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#433054
, Daniel MacDonald wrote:">10 Greatest F1 Drivers to Ever Race

In the 64 year history of Formula 1 racing (1950-2013), there have been 743 different drivers, 104 different victors, and 32 different world champions. Of those victors and champions, there are some who stand tall above the rest, towering over the masses as the ten greatest drivers in Formula 1 history.

Before that, though, there are some drivers who came close to making the top ten. Honorable mentions go to Jim Clark (72 starts, 25 victories, 2 world championship), Alberto Ascari (32 starts, 13 victories, 2 world championships), and Stirling Moss (66 starts, 16 victories, 0 world championships).

British racing legend Jim Clark is remembered as a man who, at the time of his death in 1968, was the winningest driver in Formula 1 history. Were it not for that fateful accident at the Hockenheimring, he could well have gone on to equal the legendary Juan Manuel Fangio in terms of Championships.

Alberto Ascari was the first legendary driver for Ferrari, and his two world championships in 1952 and ’53 made him the first true Italian Formula 1 celebrity.

British veteran Stirling Moss is one of the greatest drivers in history to have never won a championship, though a remarkable 16 wins from 67 starts warrant his inclusion as one of the true greats in the history of the sport.
Last edited by sagi58 on 15 Feb 15, 02:19, edited 1 time in total.
#433055
, Daniel MacDonald wrote:">10. Gilles Villeneuve

Stats: 67 starts, 6 victories, 0 world championships

The only member of this top-10 list without a world championship, Canadian racing legend Gilles Villeneuve is remembered as one of the fastest, and most popular, racers in Formula 1 history. Villeneuve’s best championship finish was a 2nd in 1979, when he finished 4 points behind South African Jody Scheckter, but it is his bravery and legendary speed that inspired Sheckter to say this, following Villeneuve’s death in Belgian Grand Prix qualifying in 1982: “First, he was the fastest driver in the history of motor racing”. Gilles son Jacques would go on to become the first Canadian to win a Formula 1 championship, when he took the drivers’ title in 1997.
Last edited by sagi58 on 15 Feb 15, 02:19, edited 1 time in total.
#433056
, Daniel MacDonald wrote:">9. Fernando Alonso

Stats: 220 starts, 32 victories, 2 world championships – currently active

When Fernando Alonso burst onto the Formula 1 scene in 2005 at the tender age of 24, it was with a furor that the sport hadn’t seen for decades. The speedy Spaniard did away with five consecutive seasons of Ferrari dominance, winning back to back titles for little Renault in 2005 and 2006, and earned himself numerous sporting accolades in his home nation of Spain. Alonso has since had stints with McLaren, back at Renault, and is now with Ferrari, and though he has yet to recapture the drivers’ championship, he has finished 2nd in the title chase a remarkable three times since, and is on pace to challenge again in 2014.
Last edited by sagi58 on 15 Feb 15, 02:20, edited 1 time in total.
#433057
, Daniel MacDonald wrote:">8. Jackie Stewart

Stats: 99 starts, 27 victories, 3 world championships

‘The Flying Scot’, as he was known during his racing days, was a legend for one-time giant Tyrell Motorsport, having retired (as champion) in 1973 with the most wins of any Formula 1 driver at the time (a record that would stand for 14 years). In just 9 seasons, Stewart accumulated 27 victories, won 3 championships (1969, 1971, 1973), and gained a reputation as one of the most intelligent tactitioners in Formula 1 history. He retired at the tender age of 34, citing a growing concern with the dangers of motorsport, and later became a tireless advocate for racing safety, a position and cause for which he still campaigns today.
Last edited by sagi58 on 15 Feb 15, 02:20, edited 1 time in total.
#433058
, Daniel MacDonald wrote:">7. Niki Lauda

Stats: 171 starts, 25 victories, 3 world championships

It is a shame that when most people reflect on Niki Lauda’s career, it is his near-fatal accident at the 1976 German Grand Prix at the Nurburgring that is most recognized. Still, the three-time World Champion is also remembered as one of the most determined, and cerebral, racers in Formula 1 history. His championships with Ferrari in 1975 and 1977 bookended a tumultuous relationship with the Italian motorsports giant, but it is his 1984 championship with McLaren, accomplished after having entered into ‘retirement’ for the 1981 season, which is perhaps his most remarkable feat. His mid-70’s feud with McLaren playboy James Hunt is the stuff of legend, but Lauda stands on his own as a driver of remarkable skill.
Last edited by sagi58 on 15 Feb 15, 02:20, edited 1 time in total.
#433059
, Daniel MacDonald wrote:">6. Sebastian Vettel

Stats: 124 starts, 39 victories, 4 world championships – Currently active

It stands to reason that, by the time a similar article gets written in a decade or so, Sebastian Vettel could very well be found at the very top of the list. The 26 year old German has accomplished more in a short time than perhaps any racer in history: he holds Formula 1 records for the youngest driver to secure a pole position, win a race, and win a World Championship. The four time (2010-2013) world champion has been part of the Red Bull Racing program for his entire career, and his remarkable winning percentage (31.4%) is the highest among drivers with 100+ starts. In spite of his young age, Vettel deservedly finds himself already included in the conversation on the greatest drivers in Formula 1 history.
Last edited by sagi58 on 15 Feb 15, 02:21, edited 1 time in total.
#433060
, Daniel MacDonald wrote:">5. Nelson Piquet

