F1’s Greatest Drivers ?

[CNR]

https://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs...143924901.html

I think he knows f_all about f1
"Qualifying performance: 1/10

Brabham was a gifted driver but his style lacked the precision and delicate control required to get his machinery regularly at the front.
(126 starts Poles 13 Front row starts 38 )
Race performance: 1/10

A raw racer, Brabham was a battler on track but despite winning three world titles his race to win ratio was not as high as his peers.

Multi-team success: 5/10





Not only did Brabham win races and titles with two different teams, the fact one was in a team he set up himself raises him above others.

Entertainment value: 5/10

More of a raw racer than a perfectionist, Brabham had a ‘throw-it-all-in’ driving style that made him well worth watching.

Ruthlessness / Determination: 5/10

The Australian had the dedication to develop his career in F1 to owner-racer and was so committed to the sport he was aged 40 when he took his third world title.

Strategy / Technical Skill: 9/10

A trained flight mechanic who ran an engineering business before going into racing, he was skilled in set-up and even helped design his title-winning cars.

Teamwork: 10/10

Brabham took teamwork to the next level by setting up his own team and he remains the only driver to ever become champion driving a car bearing his own name.
"

[Doc Austin]

I also can't think of five drivers I would put ahead of Jackie Stewart.

[Doc Austin]

I also can't think of five drivers I would put ahead of Jackie Stewart.

It's so hard to rate drivers because things from era to era were so different.

I think today's drivers would wet themselves if they ever had to drive through the Masta kink or eau Rouge before they widened the runoff. In 1971, fully 1/3 of the starting grid from the opening race was dead before the year was over, so if you factor in courage those guys are streets and streets ahead.

Before aerodynamics became so important the drive could make a much bigger difference, which is why the formative years of wings and such were so interesting. Now, whenever a team can get it right, like say, with Red Bull, they can run off four championships in a row, and people routinely question how much of that was Vettel and how much was Newey. No one ever questioned the validity of drives from Clark, Stewart or Fittipaldi.

Finally, to show how difficult it is to compare using strictly numbers, before this year Vettel's win percentage was almost exactly like Jackie Stewart's, though I think (as much as I admire Sebastien) few people would put the German in the flying Scotsman's company.

Again, finally, if you factor in courage, determination, and the ability to win in the face of insurmountable adversity, how can anyone even come close to Niki Lauda?

[Tazio]

I also can't think of five drivers I would put ahead of Jackie Stewart.

I am in total agreement Doc, but I have always rated Jackie at the top, watching him is what first got me interested in F1, so I may be a little biased.
This seems to be a rather shallow evaluation, based largely on statistics and, personal perception, not to mention that it is really not very equitable to compare racers from different eras, driving completely different machinery. It's only one mans opinion, which he is entitled to.

[Doc Austin]

I rate Stewart so highly because he worked so hard to change deadly dangerous conditions while thumping everyone's arse doing it. When the guy doing the winning is complaining about safety, no one can say it's because he's afraid.

Stewart was within 10 laps of winning the 1966 Indianapolis 500 as a rookie. I don't think anyone has three world titles and an Indy 500 win, or even come close.

[Tazio]

JYS also said about the matching of Fred and Kimi:

Questioned as to who he expected to win the fight ahead, three-times world champion Sir Jackie said: "Probably Fernando. He's probably got the best mental toolkit."

[Tazio]

I rate Stewart so highly because he worked so hard to change deadly dangerous conditions while thumping everyone's arse doing it. When the guy doing the winning is complaining about safety, no one can say it's because he's afraid.

Stewart was within 10 laps of winning the 1966 Indianapolis 500 as a rookie. I don't think anyone has three world titles and an Indy 500 win, or even come close.

Jackie speaks about F1 one in this vid that has just hit the wire!

https://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/video...191746404.html

Personally I like how he keeps things in perspective. The guy is tits!

[Doc Austin]

Great video piece, Taz. Thanks for posting that.

[easy rider]

Stewart is right when he said, " The animal is still the same.".........nice!

[Rollo]

I rate Stewart so highly because he worked so hard to change deadly dangerous conditions while thumping everyone's arse doing it. When the guy doing the winning is complaining about safety, no one can say it's because he's afraid.

This makes me want to re-read his autobiography.
Stewart had already made up his mind to leave F1 by the '73 US GP but the death of François Cevert merely confirmed it.
Drivers aren't paid to kill themselves and when they were being killed at the rate of one every few months, something had to be done.

Stewart was within 10 laps of winning the 1966 Indianapolis 500 as a rookie. I don't think anyone has three world titles and an Indy 500 win, or even come close.

Graham Hill?
Twice World Champion, 3 Second places, the 1966 Indy 500 and the 1972 Le Mans 24 Hours?