshit because in his mind he´s thinking about taking Senna from that age and putting him in a modern car.

When instead you have to think, ok if Senna and Clark were born today, went through the karting, the F3 the GP2 and then entered F1.
There´s really nothing that says they would not be succesful or at least be recognized as two very special drivers.

Great post btw, you pretty much summed up a "problem" when talking about the greatest.
"Il Phenomeno" - The one they fear the most!

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FoxHound
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Re: BBC: F1's Greatest Driver

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lebesset wrote:during the many years that I have followed F1 I can only remember one driver who was regarded by every one of his contemporaries as being at a different level to the rest of them

RIP jim clark
From the mid to late 70s onward, there was a shift in professional sport. It became a global sport... Sponsorship money, higher levels of professionalism etc. Thats not to say it arrived there immediately, but this is where it started to take off. In this time, Drivers didnt have the same relationship with each other as they did in the days of Hill and Clark, there may have been some, again, but it wasnt the rule.
Similarly, drivers opinions of each other descended somewhat too. Could you see this happening infront of fans in the 50s or 60s?
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JogHiSR5P4[/youtube]

I can see numerous quotes of drivers during the Fangio era, including that of the well respected Stirling Moss that put Fangio as the greatest. Forward to 2:38 for Moss' verdict.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eL_3Im5KRlE[/youtube]

No one can definitively say who was the greatest. Too many variables to ascertain that. If you have a top 5, I'm sure they could all beat each other on a given day. But over a season, I reckon Senna would just about cover Gilles 8)
JET set

beelsebob
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Re: BBC: F1's Greatest Driver

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Number 5 is Alain Prost. Personally, I would have put Alonso and Prost right next to each other, wherever I put them, they're both greats in exactly the same way.

mnmracer
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Re: BBC: F1's Greatest Driver

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beelsebob wrote:Number 5 is Alain Prost. Personally, I would have put Alonso and Prost right next to each other, wherever I put them, they're both greats in exactly the same way.
Yes and no.
They're the same in their way of doing things (politics, calculated driving).

Thus far though, Alonso doesn't seem as good in turning it into results and I think doesn't quite have the same outright speed as Prost. Prost would have wiped the floor with the 2007 and 2010 championship in the same cars.

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clipsy1H
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Re: BBC: F1's Greatest Driver

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beelsebob wrote:Number 5 is Alain Prost. Personally, I would have put Alonso and Prost right next to each other, wherever I put them, they're both greats in exactly the same way.
i can't believe Hill will be in top 4 ](*,) alongside Schumi Senna Fangio

mnmracer
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Re: BBC: F1's Greatest Driver

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clipsy1H wrote:
beelsebob wrote:Number 5 is Alain Prost. Personally, I would have put Alonso and Prost right next to each other, wherever I put them, they're both greats in exactly the same way.
i can't believe Hill will be in top 4 ](*,) alongside Schumi Senna Fangio
Image

Did you forget about Jimmy?

JimClarkFan
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Re: BBC: F1's Greatest Driver

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beelsebob wrote:Number 5 is Alain Prost. Personally, I would have put Alonso and Prost right next to each other, wherever I put them, they're both greats in exactly the same way.
I agree, I rate Alonso that highly as well.


Updated List:

List so far;
Number 5 - Alain Prost
Number 6 - Stirling Moss
Number 7 - Jackie Stewart
Number 8 - Sebastian Vettel
Number 9 - Niki Lauda
Number 10 - Fernando Alonso
Number 11 - Alberto Ascari
Number 12 - Gilles Villeneuve
Number 13 - Nigel Mansell
Number 14 - Mika Hakkinen
Number 15 - Lewis Hamilton
Number 16 - Nelson Piquet
Number 17 - Emerson Fittipaldi
Number 18 - Jack Brabham
Number 19 – Graham Hill
Number 20 – Jochen Rindt

Alain Prost

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/19874880

clipsy1H wrote:
beelsebob wrote:Number 5 is Alain Prost. Personally, I would have put Alonso and Prost right next to each other, wherever I put them, they're both greats in exactly the same way.
i can't believe Hill will be in top 4 ](*,) alongside Schumi Senna Fangio
haha

mnmracer wrote:
beelsebob wrote:Number 5 is Alain Prost. Personally, I would have put Alonso and Prost right next to each other, wherever I put them, they're both greats in exactly the same way.
Yes and no.
They're the same in their way of doing things (politics, calculated driving).

