I know that Ayrton was probably a one off and many of you will say that, but if you had to compare him to a present day F1 driver, who would it be? In both driving style and personality. You can obviously use two examples if you must.
Since I didn't have the honour of being able to watch him when he was alive, it'd be nice to be able to piece together what he was like through comparing him to drivers I know today.
There is no modern equivalent...or a past one either.
Since I didn't have the honour of being able to watch him when he was alive, it'd be nice to be able to piece together what he was like through comparing him to drivers I know today.
Yes, there are plenty of full race videos on youtube from the 1980's and early 1990's.
shareI barely have enough time to watch this year's F1 season, let alone going through ten years worth of races with each race lasting, what, two hours each?
Some people do work you know and I have a life outside of the internet and the tv.
If you can't think of an adequate answer to a sincere question, don't bother replying.
Calm down. If you ask a question like yours, you are likely to get 5 or 10 different opinions. I think the poster was just suggesting that maybe watch a couple of races online so that you can form your own opinion. He doesn't know how much time you do or don't have to watch a race online. He didn't mean to offend, nor have I meant to offend you.
If you want my opinion, well it's a tough question to answer. In my opinion, there is no one driver that has all of Senna's qualities as a driver. I think that Vettel comes the closest based on driving ability. But you also can't discount Fernando Alsonso and what he has done with the Ferrari this year. When it comes to personality, as I sit here I can't think of any current driver who has that kind of "win at all costs" drive to win races.
Well to follow up that response... after seeing Vettel this season he is clearly not very much like Senna. Vettel seems to have a win at all cost attitude in refusing team orders to gift Webber a race so he could win it himself... but at getting the most out of a bad car Vettel is utter crap. Senna was probably the best ever at getting all you could out of a car whether it was the best or junk, Vettel doesn't have that ability. Alonso seems better at getting all from his car, but he still doesn't seem to always push to the limit, though this season he seems to be pushing harder than in last season, mabye due to being partnered with Kimi who he would never want to be second to.
Reality is there is no substitute especially in the current PC environment where drivers are expected to act like marketing puppets for the sponsors... The personality of the drivers is so tempered its frightening.
Ya and to top it off you're also a complete douche, too.
congrats.
As a driver Alonso although he's got a way to go.
Not sure if any current drivers have personalities - these things only become apparent when they're dead or retired.
Shumacher.... easily.
Then someone else will come along.
Eat the Neocons.
No way, Schumacher was a worthless cheat that had illegal traction control on his Benetton and then went to Ferrari where no team mate was allowed to actually race him... Senna didn't want his team mate to roll over on the track for him, he wanted to crush them like every other driver.
share[deleted]
Clearly you have some secret love for schumacher, as anyone that didn't suffer puppy love for him would know that he was an overrated driver that only succeeded because he either cheated or had the best car and the team would require team mates to slow down so he could get past him... Must make you really cringe at the fact that the slow Brazilian Rubens regularly owned Schumacher and had to come to an almost complete stop in order for him to pass him, go watch the 2002 Austrian GP and it will job your memory... or in your case cause you to have a stroke that your puppy love wasn't even good enough to beat a Brazilian.
sharewell stats say he is the greatest, and he drove for the greatest team ever.
not for some english kit car maker with *beep* engines.
and hes not a brazilian dog.
just a pity senna didnt hit a wall earlier.
god punished senna for driving for the japanese.
Eat the Neocons.
You're too full of hate dude. Go ask your lover Schumacher who the greatest driver was and even though he loves himself almost as much as you love him, he'll tell you it was Senna. Now try to get out a little more and stop living in your momma's basement.
shareYeah im full of hate.
For the respect ferrari dont get, the way f1 has changed into a driver personality show, its like an episode of friends now.
I could care less about schumacher, but stats dont lie.
Im mad that a dead *beep* gets the respect a european should get, and that he drove for the most cheating team in history.
Eat the Neocons.
Not surprised someone so stupid is a Ferrari fan... It must really burn your butt when you realize just how pathetic Ferrari actually are... Look back when they got their ass handed to them by that horrible American company Ford... What was it 1965 the last time Ferrari could win the European race in Le Mans... and not only does Ford win it the next 4 years, but Ferrari aren't able to ever win again... Just be glad Ford hasn't bothered to enter F1 or your little red cars would be eating American dust.
shareIm a Ford fan haha, so bad troll attempt. and a GM fan, and a Chrysler fan. alls good.
Ford won Le mans the typical American way... have a sulk, then outspend Ferrari big time. Ferrari at the time were basically a mum and pop company.
Then where is Fords legacy? they leave to make exploding pintos.... I see no long line of Ford sports cars..
Even when Fordwere in F1 they didnt make their own engine.
Eat the Neocons.
So everyone knows: the ONLY thing that matters to Ferrari is F1. Everything else can go pound sand as far as the Scuderia is concerned. And, yeah, Ford bought LeMans.
shareI could care less about schumacher, but stats dont lie.
Stats don't lie indeed, but being the best driver has far more to it than just "stats".
I'm leaving. I've assessed the situation, and I'm going.
Someone much smarter than I once said:
There are three kinds of lies:
1) White lies
2) Damn lies
3) Statistics
I happen to believe it.
Never defend crap with "It's just a movie"
http://www.youtube.com/user/BigGreenProds
i agree with you.
Irvine and Barrichello were castrated by strange pitstop errors and problems in the start of season, every seasons. ( and the Brawn "style" continues in BrawnGP and Mercedes, same problems for the second drivers, 1 time the pit, 1 time the gears, 1 time the friction.. the electronic.. etc ).
