Is F.1 At His Highest Level Ever?

[Kaciaj 0]

To have some reflections:

In the '50s,the starting grid was formed mostly by over 40 rich gentlemen drivers, doing F.1 just as an hobby, and the oldest guys of them have been without racing for nearly 15 years because of the war...F.1 was much more a sport than a business but the guys driving took it just as an amateurish activity with an amateurish attitude..they did smoke and drink as every one at the time

In the '60s it started out to be more serious..people were no more so old and the sport had became nearly a professional activity for hte top drivers,who did come out from the feeder series...the others were again gentlemen drivers but the experience required to drive a F.1 car was obviously much more higher than in the previous decade.The car manufacturers went out of the sport and the private british racing teams came in

In the '70s the magic world of the big sponsors reached F.1,and the sport became professional.Drivers did come out of karting,then did junior formulae and then F.1 and so they were well prepared technically but again lacking physically,with James Hunt as an example. Many drivers didn't give a f... of the physical preparation and went bed late,smoking and drinking

In the '80s Prost and Senna were the first to introduce the physical preparation as an essential part of being a professional racing driver....the result?They dominated the decade....karting had became really important for introducing drivers in motor racing at an even earlier age with logical technical and experience gain for them.

In the '90s the level of junior formulaes and karting increased and it helped the youngsters to climb the ladder quiclky so the average age dropped down...the physycal preparation had became essential and the drivers were finally real athletes like Michael Schumacher,who had in his great physical condition a big part of his success.

Now in the 2000,karting and the junior formulas are nearly as professional as F.1,every driver who arrives in F.1 is already a machine made to drive fast with a sculptured body...this new generation of Schumacher-like drivers has made a big impact on the F.1 world since their early arrival in the circus ..their names?Fernando Alonso,Kimi Raikkonen and Jenson Button

[Senna 0]

Question: Is F1 at its highest level ever?

Answer: No

[Kaciaj 0]

Question: Is F1 at its highest level ever?

Answer:  No

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think that..of the guys who were racing in the '80s just the Magic Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost would be able to be at the top against the stars of today. Piquet would have been just an also ran

[monza gorilla 1]

Question: Is F1 at its highest level ever?

Answer:  No

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Agreed.

[Kaciaj 0]

Channoch Nissany would have raced in F.1 in the 50's or in the '60s without any problem and would probably not have been at the back of the grid.....

[monza gorilla 1]

In the '70s the magic world of the big sponsors reached F.1,and the sport became professional.Drivers did come out of karting,then did junior formulae and then F.1 and so they were well prepared technically but again lacking physically,with James Hunt as an example. Many drivers didn't give a f... of the physical preparation and went bed late,smoking and drinking

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James Hunt was in fact one of the first drivers to undertake a rigourous fitness regime, training with Chelsea Football Club and playing squash to a very high level, not to mention devising exercises to strengthen the neck muscles.

[Kaciaj 0]

James Hunt was in fact one of the first drivers to undertake a rigourous fitness regime, training with Chelsea Football Club and playing squash to a very high level, not to mention devising exercises to strengthen the neck muscles.

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Yes but he did smoke and drink and, being a fitness maniac I know very well that,if you train and then smoke and drink it is quite useless...

[Senna 0]

I think that..of the guys who were racing in the '80s just the Magic Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost would be able to be at the top against the stars of today. Piquet would have been just an also ran

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I don

[monza gorilla 1]

Yes but he did smoke and drink and, being a fitness maniac I know very well that,if you train and then smoke and drink it is quite useless...

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Although it is true that attitudes towards smoking and drinking were different in that era, it is wrong to suggest that physical fitness was ignored, or that the drivers did not care about such things, or that they were unfit. Their prime asset though, at that time, was their skill and racecraft. Keke Rosberg and Smokin' Jo Winkelhock could also be used as examples, both of whom did more than tolerably well in their respective fields. Physical fitness to the level you are talking about really did not become necessary until the forces involved in driving an F1 car started to escalate.

[bajo39 0]

Although it is true that attitudes towards smoking and drinking were different in that era, it is wrong to suggest that physical fitness was ignored, or that the drivers did not care about such things, or that they were unfit. Their prime asset though, at that time, was their skill and racecraft. Keke Rosberg and Smokin' Jo Winkelhock could also be used as examples, both of whom did more than tolerably well in their respective fields. Physical fitness to the level you are talking about really did not become necessary until the forces involved in driving an F1 car started to escalate.

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I believe Senna and Schumacher are most widely associated with the advent of superfit drivers.

[monza gorilla 1]

I believe Senna and Schumacher are most widely associated with the advent of superfit drivers.

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Indeed. I was merely pointing out that drivers in previous decades were not necessarily unfit. Senna and Schumacher took things to another level entirely.

