Who do you currently regard as the 3 greatest Formula 1 drivers and why?

[D28]

[quote="Garry Walker"]
Then they are full-blown idiots.

Motorsport's list of 1999 was a very personal one, as are all such endeavours, it seems rather harsh to refer to them as idiots. Their ranking of GV as number 2 mentioned that "never have statistics misled so radically". I assume that their high opinion was based on his racing spirit, his determination to race every lap of every race and to never give up. In this I think he approached the attitude of Nuvolari more than any other modern driver. For an example of this attitude check out the you tube video of his 1979 duel with Rene Arnoux at the French GP. To the list of contempory drivers mentioned already, add the names of Alan Jones and Mario Andretti, who both comented on his tenacity.

Denis Jenkinson (no idiot he) was not around in 1999, but he was present at Watkins Glen in 1979 and he did consider GV on a separate level.

He excelled at getting the absolute maximum out of any car at his disposal, and some of the turbo Ferraris were far from classics. In this regard he also resembled Nuvolari; the condition of the car was almost immaterial.

In his best season of 1979, he finished 4 points shy of the WC. It has been mentioned previously that team orders dictated that he support Scheckter for the 2nd half of the season. At Monza he faithfully followed Scheckter home to secure both championships for Ferrari. If he had showed the ruthlessness of a Senna, or even Pironi, perhaps things could have been different.

GV would be at sea in the current F1 scene, no passing. wait for the pit crew to jump you ahead. As a racer he belived the car ahead was there to be passed, on the track if possible, on the grass if necessary (see above video).

Most of the favourable comments by writers and drivers I mentioned were made while he was still alive. I am satisfied to go with their opinions.

[Valve Bounce]

Huey, Louie and Dewey

How many times do we need these guesses of who was the greatest F1 driver(s) in the history of motorsport?

Couldn't we simply have a link to the authoritative decree and end the misery?