Thus far though, Alonso doesn't seem as good in turning it into results and I think doesn't quite have the same outright speed as Prost. Prost would have wiped the floor with the 2007 and 2010 championship in the same cars.

hhmmm...In 2010 Alonso again didn't have the best car, I think it was third again behind Macca, it certainly wasn't nearly as good as red bull. Ferrari lost him the championship that year, and I suspect they're about to lose it for him again this year.

Not sure you can say that about 2007 either, Lewis Hamilton is no slouch, you also had Ferrari which had a great car.

mnmracer
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Re: BBC: F1's Greatest Driver

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JimClarkFan wrote:
mnmracer wrote:Thus far though, Alonso doesn't seem as good in turning it into results and I think doesn't quite have the same outright speed as Prost. Prost would have wiped the floor with the 2007 and 2010 championship in the same cars.
hhmmm...In 2010 Alonso again didn't have the best car, I think it was third again behind Macca, it certainly wasn't nearly as good as red bull. Ferrari lost him the championship that year, and I suspect they're about to lose it for him again this year.
Not sure you can say that about 2007 either, Lewis Hamilton is no slouch, you also had Ferrari which had a great car.
I think Prost would have made the right strategy call and Prost would not have gotten stuck frustrated behind Petrov. Schumacher is the best example of how as a driver, you're not limited by your team in strategy. If you have a good set of brains, you make it work. Alonso was lucky to be in the situation he was because the Red Bull was fragile as a porcelain tea cup, but he failed to capitalize when it mattered.

Doesn't make him a bad driver, as only few drivers possess those skills, but I believe Prost would have been able to capitalize on it.

As for 2007, again it comes down to capitalizing on the chances you're given. Alonso threw a way a lot of points and chances because he didn't keep his head cool or just couldn't deliver from the mid-field (France, Hungary).

Nando
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Re: BBC: F1's Greatest Driver

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I love this forum..
"Il Phenomeno" - The one they fear the most!

"2% of the world's population own 50% of the world's wealth."

snoop1050
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Re: BBC: F1's Greatest Driver

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clipsy1H wrote:
beelsebob wrote:Number 5 is Alain Prost. Personally, I would have put Alonso and Prost right next to each other, wherever I put them, they're both greats in exactly the same way.
i can't believe Hill will be in top 4 ](*,) alongside Schumi Senna Fangio
senna
fangio
damon hill
jacques villenueve

beelsebob
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Re: BBC: F1's Greatest Driver

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snoop1050 wrote:
clipsy1H wrote:
beelsebob wrote:Number 5 is Alain Prost. Personally, I would have put Alonso and Prost right next to each other, wherever I put them, they're both greats in exactly the same way.
i can't believe Hill will be in top 4 ](*,) alongside Schumi Senna Fangio
senna
fangio
damon hill
jacques villenueve
As I can see they have senna, fangio, schumacher and clark to fit in in some order.

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clipsy1H
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Re: BBC: F1's Greatest Driver

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beelsebob wrote: As I can see they have senna, fangio, schumacher and clark to fit in in some order.
no way man!! i bet my house on Hill ........ he will be in top 4 i don't know who gonna miss maybe Clark or Fangio :wtf: :wtf: but Hill ? no way ](*,) ](*,)

marcush.
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Re: BBC: F1's Greatest Driver

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greatest driver ...
when Moss can say publicly :Schumacher was not that special...then you know this all is just nonsense.a not so special driver cannot bag 7 championships when the true masters only collected 3,4 or 5 .
The guy who wins is still the champ even in a lottery as 2012 .No matter if it is alonso ,Vettel,Raikkonnen or Hamilton it will be well deserved and non of those could be tagged not special...

Any person with eyes in their heads could instantly realise Schumacher is something special. Senna was very well aware him-why?