The best driver in the history of F1 | FerrariChat

The best driver in the history of F1

Discussion in 'F1' started by TifosiUSA, Apr 20, 2014.

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  1. TifosiUSA

    TifosiUSA F1 Veteran

    Nov 18, 2007
    8,468
    Kansas City, MO
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    DJ
    You guys know me. Im a huge MS fan. But how can you deny Fernando Alonso. He is simply incredible in **** cars for years. He is the best of all time. He toppled MS as a 23 year old. I hated him at the time but he was damn good and Michael knew it even when he was with Minardi back in 02. This year really proves it. Hes kicking Kimis ass and Im a Kimi fan. Props to FA. He is the best ever I dont give a F about the fact he only has 2. So did Jim Clark
     
  2. 308luver

    308luver Formula Junior

    May 4, 2006
    707
    He got handled by a rookie and couldnt win the WDC in the best car. He has also collapsed late year or last race 3 different times to fail to sure a championship. His second was due to a blown engine by MS.

    His car has arguably changed the least over 5 years. He is very comfortable with it.
     
  3. gt4me

    gt4me F1 Veteran

    Sep 10, 2005
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    Lewis Mitchell
    He's certainly always up there no matter what.
     
  4. Jakuzzi

    Jakuzzi Formula 3

    Mar 26, 2005
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    The best driver in the history of F1? Easy...... Alain Prost!
     
  5. furoni

    furoni F1 World Champ

    Jun 6, 2011
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    Pedro Braga Soares
    Alonso is nothing spcial...good talent, that´s all...very far away from real geniuses like Gilles, Clarck, Senna, Prost, Shummy.....in terms of talent he is in my opinion below guys like Alesi and hakkinen....
     
  6. Vinny Bourne

    Vinny Bourne Formula Junior

    Nov 25, 2011
    910
    Nigel, a lot to learn here that many don't know

    [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wyKJiuTWdk]#42 The Flying Lap: Nigel Mansell, OBE - YouTube[/ame]





    as for Alonso/Schumacher the best bit I saw after 2000 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6zDiU0FR80
     
  7. Ferraripilot

    Ferraripilot F1 World Champ
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    May 10, 2006
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    John!
    I agree the Fred is every bit as good as Michael or Senna were in their prime. They were all miracle workers.
     
  8. Ferraripilot

    Ferraripilot F1 World Champ
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    May 10, 2006
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    John!
    Wow. There's no way. None of the guys you list in Fred's category did what Fred has done with the pile of a car he's had for years now. NONE
     
  9. 4rePhill

    4rePhill F1 Veteran

    Oct 18, 2009
    8,178
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    Phill J
    The topic of this thread is far too subjective, and based on Fchat F1 section history, can only end with bickering, arguing, name calling and childish strops!

    Some will declare that Senna is the greatest ever.
    Some will declare that Schuey is the greatest ever.
    Some will declare that Fangio is the greatest ever.
    (Some may declare that Jim Clark is the greatest ever).

    Is Alonso up there with those guys? - Some will think he is, some will think he isn't and some will say that the jury's still out! Basically you're not going to get a consensus of opinion.

    (I would say though that I think claiming Alesi was a better driver than Alonso, is pushing the boundaries of credibility a fair old bit!)
     
  10. Mon the fish

    Mon the fish Karting

    Dec 27, 2013
    116
    Jim Clark IMO

    Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk
     
  11. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    Oct 3, 2002
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    Can't say for sure, but for me it is one of these:

    - Fred
    - Lauda
    - Prost
     
  12. gt4me

    gt4me F1 Veteran

    Sep 10, 2005
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    Lewis Mitchell
    Alesi? Good driver, but not one of the greats of the sport.
     
  13. 4rePhill

    4rePhill F1 Veteran

    Oct 18, 2009
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    You don't rate Jim Clark?

    The guy could drive/race just about anything competitively! - F1 cars, Touring cars, Sports cars, Rally cars, Hill climb cars,.......... even tractors! (okay, he didn't race tractors but he did drive them and I suspect if he had of raced them he'd have been bloody good at it! :D ).

    I seriously doubt that Senna, Schuey, Fangio, Prost, Alonso, Lauda or any other F1 driver could have been as successful in as many different racing series! (a lot of which were raced in at the same time as the F1 season!).
     
  14. william

    william Two Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Jun 3, 2006
    25,447
    Since I started to follow F1 in 1961, I found only a few drivers to be above their compatriots. Here is my choice

    - Jim Clark, a virtuoso who drove instinctively, wasn't involved in car technology, not team politics, but just constantly went faster than anyone on the field.

