Ayrton Senna: A True F1 Legend

[DannyQ]

RIP - Ayrton Senna 1960 - 1994

http://motorsportcentral.co.uk/f1-legend-ayrton-senna/

In your opinion who else ranks as a true legend of F1?

[Zico]

RIP Ayrton

Bit of a cop-out as dont want to start another war but if going by results obviously Fangio, Schumacher... and Pastor Maldonado.

[steveaki13]

Pastor is beyond legend

[journeyman racer]

Prost

[Jag_Warrior]

Niki Lauda, Gilles Villeneuve, James Hunt, Graham Hill, Jim Clark...

There is a common thread there^: to be considered a legend, it helps if you're dead (or look like you're dead).

[steveaki13]

I think there is a difference between legend and all time great. I mean Gilles Villeneuve is considered a legend by some, but did not get the chance to become an all time great.

All time greats for me.

Fangio, Ascari, G. Hill, Jim Clark, Jack Brabham, Lauda, Piquet, Prost, Senna, Schumacher, Vettel (just for 4 titles in a row)

[AAReagles]

I think there is a difference between legend and all time great. I mean Gilles Villeneuve is considered a legend by some, but did not get the chance to become an all time great.

I'm afraid that I have to admit I was disappointed with his brief engagement of driver politics, but after Imola it is understandable.

From how he was ranked while he was alive, the greatest compliment IMO came from the 79' Austrian GP winner:

"I was expecting something yellow (a Renault) to come by me at the start, but not something red! I knew it had to be Gilles, but even so I just thought, 'where the hell did he come from?'."
- Alan Jones, recollecting when the lights went green.

[Rollo]

Pastor is beyond legend

He is:



He knows where all the toilets are.

[anfield5]

re Pastor. Beyond a leg end is a heal

[anfield5]

Hard to define a legend, often drivers are called legends who simply aren't, so here is my valueless opinion.

Fangio - 5 world titles
Brabham - 3 titles, one in his own car
Clark - simply the best driver of his or most other generations.
Stewart - 3 titles and had the maiden win for 3 different teams, also his safety work saved countless lives
Lauda - rose from the dead and defeated Ferrari politics
Prost - 4 titles
Senna - flawed genius
Schumacher - 91 wins and 7 titles
Prof Sid Watkins - saved the lives of countless drivers.

I didn't include
Ascari, because apart from 2 seasons in the only competitive car (52 - 53) he didn't really do much
Moss - great driver, but always second best
Villeneuve - passed on too soon
Piquet - again great driver but not a legend
Vettel - to soon to tell
Hamilton - ditto