Top 10 greatest drivers of all time.

[Don Capps]

To make this more interesting, can I suggest that people should write a couple of sentences about each driver they list

I am getting the distinct notion that the of writing sentences is, perhaps, a bridge too far for many...

[keysersoze]

I know so little about rally drivers, so my opinion is clearly limited. So, in no particular order:
Fangio
Clark
Mario Andretti
Foyt
Schumacher
Senna
Prost
Stewart
Vukovich
Tie for 10th: Alonso, Vettel, Al Unser, Bobby Unser, Alberto Ascari

[vhatever]

I think it's fool's errand to fairly compare people like Fangio(even up to Clark) with people in the more modern era of F1. Back then it was more about having giant balls and being at peace with your possible death in any given race. Today it's more about how close to the "edge" you can push your car. The edge merely being the point where you lose control -- with a relatively minor chance of a serious injury.

[D-Type]

I know so little about rally drivers, so my opinion is clearly limited. So, in no particular order:
Fangio
Clark
Mario Andretti
Foyt
Schumacher
Senna
Prost
Stewart
Vukovich
Tie for 10th: Alonso, Vettel, Al Unser, Bobby Unser, Alberto Ascari

Hi, keysersoze,

It's nice to see you posting on the History forum.

Did you read the posts above yours and Post #2, which says:

To make this more interesting, can I suggest that people should write a couple of sentences about each driver they list

Anybody can write a list - it's the reason behind the choices that people will be interested in

[pertti_jarla]

Putting aside the number of victories & other merits, and concentrating on sheer driving skill, some names from 1950s-70s come to mind. I don't know other eras that well. I would consider the best judges to be F1 drivers themselves, and top motor writers like Denis Jenkinson.

1. Alberto Ascari
2. Juan Manuel Fangio
3. Stirling Moss
There seems to have been quite a contemporary agreement on the virtuosity of these three.

4. Jim Clark
5. Dan Gurney. Jim Clark mentioned that Gurney is his most talented rival.
6. Jackie Stewart, from 1968 onwards: the '68 Nürburgring victory sounds pretty formidable.
7. Emerson Fittipaldi. Everyone seems to agree that he was a great driver, and would have won much more without Copersucar.

Of the more recent decades, I am convinced that at least Gilles Villeneuve and Michael Schumacher would have been greats in any era.

[lars75]

My top 10:

1 Gilles Villeneuve
2 Hunt
3 Senna
4 Raikonnen
5 Vettel
6 Hamilton
7 Piquet sr
8 Schumacher (Benetton time)
9 J.P. Montoya
10 Verstappen

[Mintexmemory]

My top 10:

1 Gilles Villeneuve
2 Hunt
3 Senna
4 Raikonnen
5 Vettel
6 Hamilton
7 Piquet sr
8 Schumacher (Benetton time)
9 J.P. Montoya
10 Verstappen

Just to remind you there is meant to be a reasoned narative to justify your choices. I would be really interested to know how you arrived at Hunt in preference to Lauda, Montoya v Hakkinen and Verstappen against almost anyone, but let's say Tom Kristensen.