Priaulx not in Autosport's Top Ten

**Bezza** · 28th Dec 07, 13:58

The fact is if you stick Touring car drivers in F1 then they will embarrass themselves. Stick F1 drivers in touring cars and it works - Larini, Tarquini, Morbidelli, etc.

F1 has always been the pinnacle of single-seater motorsport, and it is true that the vast majority of touring car drivers started off in single-seaters but ultimately failed and therefore went to Tin-tops. There is no shame in that, but F1 drivers are in F1 for a reason, except maybe Sato who is there for $$$

**MattSmith** · 29th Dec 07, 23:48

Frentzen, Alesi and Hakkinen hardly walked all over everybody in the DTM. Mansell stuggled in the BTCC.

I wouldn't argue with drivers like Raikonen, Alonso and Hamilton being rated as top drivers but to assume that the whole field is superior just because they are in F1 is ludicrous.

Some of todays F1 drivers are paying, at least indirectly, to be there. They got into F1 because they could bring the support (either a sponsor, manufacturer or a suitcase full of money) that teams wanted at some point, not because they were necessarily the best drivers.

**thetrooper_uk** · 3rd Jan 08, 19:53

Originally Posted by Bezza

The fact is if you stick Touring car drivers in F1 then they will embarrass themselves. Stick F1 drivers in touring cars and it works - Larini, Tarquini, Morbidelli, etc.

F1 has always been the pinnacle of single-seater motorsport, and it is true that the vast majority of touring car drivers started off in single-seaters but ultimately failed and therefore went to Tin-tops. There is no shame in that, but F1 drivers are in F1 for a reason, except maybe Sato who is there for $$$

Don't forget how well Derek Warwick did in the alfa, he didn't do well apart from his crashing.

**Robinho** · 4th Jan 08, 19:37

but most of these guys were at the end of their F1 careers, then all did reasonably against younger guys who had be racig tourers for years.

IMO opinion if you took any of the top 10 (maybe15) drivers from F1 and gave them a top drive in any touring car championship they would immediatley be on the pace and with a season or so under theor belts to learn the cars/racing etc they would be at the very top.

the same does not apply the other way round.

Priaulx is excellent at what he does, was a good single seater driver and has tested F1 cars - if he was good enough he'd be there, same with the likes of Gary Paffett, knocking on the door, but unlikely to excel in F1, great Tourer.

with the exception of a couple of the top, top guys in DTM and WRC i don't think there is anyone who could drop into F1 and be competitive,