Greatest F1 driver ever

[Patrick]

In my opinion it is Ayrton Senna. I doubt that there will be another F1 driver ever up to Senna's standard. Jim Clark is the second best ever in my eyes, it's such a shame that both of them died behind the wheel.

 

[LiveForTheLaunch]

None because car racing is whackkk.

And if they died then how did that make them good car drivers?

 

[Lain]

None because car racing is whackkk.

And if they died then how did that make them good car drivers?

You're on fire tonight.

 

[jokerman]

None because car racing is whackkk.

And if they died then how did that make them good car drivers?

Please write nothing more in this topic. You clearly don't know anything about motor racing.

 

[LiveForTheLaunch]

^ I've watched car races, and I don't even like them. Drag racing is pretty cool, but only if you watch it live, not on the television.

You're on fire tonight.

I know. But, if they were in fires, they must have crashed first.

 

[Smithy]

None because car racing is whackkk.

And if they died then how did that make them good car drivers?

Do you actually have a functioning brain?

Or did it seep out in dribs and drabs through the numerous holes in your head?

Ever think that some of them may have crashed due to a car failure that was not their fault, rather than a crash that was their fault?

****ing hell, I wouldn't even dare call that ignorance, it's just sheer stupidity.

Oh, and for my money, I'd go with Senna or Prost.

 

[LiveForTheLaunch]

^ Well in that case, fine, but what are the chances of the cars malfunctioning like everytime a good racer died?

 

[Lain]

I really wish I had some popcorn or something.

 

[tks]

Or a gun.

 

[marc]

Senna 100% no one else is even close. People forget that Senna was not in F1 that long and it took people far more races to break some of his records. Senna put cars on pole that had no reason to be there, he also won races where team mates could finish no higher than 8th. He was fast, good at blocking and a great over taker. He also done so much for people in Brazil. Yes people remember Japan 1990 but he got the blame for Japan 1989 where he done nothing wrong.

Taylor, in car racing if something fails on a car it can go straight on into a wall at 200mph. Most of the time a driver will survive but in some cases like Senna something happens that kills them. Senna did not die directly due to the crash impact, there were no broken bones. He died as part of the car went through his visor and through his head. Ok the crash killed him but had the wheel gone the other way he would have been ok. I have seen worst crashes than the one Senna had put it that way. MS had a crash at high speed but did not hit a wall straight away and he only broke his leg, this was due to brake failure. Roland died due to a front wing problem, he hit the wall and also died as his car got ripped open.

 

[Hixee]

^ Well in that case, fine, but what are the chances of the cars malfunctioning like everytime a good racer died?

Probably higher than you'd think.

You clearly haven't applied any sort of sense to this. Just think about it, the best people in the world, at anything, can make mistakes. No-one is perfect.

Except me.

 

[Stone Cold]

None because car racing is whackkk.

And if they died then how did that make them good car drivers?

Car racing is controlled by the Ku Klux Klan? Wow, any more National Enquiry headlines I should know about? Perhaps the one about Michael Jackson was not a good entertainer as he is now dead.


Anyway, since you mentioned it, I did a bit of research to find out when the last time a Formula 1 driver died not as a result of mechanical failure. It was 27 years ago. And since you mention it, the deceased, Ricardo Paletti, was only starting his second race when the incident occured.


To answer the question as originally answered, Senna, mainly for the reasons Marc gave but also because he was the last formula 1 driver with any real personality.

 

[jokerman]

^ I've watched car races, and I don't even like them. Drag racing is pretty cool, but only if you watch it live, not on the television.

The problem you have in North America though is that motor racing is controlled by things like NASCAR and drag racing, which are the two worst motor sports in the world.

 

[marc]

Even though the official verdict Stone Cold on the Senna crash was not a car failure. They put it down to low tyre pressures.

 

[LiveForTheLaunch]

Actually I just took the time to look up the two crashes (Clark and Senna or whatever) on Wikipedia and it sounds like they were pretty good racers aside from when they got killed. Would low tire pressures be the driver's fault for not checking it though?

 

[Stone Cold]

"Aside from when they got killed". Haven't you realised yet that us F1 fans are trying to teach you that it wasn't the fault of these drivers that they were killed - hence they were good drivers, who were just in unfortunate situations.