[bajo39 0]

Question: Is F1 at its highest level ever?

Answer:

[Kaciaj 0]

Well the question is rather unclear. If you mean to ask whether the cars and drivers are at the highest level of performance in F1 history. Undoubtably they are. 

I am sure you will hear all manner of anecdotal and nostalgic arguments from the old timers on this forum but the reality is that in every sport I can think of, the atheletes advance every year. You need only look at the number of world records that fall each year at the olympics - each one is another piece of evidence supporting the argument that atheletes (collectively) are constantly improving. Drivers are no different than other atheletes in this regard.

Whereas most people agree that Senna set a new standard of excellence when he arrived, so too did Schumacher and I am sure in time Raikonnen/Alonso will also and perhaps Ranger after them . One thing is sure: the progression will never end.

If you mean to ask whether the sport is at its peak, most people I am sure would argue that it is not. But this is a subjective matter and one that I will not bother commenting on.

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I was talking about the level of the athletes bajo (the drivers)...I couldn't have agreed more with your sentence however...This is the point I was targetting...there are many people saying the drivers from the past were better...FALSE! In every sport the level of physical and professional preparation is always in progression....

[5P33D3V1L 0]

I think the cars are faster than ever (obviously) but the drivers aren't up to scratch. Half of the drivers in the sport are in it because of money sadly but some that have worked hard to get into F1 are unbelievable for example Alonso, Raikonnen, Button, Klien, Coultard, Webber.

[Senna 0]

F1 is not just about athleticism, but also about natural ability, reaction times, concentration levels, judgement, consistency, determination & motivation etc. Most of these things do not necessarily improve naturally over the space of 10 years.

[ecapdeville 0]

F1 is not just about athleticism, but also about natural ability, reaction times, concentration levels, judgement, consistency, determination & motivation etc.  Most of these things do not necessarily improve naturally over the space of 10 years.

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Yeah, like the lack of ability of Webber at the starts...its a naturall ability...he could get better but if he didnt born with that...he will start slow always.

[monza gorilla 1]

I was talking about the level of the athletes bajo (the drivers)...I couldn't have agreed more with your sentence however...This is the point I was targetting...there are many people saying the drivers from the past were better...FALSE! In every sport the level of physical and professional preparation is always in progression....

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I don't recall anyone here saying that.

[Kaciaj 0]

F1 is not just about athleticism, but also about natural ability, reaction times, concentration levels, judgement, consistency, determination & motivation etc.  Most of these things do not necessarily improve naturally over the space of 10 years.

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If a guy does drink or smoke,it is proven by the science that he does slowly loses reaction times and concentration levels and so it hurts also his natural ability...look at Jan Magnussen...he had a stunning talent but he destroyed himslef with his attitude...

[ecapdeville 0]

If a guy does drink or smoke,it is proven by the science that he does slowly loses reaction times and concentration levels and so it hurts also his natural ability...look at Jan Magnussen...he had a stunning talent but he destroyed himslef with his attitude...

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Have you read this Jenson Rules! ?, be careful!

[bajo39 0]

F1 is not just about athleticism, but also about natural ability, reaction times, concentration levels, judgement, consistency, determination & motivation etc.  Most of these things do not necessarily improve naturally over the space of 10 years.

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You could make a similar argument about golf Senna. It is quite similarly not just about athleticism but also intelligence and judgement, concentration, dedication and motivation, et cetera, and yet it is as clear in that sport as it is to me for this one that the atheletes have improved enormously.

[Senna 0]

If a guy does drink or smoke,it is proven by the science that he does slowly loses reaction times and concentration levels and so it hurts also his natural ability...look at Jan Magnussen...he had a stunning talent but he destroyed himslef with his attitude...

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Quite true, by the way Michael Schumacher smokes cigars...

[Kaciaj 0]

Quite true, by the way Michael Schumacher smokes cigars...

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He does it off season...and even if he does it cygars are very much less dangerous than cygarettes cause you don't take the smoke deep in your throat..

[monza gorilla 1]

You could make a similar argument about golf Senna. It is quite similarly not just about athleticism but also intelligence and judgement, concentration, dedication and motivation, et cetera, and yet it is as clear in that sport as it is to me for this one that the atheletes have improved enormously.

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Both you and Senna (and myself, of course) are right. Athletic prowess is increasing year on year, but is useless without the skill and judgement to fully exploit that fitness.

[bajo39 0]

He does it off season...and even if he does it cygars are very much less dangerous than cygarettes cause you don't take the smoke deep in your throat..

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More importantly, you typically smoke far far less of them.

[Senna 0]

You could make a similar argument about golf Senna. It is quite similarly not just about athleticism but also intelligence and judgement, concentration, dedication and motivation, et cetera, and yet it is as clear in that sport as it is to me for this one that the atheletes have improved enormously.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I believe it