Schumacher was a talent of pre and into but not of post-TC era where also felipe massa is better in qualify with a "second seat".
Senna was great in all seasons, with TC and without with all mates, and Prost was obvious better of Felipe Massa ;)
Vettel obviously if you think Schumacher is also ancient history. Vettel also showed his stuff in the rain with any early and unexpected win. And now multiple world champ at a young age. Vettel doesn't seem as intense as Senna, and maybe has the best car but then again Senna's McLaren was the best in the lat 80s.
shareHe has no equal. Whoever said Schumacher - Rot in hell!
shareIn terms of driving ability & style, probably Lewis Hamilton. It's been well-documented that Senna was Hamilton's childhood hero, and there are similarities in the way they both attack the racetrack, vying for that additional grip which will give them the ultimate lap time.
I don't think there's anyone on the grid today that has the same personality traits as Senna, not even his nephew Bruno, who seems an altogether more laid-back customer.
In terms of mentality, Hamilton wants to win- and on his day, is the closest thing to Senna's ability. The trouble with Hamilton is, we rarely see his very best.
In terms of consistency, I'd go with Vettel. Yes, he's had the best car, but you don't win three consecutive world championships without skill and determination.
Alonso also deserves a mention- he's wrestled some impressive performances out of an underperforming car. Senna did this too.
simple answer:nobody
His humility and love for his country and the underprivileged was absolutely unmatched. Although he did set an example of drivers devoting time and money to charities. The first to follow being his rival Alan Prost. So then his personality was unique.
His driving ability and style, again we would never know, but I do see a prodigy emerging Sebastian Vettel. I would look towards him for the next greatest F1 driver.
I'm not sure there is anyone as soft spoken and awesome as he was.
Why Vettel and not Schumacher?
I grew up watching Schumi, and the dude has some talent.
Both of them are very talented drivers. Youtube "Schumacher Driving Style"
Through data, the video explains why Schumacher was so great.
He had a great car, but in his TOP SEASON, he placed on the podium, IN EVERY RACE, winning most of them.
Schumacher was also brilliant in the wet.
Personally, there is no comparison.
Ayrton is Brazilian, so you see his passion, Schumacher is German, and there's something called German Discipline, you need to have respect for them.
Schumacher is the greatest tho.
Why do people say he was a cheat? Sure he was involved in some controversial crashes, but thats because he wanted to win. Senna was involved in just as controversial crashes, except he spoke his mind and got shafted a lot.
The man is in heaven now, it's all that matters. His legacy will remain forever.
You can't compare ANYONE to him, not even Schumacher. But in talent, Schumacher or Senna. Everyone else doesn't come close. Maybe Vettel in 3rd, and he's called Mini-Schummi.
for me the talent of Jacky Ickx is unmatched.
( i can't compare with modern pilot, i compare with older, the F1 is too different, and only Kubica is mad and totally involved like Senna, but now Kubica is out of the game )
in this time i think Valentino Rossi is involved in motor racing like Senna, for him the moto is like religion.
bye
It's impossible to say really because of the huge leap todays F1 technology. Some of the cars Senna drove in the mid to late eighties were like wild animals. They little down force, +1200hp turbo charge, 6 speed manual gearbox, fly by the seat of your pants driving. He tamed those wild animals like no other driver could. If you want to check out the YouTube video of 'Top Gear' with Hamilton driving the McLaren MP 4/4, you'll see why nobody could ever come close to matching his ability as an F1 driver....ever.
shareOnly Schumacher since.
No one else had that something special like Ayrton did.
And Schumacher was not Ayrton - different styles somewhat, but many similarities.
They were both ruthless, but Schumacher was more calculating, Ayrton more instinctive.
but the main thing is that when EVERYONE else saw that Ferrari in their rear view mirror it always commanded respect (not so much in his comeback but in his prime). Same with Ayrton. When everyone saw that yellow helmet there was no nonesense going on and everyone respected them. they had their rivals, but only for short periods. AS and MS always came out on top eventually and for hte long haul.
and their records at Monte Carlo. Really Shcumi should have won at least 4 more times at Monaco. He got to Five wins so quickly there then just like a barrier went up that twarted him every year.
But yeh, only MS compares. Vettel wins, but soemthing is missig from him...he doesnt have the feel of one of the greats.
There are a lot of good drivers now, no great ones, no special ones. Nobody that makes me want to watch every week. Now its more about the technology. When there is greatness on display I watch every week and it doesnt matter if the same driver wins every week. MS was a joy to watch. Same with AS.
This is tricky because the nature of the sport in terms of technology and the rules have changed.
Shumacher, for all his critics, showed that same on the edge pace in his very first season, and that alone marked him out to Benetton who poached him as soon as they could. No-one truly knows if his car was illegal in Senna's final season, although Senna was convinced, according to the film - love him or hate him, Shumacher re-wrote the stats, and while some of it was less than honest, and certainly at Ferrari he had advantages that other drivers could only dream of, I'm of the opinion that some of it was his speed and talent.
Vettel would have to be his modern competitor, although I think he is a more technical racer than Senna.
What is funny to consider is whether, if he were racing today, would Senna be constantly be facing the wrath of the stewards for some of the overtaking moves he used to pull - when you hear modern drivers constantly complaining about the younger drivers taking silly risks, well that was Senna's whole damn style! It was very risky, and alas if you had to pick a driver who was likely to come to grief, it was always going to him, but in a way thats what made him such an exciting driver to watch.
Crash and Burn - Filmmaking Blog and Home of my Movie Podcast www.mysticjim.blogspot.com
F1 died with Senna.
"I've seen horrors... horrors that you've seen. But you have no right to call me a murderer."