Would MS be a champ if Ferrari failed to have best car on the track? It actually did take MS, what? 5 years in Ferrari before his first title. And you can't say that at that dark times Ferrari was small team with even smaller budget.
At the end of a day, almost any driver can be really good with gained experience over the years - but what put one among the best is not just his tehnique but his resolve, his killer instincts; he needs to be blood-thirsdy for every point, every victory. And ready to slain his opponents in every possible way.
Because of that same qualities that make champ material also produce SOB kind of guy. Let's face it, much as I don't like FA's human side right now... I never liked MS's as well. Nor did I find Prost, Senna... human qualities appealing.
Would MS be champ without best car??? lest see...
94 and 95 at benetton.. certainly not best car either year..
98 at Ferrari, was in contention... not best car
99 at Ferrari, was in running, until accident put him out for 4 races... not best car..
Ok, MS seemed a bit bloodthirsty (oz 94, Jerez 97), but in 94, Hill said himself he should have waited, and MS turned in at the same point he did every lap.. Jerez 97, ok, not good, but nothing that hasn't been done before.. ie. Senna Japan 89 & 90... but everyone loved Senna for his Win At All Costs approach..
The Difference between MS and FA, i that although MS could be a bit nasty on track at times, he was always 100% supportive of his team, and he was (contrary to popular opinion) a really caring guy off track (Italy 01, marshal died, he found out marshals wife, and made sure she was financially secure for the rest of her life..) you tell me another driver who'd give a moments thought to that...??? He has given hundreds of hours, unpaid to charity and road saftey work throughout his career.. AND he never insulted his engineers and mechanics by basically telling them that he thought they were not giving 100% (FA, offering £700 per race to help him win!!!) MS KNEW they were doing their best, and he rewarded them after the season for their help EVERY YEAR, irrespective of championship position. MS wlked into his garage every morning, and greeted EVERY member of his crew with a smile and handshake BEFORE getting into the car, and thanked them for their efforts before leaving the circuit every night, irrespective of how the day had gone. FA walks into the garage, chats with the engineer, gets in car, and then leaves at the end of the day... that's it.... no recognition of the efforst of his crew..
So please, nikon133, if you're going to try and tar other drivers with FA's brush, please get the facts first..
94 and 95 - much as I remember - Benetton had brilliant Renault engine, absolutelly the best engine in that generation. I don't know if they had the best car, but they were among the best cars for sure - only one competing with them was Williams with - what do you know? - same engine.
At 94, Hill was just playing sport. I don't know if MS had such routine in that spot under NORMAL race circumstances, but I do know that MS went out of the track, hit wall (damaging his car), returned and hit DH (who was, for fact, not patient enough to wait after the curve). If you are telling me that, after flying off the track and hitting wall first thing on MS mind was to return and continue his usual routine through the curve... please don't
98, while Ferrari was not as fast as McLaren, they were much more reliable. And in 99, they managed to improve on performance while still keeping fantastic reliability. Considering both speed and reliability - Ferrari was good car at the time, even if not winning title. And one more thing; if EI was not forced to play second best to MS, he might have won 99 title as well (though noone is considering him even remotely good as top names) - another proof that even then, in fact, Ferrari did have good car...
Comes to Senna, I personally never liked him. I was NM fan at the time. However I did have respect for Senna... as I did for MS.
Anyway. I'm not saying MS is not enjoyable guy off the track. Heck, maybe even FA is cool with his friends and family. But on the track, they are ALL "killers". That is what makes them champions. And while you're right that MS never screwed his engineers and team, it is also true that he never had to - he was absolutely the star of Ferrari and everything there was according to MS.
Heck, FA never did nasty on Renault, and while we can't argue that he was No.1 in Renault, he was not so dominant Alfadriver as MS was in Ferrari. I'm just wondering - would MS keep his cool if, in the middle of his dominance, Todt introduced young Massa/Salo and said to MS that new kid will have same treatment and will use MS's setups and other relevant info.
the only screwing at McLaren this year was by moRON Dennis and Whitless, on themselves 