Who's the best?

[Param 0]

All this talk about Michael Schumacher really using his head in the European Grand Prix has brought up an interesting question, well for me anyways. Who is or was the best driver in F1. Undoubtedly, Michael is the best right now, but are Prost or Senna better? Or possibly, someone else? Who is the best?

On one hand you have Michael Schumacher who's raced in about 200 GPs, and he's managed to get 1000 pts. But say if you look back in the during the early 90s, you had three huge guns racing at the same time.

I know this is totally an opinionated question still I'd like to know what most of you think.

As for my opinion, it would probably be Michael Schumacher considering how I don't know much about the past of F1.

[GaySchumi 0]

The most beaten-to-death topics on F1 forums the net over, I was wondering when it'd make an appearance here Sorry if I came across as Pompous, but really, there's no point crowning the 'Greatest' of all time. I'd say take an era, and crown the greatest for that era, 'cuz you'd have comparable elements, you'd have drivers who actually RACED against each other !

Case in point - when Juan M. Fangio drove, the cars were absolutely dangerous beasts, the only protection they had were leather helmets(if you could call it that, and goggles !

The 80's turbo era had cars, which produced 13-1400 BHP!!(Actually, maybe 1200 )

And even then you had eras where there drivers of an extremely high calibre who managed to bring their best to every track year-after-year ... and I'm not talking just about the 80's ...

For some reason, Schumacher has been a real juggernaut, sure he initially had Damon, then Jacques, then Mika, and now the up-and-comers, but he hasn't had anyone stay with him throughout his career ....

And as Forrest Gump would say - That's all I've got to say about that

[Param 0]

Yes I agree it is a cliche, I was actually wondering when I'd see one of these, so I thought I'd start it.

I guess what you said about there being no real one wonder driver makes a lot of sense. It all just depends on the car as well. The cars from the 70s can't be compared with the ones now...so...yeah...whatever...sorry for starting a beaten over topic.

By the way, I appreciate how weren't trying to be entirley mean about this topic, thanks Gay Schumi.

[Tracy@F1 0]

It's interesting to read other peoples comments on Michael Schumacher,yes we all know he is brilliant,however I personally wonder if it would have been so easy for Michael Schumacher if MIka Hakkinen had'nt taken that sabatical that lead to his retirement from F1! How can we judge the most capable driver,lets imagine if MIchael wasn't driving the Ferrari but Justin Wilson's Minardi and Justin Wilson was driving the Ferrari,my point being the driver is only part of the overall picture.I still think Kimi is in with a chance of the world championship,what do you all think?

[nichosnz 0]

I honestly do not think Kimi will take it out, but without a doubt he does still have a chance.

To add to what GaySchumi said, it is even difficult to compare drivers that did race against each other, eg Piquet and Schumacher were team-mates at the end of 1991. Schumacher out shone Piquet, but does that alone make him better. A three times DWC with nothing to prove vs. a talented rookie with everthing to prove, a older driver at the end of a long career vs. a young buck just starting out, a driver that has had a huge accident so has reduced feel of the pedals (his area of biggest gain) vs. a driver who has no fear of accidents.

[eff1 0]

As a pure racer of unequaled skill, my vote goes to Gilles....R.I.P.

[pumpdoc 2]

I'll say Mario A. was the best "driver in F1" but was he the best

F1 driver?? as a all round "driver" MA won in every thing

he raced from dirt cars to F1 you won't find to many

with the same record IMO

[nichosnz 0]

I am too young to remember the days, but... I wish the commercial restrictions and testing schedules still allowed driver to compete in more than one series at a time, rather than finishing one racing career before commiting to another. It would be interesting to see how drivers like MS, JV, JPM and others handle Sportscars, Touring cars and dare I say it Rally cars, and the list goes on. Another interesing comparison would be F1 champions in F3000 it would return the importance to F3000, and compare the best to the future best. Like F1 stars pre 1970 in particular did with F2 of the day.

[Thor 0]

Michael Schumacher does have 5 WDC titles probably get his sixth,but all his career his team mates have been his lapdogs,he is good but he has also been very often eminently lucky,but would he be 5 WDC today if his team mate would have been Prost,H

[nichosnz 0]

Depends, on circumstances really Thor, MS beat Hakkinen in an inferior car in 2000, almost did the same (but for 2 moments of stupidity, one his one Ralf's) to Villeneuve in 1997, JPM is not DWC material (well not yet, and IMO will not be) and Prost, well different era's so hard to tell so much, so I believe that MS would be DWC more than 5 times if he had been teamed with these drivers.

[pumpdoc 2]

Good point Nichos, had MS been in a MCLaren in 91-92, Williams

in 93 96-7, McLaren in 98-9 hell yes he would have snaged at

least 2 or 3 more WDC to go with the 2 at Benneton and 3 (so far)

at Ferrari