MS most popular Ferrari driver ever

[ArrowsFA1]

It's amazing how many people remember Stirling Moss as a racing driver and that's 45 years after his Grand Prix career came to an end.

It's amazing how many people remember Stirling Moss as a racing driver and that's 45 years after his Grand Prix career came to an end.

Yes, but how many of those people are under the age of 45 I wonder?

Certainly there will be motor-racing fans under that age that have heard of Stirling, but even so I bet none of those would say that Stirling was their favourite driver, thereby making him, by default, 'unpopular' amongst under-45's in a poll.

Like-wise with the late Gilles amongst Ferrari fans under the age of 25.

Which does re-emphasis my original point that the 'popularity' of a driver is a meaningless, because the diminishing popularity of a driver doesn't have any effect on their record of achievements on track.

I reckon I can safely say that Enzo himself would rather have somebody who won 70+ GP's in his team than somebody who is likeable but who didn't win many races, because it's winning that matters.

Let's face it, Ivan Capelli was (is) a lovely bloke, but it didn't help him.

[ioan]

Yes, but how many of those people are under the age of 45 I wonder?

You mean 55, I doubt may started watching motor racing before they were at least 10 (I would even make it 15 or more for that era).

You mean 55, I doubt may started watching motor racing before they were at least 10 (I would even make it 15 or more for that era).

Fair point, although I knew the Ferrari driver's names when I was four (Lauda & Reggazoni, just to give an indication of my age).

[wmcot]

Ask an average person here in the USA to name a F1 driver and MS will probably be the only name they know (except NASCAR fans who will name JPM???)

[futuretiger9]

You mean 55, I doubt may started watching motor racing before they were at least 10 (I would even make it 15 or more for that era).

Well I'm "only" 37 and I rank Sir Stirling right up there with Schumi. It's not just WHAT you achieve, it's HOW you achieve it.

[AAReagles]

I reckon I can safely say that Enzo himself would rather have somebody who won 70+ GP's in his team than somebody who is likeable but who didn't win many races, because it's winning that matters.

Quite so. Just as a driver would prefer a reliable car, as well as having one that's fast enough to be able to compete with the front-runners. Or as in Gilles' case in Jarama 81', 'just' fast enough (and for at least this occasion, reliable enough) to stay ahead of the pack.