My hero is Jean Alesi. He may not be as successfull as the others but he sure was a treat to watch with his spectular driving style, driving the wheels of the cult no 27 (He was apparently Inspired by the legendary Gilles villueneve who also had a similar driving style and the number 27)
2006-12-04 02:22:31 · 15 answers · asked by ash 2 in Sports ➔ Auto Racing ➔ Formula One
I am a Ferrari fan, so my answer is going to be biased. Taking Ferrari out of the equation I would have to answer: Senna. However, with my love for the red car, and Senna never driving the red car... I must go with some other driver.
I grew up watching Regazzoni, Icks, Lauda, Pironi, Villeneuve, Scheckter, Alboreto, Berger, Prost fo just one year during the same year that Alesi was with Ferrari as well, Berger, and of course Schumacher to name the most prominent with Ferrari. I have to say that my favorite - not the most successful and not the greatest - has to be Gilles Villeneuve.
Gilles was a spicy character. A furious risk-taker, limitless driver. He didn't win any world title, but his ruthlessness became legend. Maybe it was not sign of a great driver, but certainly fascinating and breathless. And he died flying in the air, smashing his Ferrari on the nets in Belgium. If he had to chose one death, he would have definitely chosen the one he got!
But I have some great memories of Gilles, like that race at Imola in 1979, when he and Rene Arnoux were fighting for podium in the last laps of the race. Those two laps of wheel banging, passing, and re-passing can still be considered one of the most fantastic F1 moments of the last 40 years, and probably of all of auto racing.
I still remember reading an Italian paper in 1981 describing an arrest the Italian police made on the stretch of highway Milan-Bologna. Gilles was driving a red 308 GTBi with his teammate Didier Pironi. They just landed at the Malpensa airport in Milan, and had to go to Maranello for a meeting with Enzo Ferrari. Their plane was late, so Gilles at the wheel decided to push a little to get to Maranello on time. Well, he started to drive F1 style on the highway, passing on the right (not allowed in Italy), left, emergency lane, endangering all other drivers, at speeds in excess of 170 mph. An elicopter was deployed to stop the red missle. Finally they had to set up a barricade near Modena to stop this flying car. Just like the Cannonball movies!!!!! Well, after realizing that it was Villeneuve, a hero in Italy at the time, and even after realizing that his average speed was in excess of 160 mph since Milan, they just took his licence away, fined him, but did not arrest him. That was Gilles: Speed at all costs, all the time, everywhere.
Jean Alesi has been a solid driver with an aggressive driving style. Emotional and unlucky through his F1 years. It is fair to say that Jean used Gilles as his idol, example, and his inspiration. Alesi won his only F1 grand prix in 1995 with Ferrari when Ferrari was not very strong, so I remember very well that G.P. of Canada in Montreal.
But Jean has never really excelled in making any sorts of F1 history. Gilles did, and perhaps even more than his son Jacques, who instead won a world title, but never captured the fans with charisma like his father did.
2006-12-04 06:56:38 · answer #1 · answered by carpediem602004 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jim Clark!
Tragically killed in a minor race, this guy was peerless. Graham Hill, Jackie Stewart, Jack Brabham, Denny Hulme, Bruce McLaren, Francios Cevert and Stirling Moss were amongst his closest rivals (to name but a few) back in the days of true heroes and Formula One's heyday. In my opinion the 60s were never bettered before and certainly not since. This was back in the days where Formula 1 drivers competed in other events during the same season.
Jim Clark won in the 60s equivalent of Touring cars, "Saloon Car Racing" in the same season he won the Formula 1 World Championship. He is also the only driver ever to win a race having been lapped by the whole field due to an unscheduled pit-stop. Amazingly, he left the pits and overtook the whole field TWICE to win!!! -I am certain this is a feat never to be repeated.
And remember, this was with a VERY competitive field, some of whom are considered amongst F1's greats.
Other favourites from other eras: Nigel Mansell for his gutsy determination and tenacity. And Damon Hill for being the last true gentleman in the sport. He won with honour and believed the best in others, robbed because he did not expect the nasty tactics of his rival(s?)
2006-12-04 04:34:24 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I can't really pick out one favourite..I've got three:
Jim Clark: The most natural talent ever to grace this planet. Place him in any car and on any track and he would be setting fastest laps almost instantly. Competed in every race type...except dirt racing which he thought (ironicly) was dangerous. His untimly death sent shockwaves through the motorsport world as he was considered immortal by many.
Jackie Stewart: Jim Clarks succesor as Scotlands number one driver (although he claims to be happier being the number two). The driver with enough balls to demand improvements in safty, after his own near death accident at Spa (if it wasn't for Graham Hill, he would probably be dead). Who knows how many more would have died if it wasn't for him. He's still a dominate figure in F1.
Dan Gurney: Probably the man I idolize the most out of the three. Not only is he one of the most succesfull drivers ever (like Jim he was able to drive in anything) and also a succesfull manufactor, his eagle cars are still the most beautiful machines to race in F1. The American also recived the one greatest honours ever at Jim's funeral. James Clark had pulled Dan aside:
James: I didn't want to say this in front of the others [drivers] but Jim feared you.
