Nor Belloff. Potentially the greatest talent ever. Point is: we can only say that MS is the most successful F1 driver of all times but we have no idea whether he or anybody else is/was the greatest because a) we don't know how to measure that and b) we will never know about those who left us too soon (Clark, Von Trips, Belloff, Siffert to name a few)
I was at the 84 Monaco GP where a rookie named Senna in a POS Toleman was catching race leader Prost. Everybody saw Sennas talent that day. But there was another story that day: Belloff in the whimpy Tyrrell was catching both of them. Ickx deprived us of what would have been but a few saw that raw gem. Google Belloff and see what people thought of him. He likely would have been the first German WDC. Had he lived the titles won by Prost and Senna might have been different. He was the Schumacher/Vettel of the eighties. Sadly he was also the Villeneuve of his time going flat out through Eau Rouge in a Group C car.
Belloff was incredible in the Porsche 956 cars, and he did an excellent job at the Monaco race in 1984, but Andreas is seeing something more than I did when watching F1 at that time period.
Don't take my word for it. But believe me there were many F1 insiders then (and now if you meet them) who will tell you the same thing.
Andreas, good to know. I was not doubting you, as you know I always respect your opinion about F1, I just was wondering why you would put Belloff as potentially the best driver in F1 history.
I have that video of him at Eau Rouge, and Hollywood could not have done it any better. Incredibly sad, but it showed the bravery that Belloff had.
Gents, Tazio Nuvolari never raced in F1. Otherwise, I'd have included Nuvolari and Rosemeyer. F1 came into being in 1950...
Many of the younger drivers ARE better, you need to just face that fact. There is a reason most drivers retire before 40 or so. This doesn't mean MS sucks, it just means his expiration dated is past-due. Doubtful. Remember, he took a crap-box Ferrari got there and together, with great team management, developed a car that was great. So yes, he CAN come to grips with a car he doesn't like and change it. Or maybe not. It has been proven the Toleman chassis was NOT a POS, but the Hart Turbo was. And you already know I agree with you on Belloff. There used to be video of his fatal crash on youtube, but if you can imagine taking a 956 and bending it in the shape of an 'L' at the front edge of the driver seat.... From Wikipedia: 'Bellof's talent had been noted by many of the rival teams that he had been competing against in Formula One, including an offer from Ferrari for the 1986 season, with a meeting scheduled with Enzo Ferrari before his death.'
I think there is incredibly little chance he would quit early, that would be a true disgrace. Even as a billionaire, his pride is still invaluable to him. You can't stop the hands of time, and that factor is hurting him, although I think the 3 years out and some of the psychological factors about being "washed up" are hurting him even more. If he came back to a Top 2 team and had any success at all, I think his killer instinct would take over and he would push even harder. But he is fighting with back markers in a Top 4 car. Shame. Like most athletes that return, it's never the same.... Oh well, I suppose this would have been even more frustrating had he returned to the relativley weak Ferrari team...
MS needs the quickest car to be the quickest driver. He used to get hosed in Group C by the likes of Mike Thackwell when he shared the car. Or he needs refuelling bought back (where'd that filter/restrictor go) or dodgy launch control.
Can't believe I'm reading this man. Every loser team/driver is a winner in your eyes then, because you can always find an excuse why they didn't win. That's utter BS. THE BETTER DRIVER/TEAM WINS... WHEREVER THEY ARE. THAT'S WHAT MAKES THEM A WINNER . I also give up. Can't reason wtih hardcore fanboys . Just remember this: EVERYBODY'S TIME PASSES... and MS's already did. But yes, many athletes are too arrogant to realize that. Do you call season and a quarter of disastrous performances 'something'? If it was just after a race or two, then you might have a point. But MS has been a disaster. And all his freaking excuses (and some of those members here) are just ridiculous at this point. The excuse of the decade has to be the one above: "he's the best driver, BUT he can't drive the new cars". Hope you find a trophy for that. Ha ha.
