this is such a difficult question to answer i dont think i can vote for one particular driver because they were all very good in their era of racing , Senna was brilliant , but so are/were everybody else , it would be great if we could put them all in equal cars that wouldn't break and do a complete F1 season , just to see who was the best driver , for actually turning a team around from years of mediocraty i would vote for Shuey , but that would go against the fact that i hate him for his "cheating" tactics that have shown themselves again this season .

I'm going to retract some statements that I've made...

I grew up with the likes of Senna and Mansell, so obviously I'm going to think they're better than the current generation.

I've fielded this question in work, and a lot of the blokes said that they only didn't like Schumacer because he was German and cheated a lot, which is unfair, but that's life.

So I will change my statement to - "IMO Senna is a legend."

Let's hope we get somebody else as exciting when Schumacer retires, maybe liven up F1 and give me a reason to watch again!

Fangio.

24 victories in 51 starts.

A natural, seat of the pants, driver.

Can you imagine a modern F1 driver giving the mechanics 10% of his winnings?

I grew up with the likes of Senna and Mansell' date=' so obviously I'm going to think they're better than the current generation.

[/quote']

That's a very fair statement:thumbup: When I was growing up I had Fittipaldi, Lauda, Hunt then Piquet, certainly I would have said Lauda was a legend if not all four of them.Then came the likes of Senna, Mansell who where great drivers but certainly not my heroes, (too old for changing heroes:rofl: ) Great admirer of Damon Hill as well but when Schumacher arrived on the scene he imo eclipsed them all as a driver, he will become a legend whatever anyone says and his a hero to millions of Tiffosi and young aspiring drivers. Like I've said before looking at it objectively he is the greatest. However when I was 10, 11, 12 the sun allways shined, and all winter we had 3 feet of crisp snow:) amazing how a kids memory plays tricks:(

I think Lotus had it in 87 when Senna drove for them. [/font']

Did they continue to run with it even though they had issues with it ? I just remember reading something in the book about when he drove the Williams with it and how different the car was and it took time to get used to. I thought it made reference to him not being used to it...but I stand corrected

Did they continue to run with it even though they had issues with it ? I just remember reading something in the book about when he drove the Williams with it and how different the car was and it took time to get used to. I thought it made reference to him not being used to it...but I stand corrected

Oooh it

Senna for me was the best driver i erver saw

I have a choice of a few, but I went for Jim Clark. A legend in his time in the same way as Senna was in his. Even then it's a hard choice between:

Jim Clark

Fangio

Ayrton Senna

Stirling Moss

Must admit everyone is coloured by personality and small things they remember - Gilles Villeneuve was always good to watch but the Dijon battle with Arnoux has always stuck in my memory For those that were too young to remember or haven't seen it before watch this:http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5904686405170786214&q=villeneuve ... looks mad, but fun, and great to watch

I voted for Schumi, but only because the question specifically says "F1 driver". Had it said "racing driver, I'd have been torn between Fangio and complaining about the lack of Tazio Novalari!

as much as I'd like to say Senna, James May is a leg end in his own lunchtime, so I'll go for him.

Can't make up my mind between Clark, Stewart and Mansell, All fantastic drivers and great to watch for different reasons. If really pushed I think it would be Mansell, he was just so... entertaining, it didn't matter what he drove he gave it his all. If his luck hadn't been so dire I think he would have been champion several times. Senna, and Schumacher's dubious tactics ( they both liked to run their oponents off the road and/or crash into them) always seemed un-sporting to me and as a result I could not support them.

I've voted for Schumacher (or the cobbler as i like to call him)

he's been consistent & he helped to transform Ferrari.

Personally, my favourite drivers were Lauda for his courage after the fire

& despite being unfashionalbe Mansell, he won the US Indy as a rookie,

and he's still good now, in that race of legends (or whatever itr was called)

he trounced them all in the same car (including younger fitter men).

Although James (Captain Slow) May is my role model,

as Lady Elanore can vouch for,

as she followed me from the pub the other week

One question though. How come Alonso with one championship is on the list, but Hakkinen with two is not? You guys in UK prefer Renault over McLaren?

Went with "None of the above". Completely unbiased support for my fellow countryman. Well at least he fully owned the Shoemaker in Spa 2000 by slingshotting past him and a backmarker by going inside. Hakkinen breathtaking overtaking Schumacher at Spa 2000 - Google Video

Edit: Wow, didn't know Hakkinen and Raikkonen had the same English teacher at school. Simply awesome :P

Em, Torspeedo, if you look closely, I think you'll find that no-one has actually voted for Alonso anyway.

Em, Torspeedo, if you look closely, I think you'll find that no-one has actually voted for Alonso anyway.

Probably because in Spain they drive Seats instead of Skodas.

So Ayrton Senna is the greatest.

Dont forget the two drivers involved in the scrap for second place in the 1979 French Grandprix at Dijon. Two drivers so commited, for that place and despite some wheel banging, both kept their machines on the track, Arnoux in the Renault Turbo and Gilles in the normally aspirated Ferrari fighting like it was for first place, Gilles died before his time and Arnoux got caught up in French politics at Renault.

Dont forget Didier Pironi, German Gp 1982, he went out in the pouring rain and was 4 seconds quicker than anyone else, ultimatly a foolish thing to do!!, but a brave pilot.

One question though. How come Alonso with one championship is on the list, but Hakkinen with two is not? You guys in UK prefer Renault over McLaren?

I didn

There is NO way ever, that Hakkinen is anywhere near what Senna was. The poll (and many other polls before it) shows the same tale, Senna is regarded as the greatest, followed by the usual names. Not Hakkinen. :confused:

Even though Schumacher has won 7 (maybe 8) titles, he's not regarded by most as the greatest.

IMO this is "selective memory". On the few occasions when Ayrton and Schumi raced directly in more or less equal cars, Schumi totally owned Ayrton.

For my money, there was something intangible about Senna. Probably the last Great F1 driver in the romantic sense. Schumey is unquestionably a genius though.

From some of the coments I've seen, the "something intangible" was in 2 parts:-

1) Not being German.

2) Not being perceived as having run a Brit off the road in order to win a Championship. As I saw it, Hill relied on Schumi both having seen him, and then actively re-opening a gap after he'd turned into the corner.

To Quote Niki Lauda who probably knows as well as anyone, on Scumacher , "He's the greatest, No one will ever match him, as long as we live"

To Quote Niki Lauda who probably knows as well as anyone, on Scumacher , "He's the greatest, No one will ever match him, as long as we live"