Is there any doubt that both improved each other's game? Both had great native talent that was developed early in their careers but were pushed to greatness, in part, by their battles. Just as you can't play great chess nor great tennis against mediocre opponents you can't have epic races without epic opponents.
Yes I somewhat agree, but Lauda had already pushed Prost to greatness ... maybe Senna pushed him even higher. Pete
I think this is why Michael Schumacher will never quite reach the level of these two drivers to many fans. Michael really had weak opposition except for Hakinen when he was firing and when that happened Michael lost ... Pete
Has anyone ever been to a funeral for someone who was a real bastard? I mean a cold-hearted ill-tempered full out SOB? Ever notice how everyone says how nice he was, how he was always ready to help, never busy to listen to a friend, etc? In other words, when someone's dead (either actually, imminently or figuratively), the gentlemanly thing to do is to toss 'em a compliment before they're gone for good. Alonso understands this concept.
I wouldn't waste the time going to an SOB's funeral. I might bring a mirror and a pin to the wake though.
I know you're not a MS fan, but... Whether fans want to admit it or not, MS was handing Senna his ass in 1994 and despite having far from a top car claimed 2 wins and 17 podiums during the 1992-1993 seasons racing against the likes of Senna, Mansell, Hakkinen, Prost etc. In 1992 the Williams was all dominant but MS did outscore Senna's V12 McLaren car in his arguably inferior V8 Benetton. He raced, as a very young/inexperienced driver, against some of the stiffest competition ever and fared quite well despite a having lack of top machinery until 1994, when he became untouchable. Lest we forget that MS almost won the title in far inferior Ferraris (97/98) compared to his opposition in the Newey designed Williams/McLaren cars. While Hakkinen did get the best of MS in 1998, he had the far superior car and MS still took the title to the last race. He took down Raikkonen in 2003, one of the fastest and most naturally gifted drivers of the last 15 years, in a car that was no better than the rival Williams and McLaren machines. He later went on (at age 39, mind you) to claim 7 wins and have a titanic title battle with Fernando Alonso in 2006, who is widely regarded as the best of this pheonominal group of drivers we have today. And here he is now still holding his own at 43 against one of the best crop of drivers the sport has ever seen. Sure MS had some dominant cars a few years over the course of his career (in which he drove perfect to set about every record you could set) but weak opposition? I disagree.
Michael had some great drivers in his time, Alesi and Mika were the best 2. Unfortunatly for f.1 in general and for Ferrari in particular, Alesi never had a decent Ferrari in wich he could realy fight the williams and benettons....if he had, the story might have been diferent. Anyway, Shumi would have been one of the greatests no mather the oposition...he was/is that good.
I think Alesi actually had a pretty fast car in 1995 but the thing couldn't stay together for him. The car failed when he was set to either win or be on the podium several different times.
I'm sure a certain red team influenced this recent maturity. Luca wouldn't have Fred spouting off to the media the way he used to as a young upstart, tarnishing the image of Ferrari along with himself...he is in an incredibly prestigious position now, the most desired in all of motorsport..
Of course Alonso likes a driver who will stay behind him when told to. Massa's Q2 time was faster than any of Alonso's laps. But look where he slotted in on the grid --- behind Alonso, again. Not that it matters, that much. Massa is pretty good at Monaco, but Ferrari's pit strategy is usually terrible, so the team hasn't done all that well, there, since Brawn left. But I also notice this Alonso quote: "It's easy to praise when you have a good car but also to criticise when you have a bad one. I lived similar situations during my last stint at Renault, when some of my team-mates were unfairly criticized ..." Wasn't it Alonso doing the criticizing?
I'm beginning to think that poor Phil is suffering from ADD. Flashes of brilliance (OK at least adequacy) but not sustained.
I once knew a smoking hot girl (not in the biblical sense, sadly ... many years my junior and undoubtedly out of my league) who was very comfortable complimenting other hot girls ... as long as they weren't quite as hot as she was. A friend of mine ... with a hot very hot girlfriend, i might add ... knew exactly what i was talking about. Perhaps this is the context in which we should interpret Alonso's praise of Massa, and Hamilton a few weeks ago? Or is it just crazy to equate the egos & insecurities of F1 drivers with those of supermodels ?