As for checking tyre pressures - rather than question the knowledge of several long-term F1 fans, perhaps a bit more research would tell you that F1 drivers have a team of mechanics who service the cars, and that checking the tyres is not the responsibility of the driver. In any case, an F1 car is such a sophisticated piece of machinery that tyre pressure changes considerably over the course of a race, depending on the heat and wear in the tyres.


As for Senna, there is a theory that the tyres were not at operating pressure due to the safety car laps and that caused his car to bottom out over the bumps, but it is equally plausible that there was a steering column failure which prevented Senna from regaining control of the vehicle. In either case, the problem was eithe a design failure or a mechanical failure, thus out of the control of Senna.

 

[Blaze]

Senna, hands down, the man was a legend, so much so I will keep the two jokes I have to myself, even if they include other celebs and are very similar. If was amazing and will never be bettered.

 

[John91]

but it is equally plausible that there was a steering column failure which prevented Senna from regaining control of the vehicle.

Williams had cut and welded the steering column at the beginning of the weekend so that he could fit in the car better. The reason he went off was due to the tyre pressures being low and the car bottoming out. The reason he was killed was due to the steering column not being as strong when he hit the wall and it broke.
He was the best driver ever. The end. Shame he didn't get to really show Michael how it was done.

 

[marc]

He did show him how its done, watch South Africa 1993 and Brazil 1992 lol. And then in France Senna gave him a roasting after MS rammed him off the track by missing braking, oh and then MS done the same thing at the restart after the rain.

 

[nealbie]

Oo, I had forgotten about this. Found this particular item earlier. Making my stance on Schumacher stronger

1. A gentleman from Scotland said that Schumacher was put into capable Teams from the start of his career. Please tell me when did Benetton Win or come close to winning prior to Schumacher joining them ? Then he said that Schumacher never left a winning team. Well, after winning in 94 & 95 he left Benetton to join Ferrari - which in Senna's own words (end of 93) was NOT COMPETITIVE! And Ferrari only got worse in 94 & 95. When was the last time a Ferrari driver won a championship prior to Schumacher ? Well, it was in 1979. (They won the Constructor's in 1982 & 83).
Question for you, why didn't Senna join Ferrari in 1994 ?? Further, Senna was with Toleman only for one season before moving to Lotus. Lotus had won a Championship before (1978) though I agree that it wasn't comparable to McLaren & Williams. Then he jumped ship to McLaren, which WAS WINNING ANYWAY, and won his three Championships!!! Then when he couldn't win anymore he left McLaren for the Williams Renault, which was by far, the Best Car of the 90's. Now tell me who has only moved to a better car all the time & who has dared to leave a winning team for an inferior one & also turn it into a winning Team ???? Mate, the Answer to this question is the biggest reason why I say Schumacher is better. Hang the six Championships & 70 Wins.
As for the claim that Senna did better in 93 than Schumacher, what about 92 ?? When Schumacher did better than Senna in only his first full season, in a much lesser known Car & Team than Senna's ???
2. Lots of people say that Statistics are not important & then pull out one themselves (like Senna's 65 poles & that Schumacher lost to Hakkinen by 16 points while his Team mate lost only by 2 in 98). Isn't that ridiculous - contradicting themselves ?? I don't know about any Sport where Statistics are not important. It is like telling the Brazilians that their five World Cups in Soccer is just another Statistic & it is not important, when we all know that they are the Best Soccer playing Nation.
3. Some say that Championships are not important. Can someone tell me what these guys risk their lives for- Senna being the perfect example ?
4. Isn't it ironical that one person claims that Schumacher didn't have good competition & say that Hakkinen, Hill & Villeneuve were jokes while another say that Hakkinen was good Competition even as a Rookie; both to justify that Senna is better?
5. For the assumption that Senna would have beaten Schumacher had he lived. What's there to back this ? Between 1991 & 1994 (when both were in F1), Schumacher has done at least as well as Senna if not better. So, the same argument can be turned around to say that Schumacher would have beaten Senna.
6. Finally, for those who want others to check their heads, Please check if you've got one in the first place!!!