Numbers of Hamilton and Senna

[eleventenths]

Similarly, I have never came across a single compelling argument to why Senna was better than Schumacher. I am a firm believer than Schumacher in his prime from 1995 to 2001 was the best and most complete driver I've ever seen.

"best and most complete driver" what on earth does that mean? Exactly criteria are you using to make that assertion?

[Kingshark]

No other driver was as fast and as consistently fast as 1995-2001 Schumacher. He won championships without the outright best car (1995, 2000), challenged for championships with cars significantly inferior to the best (1997, 1998). I can only make a fair judgement on the drivers of post-1980. This kind of discussion is mostly subjective. Then again, even objectively Schumacher has the best stats out of any driver.

[Just_a_fan]

No, Fangio has. The conversion rate is the real measure, not number of wins. Fangio won nearly half of all races he entered and was on the podium in 2/3rds of his career. Jim Clark won better than 1 in 3.

Oh, and I'm not aware that either driver deliberately crashed in to a competitor (twice) or parked their car to ruin a qualifying lap. Schuie has some great stats but he was also a cheat.

[Kingshark]

I can only make a fair judgement on the drivers of post-1980.

I can't judge great drivers I've never seen (eg. Fangio, Ascari, Clark). But yes Fangio does have the best stats.

A "cheat" is subjective, but lets be real here, drivers like Senna, Prost, Alonso etc.. were hardly saints. Also, how unsportsmanlike a driver is does not affect his driving ability. I don't see a reason to consider Senna better than Schumacher. Never have and probably never will.

[ChrisF1]

I rate Jim Clark as the best driver of his era, then Lauda, with Senna as the best in the 80's and Schumacher as the best of the 90's/early 00's. As for who I rate best since then? Couldn't possibly say because we need time to look back and appreciate these drivers. Certainly Alonso, Hamilton and Vettel rate as the best of the past 10 years, and until the three have hung up their helmets I cannot judge.

[PlatinumZealot]

Fangio is questionable if you gonna compare him to modern day drivers. He was fat for crying out out. Sure he was the best of his time and his technology. But I don't think he even fit in an F1 car today. On the flipside if you put MSC to race in Fangio's day you might find he didn't have the chest hair to race in those types of cars.... Just a totally different sport if you ask me. Fangio's time is just too far removed IMO.

[ChrisF1]

I think that Fangio's era saw the weakest competition, with only the wealthier participants getting into motorsport - how many people had contacts within the big manufacturers to fly them around the world to drive cars?

These days money plays a part, but now half as much as coming out of the ruins of World War II.

It's for that reason that I don't rate Fangio anywhere near Clark, Senna or Schumacher.

Edit:

Just to expand - we have single seater categories all over the world, and multiple progression paths from karting up. What did they have in the 1950's?

A lot of people in the UK couldn't even afford a car.

[Kingshark]

Back in the "good old days" the gap between teammates was regularly several seconds per lap. Not much was thought about being one second slower than your teammate. Nowadays, it is considered a disgraceful performance for any driver to be one second slower per lap than their teammate (unless their car had problems).

Even a driver like Ericsson for example; who might be 1 second/lap slower than Hamilton in equal cars. If he was "only" one second slower than Fangio, he'd be one of the greatest drivers of the 50's.

The field, IMO, has a lot of depth in talent today.

[efuloni]

Kudos to the champion:

http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/hamil ... ing-senna/

[PlatinumZealot]

It is done...

That'l do Hamilton.

That'l do.

=D> =D> =D>

[PlatinumZealot]

Lewis is going for a win at the Brazil GP on his 8th attempt.
His idol Senna won the Brazil GP on his 8th attempt...

The Baton is well and truly being handed over...

=D> =D>

[SiLo]

Lewis is going for a win at the Brazil GP on his 8th attempt.
His idol Senna won the Brazil GP on his 8th attempt...

The Baton is well and truly being handed over...

=D> =D>

Oh God, I hope Sky don't get hold of this information. We won't hear the end of it!

[efuloni]

Aaaand here we go! hahah

"This was the home race for Ayrton, so it was a dream of mine to race in Sao Paulo when I was younger and I always feel his presence when I'm there," Hamilton said. "He was such a huge hero in Brazil and it's humbling that I always get such a warm response there.

"It's amazing to think that it took Ayrton eight attempts to win this race and it's one of the few I haven't yet won myself.

"If I can change that this weekend it would be a salute to him and another highlight to add to this amazing year, so I'll be going all out to make that happen."


https://www.formula1.com/content/fom-we ... senna.html

[NathanOlder]

Fair play to Lewis, If he is as happy about it as he says, he must be in a great place right now. If the media keep going on about things like this, it shows how dull and boring the other 19 drivers are.

Well done Lewis =D>

[MercedesAMGSpy]

The man is just a massive Ayrton Senna fanatic and who can blame him, we all have our idols/heroes/