Stats: 204 starts, 23 victories, 3 world championships

For a country with such a rich motor racing history, Nelson Piquet stands tall among the giants of the Brazilian motorsports pantheon. The three-time world champion (1981, 1983, 1987) burst onto the competitive scene with Brabham in 1978, outshining (then) two-time world champion Niki Lauda on the team in his rookie campaign. The veteran won two championships with the now-defunct team, before moving to Williams for two seasons, where he would famously feud with Englishman and teammate Nigel Mansell. Though he exited rather unceremoniously with four mediocre seasons at Lotus and Benneton, nothing can take the shine off the reputation of one of the sport’s first true legends, and a man who is one of the first to win a title with two different teams.
Last edited by sagi58 on 15 Feb 15, 02:21, edited 1 time in total.
#433061
, Daniel MacDonald wrote:">4. Alain Prost

Stats: 199 starts, 51 victories, 4 world championships

The second-winningest driver in Formula 1 history, Alain Prost is remembered as one the smoothest, most intelligent racers in the sport, form which earned him the nickname ‘The Professor’. Prost earned his reputation by driving inferior Renault models into the ground from 1981-83, before finding success famously with McLaren in the mid-to-late 80’s. His rivalry with Brazilian Ayrton Senna throughout the 80’s was legendary, but it was more often Prost who would end up on the winning side of the ledger. At the time of his retirement in 1993, he was the winningest driver in history, and although he lacks the flash and charisma of some of his contemporaries, he stands on his own two feet as a giant in Formula 1 lore.
Last edited by sagi58 on 15 Feb 15, 02:21, edited 1 time in total.
#433062
, Daniel MacDonald wrote:">3. Juan Manuel Fangio

Stats: 52 entries, 24 victories, 5 world championships

The man who is considered by many to be the first real legend in Formula 1 history, Argentina’s Juan Manuel Fangio dominated the sport in its early days like no driver since. His winning percentage of 46.15% is an incomparable mark, while world championship wins in five (1951, 1954-1957) of the eight seasons he started ensured that his is a star that will never diminish. The fact that he did what he did in the cars of the day, in the racing conditions of the time (when nearly 1/3rd of all starters were killed in action), elevate him to almost super-hero status among drivers. Many modern Formula 1 legends, including Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna, and Michael Schumacher, cite Fangio as the greatest of all-time.
Last edited by sagi58 on 15 Feb 15, 02:22, edited 1 time in total.
#433063
, Daniel MacDonald wrote:">2. Michael Schumacher

Stats: 308 starts, 91 victories, 7 world championships

On a pure statistical basis, there has been no driver better than Michael Schumacher. He is far and away the winningest competitor in history, and his seven world championships (1994-1995, 2000-2004) are a mark that is not likely to be challenged in the future. Though he was famous throughout his career for dust-ups with fellow drivers, including Damon Hill at the 1994 Australian GP and Jacques Villeneuve in 1997 at Jerez, it is his winning form for which Schumacher is best remember. There has never been a more dominant era than that of Schumacher and Ferrari from 2000-2004, a period during which he won a staggering 48 races. Most spectacular was 2002, where he finished all of his 17 races on the podium.
Last edited by sagi58 on 15 Feb 15, 02:22, edited 1 time in total.
#433064
, Daniel MacDonald wrote:">1. Ayrton Senna

Stats: 161 starts, 41 victories, 3 world championships

He doesn’t have the most wins, nor the most pole positions, fastest laps, or championships, but Brazilian racing legend Ayrton Senna has the consensus among the racing world for one thing: the title of fastest driver in history. Before his tragic death at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, Senna built up a reputation as a fearless competitor; his feud with Alain Prost, including the infamous team orders argument at the 1989 San Marino Grand Prix, is the stuff of Formula 1 legend, but even Prost has conceded that Senna was the best. Though we will never know if he could’ve built on his world championship (1988, 1990-1991) total, we can all remember Ayrton Senna as an unrivaled star, and the greatest driver in the history of Formula 1.
Last edited by sagi58 on 15 Feb 15, 02:22, edited 1 time in total.
#433065
I just saw #7 on TV. He is sitting in the Bell Centre right now watching the Canadiens play the Maple Leafs. Go Habs!

He is wearing a 'Novamatic' hat. edit. He is a spokesman for a gaming outfit?!
Last edited by overboost on 15 Feb 15, 02:46, edited 2 times in total.
#433067
Go Image,Go!!

((OK, so we haven't been doing all that well... No reason to give up, y'know?? ))



I would keep that a secret. And yes it is time to give up.

Go Subban!
Last edited by overboost on 15 Feb 15, 02:44, edited 2 times in total.
#433069
Go Image, Go!!

((OK, so we haven't been doing all that well... No reason to give up, y'know?? ))



I would keep that a secret. And yes it is time to give up.

Go Subban!


With google, nothing stay secret for too long!! :wink:

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