    - Jackie Stewart, for me the FIRST F1 professional driver who understood that races are won through personal and car preparation. Stewart never drove for a big team or with a superior car, but his off-track preparation, plus his application gave him the edge against his opponents. He was totally dedicated to drive on the edge and could keep his concentration lap after lap.

    - Alain Prost, maybe not the faster on one lap, but the most consistent during a race. He understood the importance of testing, or exploring a multitude of car configurations before a race, and spent practice and qualification sessions honing his car to near perfection for the race, rather than chasing pole. This was the era when teams used practice cars. Never the bolder, the braver or the faster, Prost was a thinking driver who could also out-psych his rivals, and get the best of a car even when it wasn't perfect.
     
  15. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    Clark was certainly one of the greatest but I wanted to limit my list to my personal top three. #4 was Belloff btw. :)
     
  16. 4rePhill

    4rePhill F1 Veteran

    Oct 18, 2009
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    Phill J
    As I posted, the topic is far too subjective really!


    For Me personally it's:

    1) Gilles: Crazy, wild, lived life on the edge and drew Me into F1 and Ferrari!

    2) Schuey: Brought back the glory days to Ferrari and suddenly they were no longer the laughing stock of F1! (as I've posted before: He made Me cry at the end of the 2000 Suzuka race! :) )

    3) Jim Clark: He raced before My time but from the documentaries and books I've read, he was just that good! - Not just in F1 but in whatever series he tried his hand at. Added to that, he was one of life's nice guys and a true Gentleman!

    (My #4 would probably be Moss: Great attitude to racing and another of life's true gents! :) )
     
  17. moretti

    moretti Five Time F1 World Champ
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    Limiting yourself there old son, Ascari was brilliant but NOBODY was better than Nuvolari
     
  18. william

    william Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Jun 3, 2006
    25,447
    It's difficult to compare drivers from different eras.

    Most of the participants on this forum, apart from a few, remember F1 beyond the 80s, and think Schumacher is a living God anyway.

    I have been following F1 since 1961 only (!), so I cannot say that Nuvolari, Rosemeyer or Fangio impressed me, even if they were dominating in their time.

    To me, Clark was above any other driver of his era, not only in F1, but in F2, touring car, Indy, etc... A natural talent who drove fast effortlessly.

    Stewart was the next one to dominate, even in a smaller team, and often with an inferior car. Stewart has an adept at preparation. A real pro.

    Prost was a thinking driver, putting all the odds in his favour. Not the fastest over a lap, certainly not flamboyant, but terribly efficient, and a consumed tactician. The new style of racing would have suited him.

    A driver who has been overlooked by many, in spite of his many success is Mario Andretti who seemed to adapt to any type of racing and was always a fierce contender.
     
  19. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    Certainly limiting to what I have followed, no question.

    As I said, I'm sure Clark was great and so was Ascari and Fangio. But I can't really appreciate their greatness without having really followed them. Historybooks and tapes only go so far.
     
  20. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    He certainly adapted to many different cars, no question. But his F1 greatness is somewhat "tarnished" (for the lack of a better term) by the help of the overly dominating car. And he "only" won one title.
     
  21. Vinny Bourne

    Vinny Bourne Formula Junior

    Nov 25, 2011
    910
    Watch this race if you like the best drivers really competing. 1 of the top 5 GP races imo, so many championships, so competitive and great strategy.

    [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8_5oINhcjk]1991 Italian GP (Part 1/5) - YouTube[/ame]
     
  22. singletrack

    singletrack F1 Veteran

    Mar 16, 2011
    5,767
    Pittsburgh, PA
    Alonso is great no doubt; as is MS. The problem I have is how do you compare drivers across such huge technological changes?

    For me the best driver ever is Senna...based on his ability to ride the absolute limit of some absolutely terrifying machines, at a time when safety was not what it should have been.
     
  23. spirot

    spirot F1 World Champ

    Dec 12, 2005
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    I'm pretty comfortable in saying that Alonso is good, but not great.

    and to call him the best ever? does not even make sense.

    kinda hard to really come up with an all time best but based on % of races won:

    1. Fangio
    2. Schumacher
    3. Clark
    4. Senna
    5. Stewart

    out of that list - Stewart is my favorite.
     
  24. 05011994

    05011994 Formula 3
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    May 1, 2004
    1,859
    Golden, Colorado
    Fascinating poll, I found myself questioning the high ranking of several drivers and several of the lower drivers, then looked at who participated in the poll and realized, they are infinitely more qualified to form an educated opinion than I am. Very interesting, thanks for posting.
     

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