Greatest F1 Driver ever?

[hounddub]

Much truth in the argument for Fangio.... but very hard to benchmark given the lack of understanding of the machinery, track conditions and circumstances at the time.

In my humble opinion Prost and Senna were a class above. They both raced in the same era of turbo monsters with none of the electronic aids of today.

Senna was simply the best raw talent in a car I have ever seen...if you have ever seen the footage of what he did in a Toleman at Monaco in his debut year...there is nobody who else who could have done that. Over a single lap...Senna was amazing. As a champion he was unrelenting and awesome.

Michael's record will stand forever, I have no doubt, but he could have won another 10 titles and still have struggled to be mentioned in the same breath as Senna.

[Fluffy]

For me it is Ayrton Senna, he could do things with the car that other drivers could only dream about. Also why is Giles Villeneuve not in this list?

[robisf1]

Everyone remembers Senna because of his fantastic battles. Schumi was so way better than other that no one was even able to make battle with him. My vote- Schumi

[zurich_allan]

Everyone remembers Senna because of his fantastic battles. Schumi was so way better than other that no one was even able to make battle with him. My vote- Schumi

That's simply not true. Much as I love Schumi (you'll see him in my sig!), and I am one of the few who has stuck up for him this year, so you can take it that my opinion is unbiased.

What Schumacher had was longevity. To be consistently so good for such a long period of time was phenomenal. However to say nobody was able to battle with him is simply a lie. At times, Hill, Coulthard and even Brundle (who outscored him after the first 4 races of 1992 for the rest of the season as his team-mate) managed to battle with him. Hakkinen was of course Schumacher's main threat, competing well with him back and forward for about 4 years. Then of course later in in 2005 & 2006 came the threat of Alonso.

Schumacher is great. Schumacher was always great. I believe Schumacher can continue to great for another 2 or 3 years if he chooses to keep racing that long. To say he was unchallenged however is a false claim.

[Robert12010]

Everyone remembers Senna because of his fantastic battles. Schumi was so way better than other that no one was even able to make battle with him. My vote- Schumi

That's simply not true. Much as I love Schumi (you'll see him in my sig!), and I am one of the few who has stuck up for him this year, so you can take it that my opinion is unbiased.

What Schumacher had was longevity. To be consistently so good for such a long period of time was phenomenal. However to say nobody was able to battle with him is simply a lie. At times, Hill, Coulthard and even Brundle (who outscored him after the first 4 races of 1992 for the rest of the season as his team-mate) managed to battle with him. Hakkinen was of course Schumacher's main threat, competing well with him back and forward for about 4 years. Then of course later in in 2005 & 2006 came the threat of Alonso.

Schumacher is great. Schumacher was always great. I believe Schumacher can continue to great for another 2 or 3 years if he chooses to keep racing that long. To say he was unchallenged however is a false claim.

[robisf1]

Everyone remembers Senna because of his fantastic battles. Schumi was so way better than other that no one was even able to make battle with him. My vote- Schumi

That's simply not true. Much as I love Schumi (you'll see him in my sig!), and I am one of the few who has stuck up for him this year, so you can take it that my opinion is unbiased.

What Schumacher had was longevity. To be consistently so good for such a long period of time was phenomenal. However to say nobody was able to battle with him is simply a lie. At times, Hill, Coulthard and even Brundle (who outscored him after the first 4 races of 1992 for the rest of the season as his team-mate) managed to battle with him. Hakkinen was of course Schumacher's main threat, competing well with him back and forward for about 4 years. Then of course later in in 2005 & 2006 came the threat of Alonso.

Schumacher is great. Schumacher was always great. I believe Schumacher can continue to great for another 2 or 3 years if he chooses to keep racing that long. To say he was unchallenged however is a false claim.

ok i was incorrect saying no one. of course Alonso, Hakkinen, Villeneuve, Raikkonen, Montoya and Hill were competitive but he won 7 titles, various Senna only 3. He lost even to Prost. I just... I just cant understand why everyone is making Senna like god? He was great, i would even say perfect driver, but he wasnt the best. I dont know, but sometimes people are saying so much, myb too much good things about people who die. I dont wanna hurt someone or what its just... not right...

[Robert12010]

well of course really in 1989 which is the case your referring to, from what ive seen and heard, prost should have given way and senna should be a four time champion

[texasmr2]

well of course really in 1989 which is the case your referring to, from what ive seen and heard, prost should have given way and senna should be a four time champion

Senna made a dive to the inside that was really unnecessary because as you can tell he would have eventually passed Prost albeit he was abusing his tires alot more than Prost. I watched that race live and was on the end of my seat yelling "Go Senna Go" and then "CRAP you dummy!" But that is one of the traits that made Senna so great, balls to the walls on every lap !
[youtube]OOOgfsc5wc4[/youtube]

[Robert12010]

well of course really in 1989 which is the case your referring to, from what ive seen and heard, prost should have given way and senna should be a four time champion

Senna made a dive to the inside that was really unnecessary because as you can tell he would have eventually passed Prost albeit he was abusing his tires alot more than Prost. I watched that race live and was on the end of my seat yelling "Go Senna Go" and then "CRAP you dummy!" But that is one of the traits that made Senna so great, balls to the walls on every lap !
[youtube]OOOgfsc5wc4[/youtube]

i certainly wish i was around when senna and prost were going hammer and tongs at each other thats for sure

[texasmr2]

They were true gladiators indeed.

[robisf1]

thats the point. Senna always pushed maximum, thats way his car often broke down. Schumi knew car properly, he knew when to gas, when to stay calm... It was Senna's week point sometimes

[FOR NUMBER 27]

how about GILLES , honorable , brave , courageous , liked by other drivers idolized by fans to this day would never chop you
or be dirty like some other driver in a red car , just the stories about him are legend like down in brazil where journalist say would never get in the rent a car again with him to go to the circuit but you know they would .

[andrew]

There is no such thing as the greatest F1 driver ever. It is just physically impossible.

At best, there can be the best in each season and a group of drivers that stand out from the rest but there is no greatest of all time.

[LewEngBridewell]

There is no such thing as the greatest F1 driver ever. It is just physically impossible.

At best, there can be the best in each season and a group of drivers that stand out from the rest but there is no greatest of all time.

Aye. I prefer to look back on a whole bunch of champions and regard them as the best the sport has seen. That way you encompass all the eras and decades, which making a sole holder of the "best" title impossible.

[Big Azza]

In answer to OP.

Sebastian Vettel.