Dan: Oh no. Jim never feared anyone on the track.
James: He did. He told you were the only one Jim saw as his equal.
Dan broke down after that.
Not only are these three my favourite they're also amoung the greats (although Dan is often over looked.)
2006-12-04 13:35:44 · answer #3 · answered by McCarthief 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My hero was Nelson Piquet. The first race I actually planned in advance to watch (I'd been watching GPs for a couple of years if they happened to be on when I was watching TV) was Monaco 1981. Nelson led from pole and then had an accident. I was of an age when that sort of thing appeals as much as success! I must have been the only person in Britain who wasn't supporting Mansell in 86-87 (still can't stand the over-rated, whiny so-and-so even now). Nelson was one of those drivers who was so talented that everything looked simple...ok, he was prone to crack under pressure now and then (Hockenheim 82 and Adelaide 90 spring to mind, even though he went on to win the second one, beating Mansell!) and he had a hell of a temper if you pushed him too far. However he won 3 world titles in the most competitive era in the history of the sport: he, Prost and Senna won 3 each in 11 seasons 1981-1991, which shows you in what sort of company he should be remembered. I personally rate drivers by how well they did when they had the best car, with how well they did with a bad car as a tiebreaker. Nelson's record puts him about 6th or 7th on the all-time list:
1980 2nd best car, 3wins, 2nd in ch
1981 2nd best car, 3 wins, champion
1982 dog of a car, 1 win
1983 2nd best car, 3 wins, champion
1984 fastest car, but no reliability, 2wins
1985 dog of a car, 1 win
1986 best car, 4 wins, 3rd in ch
1987 best car, 3 wins, champion
1988 poor car, no wins
1989 2nd worst car, no wins
1990 good car, very reliable, 2 wins, 3rd in ch
1991 good car, 1 win.
His best years were 1983, 1984 and 1990 in my opinion. In 83 and 84 he was the fastest and best driver in the world; don't forget he beat Prost to the title in 83 from 14 points behind with 4 races left, and in 1984 he set a then-record of 9 poles in a season. In 1990 everyone said he was finished after the Lotus years and he turned in a great season in a car that wasn't really at a race-winning level.
A great driver, with charm and style. F1 hasn't been the same for me since he retired. Will now transfer allegiance to Nelson junior!
2006-12-04 05:04:43 · answer #4 · answered by rosbif 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
#1-gilles villeneuve - let it all hang out.
maybe I'm biased being Canadian.
#2-juan manuel fangio - 5 championships with 4 different teams during a career shortened by wartime. F1 Career started at age 39 (schumacher retired at 37). missed most of one season due to broken neck from crash. 51starts - 35 podiums - 24 wins.
can't you just see the four wheel drift
#3-jim clark - good scottish farmboy, 25 wins - a couple of championships and the first non-american to win at the brickyard!
2006-12-04 22:31:01 · answer #5 · answered by CamP 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i began out gazing formula One religiously while i grow to be 12 and Eddie Irvine signed for Ferrari, so regrettably i haven't any first-hand adventure of pre-1996 rivalries. besides the fact that from gazing end of season evaluate movies and analyzing books, this is the Alain Prost as against Ayrton Senna conflict which springs to strategies. i do no longer think of that formula One has had this way of heated rivalry in view that those 2 greats locked wheels, and this isn't any longer probable that there ever would be back. Michael Schumacher as against Jacques Villeneuve in 1997 grow to be honestly yet another demanding rivalry - as grow to be Schumacher as against Damon Hill during the mid to previous due 90s - yet neither comes close to to the Prost/Senna conflict. As I actual have already reported, this is only my 11th season gazing F1 so my awareness is extremely constrained for this question, besides the fact that this is fresh to confirm a useful question being asked for a metamorphosis!!
2016-10-13 23:40:36 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
For all sorts of reasons, and it would take me too long to list them, but I could wax lyrically and pontificate about my all-time favourite Formula One drive, Jim Clark.
I was also a huge Jackie Stewart, Bruce McLaren and Nelson Piquet fan. An honourable mention is reserved for Chris Amon, probably the best driver never to win an F1 race.
2006-12-04 07:49:23 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
My favourite F1 Driver of all time is Nigel Mansell, I grew up watching him from 1986 until he won the title in 1992. I watched him in Indycars, BTCC cars and GP Masters. I liked his aggressive style, although that would often be his downfall in races it made him a joy to watch!
His two sons Leo and Greg competed in Formula BMW this past season in the UK, so we may have some more Mansells in F1 in the future...
2006-12-04 03:32:00 · answer #8 · answered by Red Five 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
undoubtedly Michael. He's the best driver in the history of Formula one. His timing, turns, PITS are always perfect. The most complete driver- According to me. Winning 7 titles with 5 in a row is an extraordinary achievement. He might have got great car, great people to work with but winning constructor on one's shoulder is really toughest job in F1.
2006-12-04 18:56:48 · answer #9 · answered by gaurav d 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ayrton Senna. In his short life he established a lot of records who Schuhmacher beats only because he drove more races.
2006-12-04 03:25:06 · answer #10 · answered by rallyec405 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