A great drivers missing bits

[teabagyokel]

I don't think Villeneuve was ever properly consistent in Formula One; certainly he made a meal of winning the 1997 title against an inferior Ferrari.

Again, at BAR, there were performances that suggested a champion - Spain in 2000 springs to mind. He never looked like he was transcending his machinery in the way the very fastest do.

I would suggest he falls short of the level of Schumacher and the likes of his old team-mates Alonso and Button too.

 

[Olivier]

The 97 Ferrari was inferior but the difference had narrowed compared to the previous year. JV best performance in my mind is the 98 German GP. By 2001 he'd checked out. But if you read reviews in the late 2000, he was still considered great (sme applies to R Schumacher though)

 

[teabagyokel]

The similarities between Ralf's 1999 and Nico Rosberg's 2009 - and I suggest those two are at a similar level.

When Ralf hit the front, he tended to be pretty commanding, it just didn't happen too often.

 

[Il_leone]

Kewee

Bernie gave Frank a suggestion to try out Villeneuve. He managed to negotiate for Frank - Ralf Schumacher to leave Jordan a year early from his contract later on

All I am saying Bernie encouraged it and in Williams situation they probably thought it was worth a try given Coulthard who they fought Mclaren at the CRB to drive for them for 1995 was already contracted to Mclaren for 1996 as well. The other drivers Schumacher, Berger, Alesi and Frentzen who were considered chose other options

 

[Il_leone]

teabagyokel
Ralf Schumacher could not pass a tortoise ...his wins were down to superior tyres and he just seemed to live on the fact he won those races to demand another huge pay rise and the name. Only Toyota were stupid enough to fall for the infamous DC quote " They signed Schumacher but the wrong one !"

 

[teabagyokel]

Il_leone - I think it is more than a little controversial to suggest that the 2002 Michelins were superior when Ferrari/Bridgestone won 14/16.

He definitely had his moments in F1: your post is more than a little hyperbolic. His maiden win at Imola (from a stunning start) was imposing, and he had an excellent 1999.

 

[Il_leone]

teabagyokel Yes he was exceptional in 1999 helped by the fact that poor Zanardi just struggled with the groove tyres and never got going on his F1 return to transcend his Indycar form

One must not forget in 2000 Jenson Button was actually a good match for him and mighty at Spa and Suzuka - two driver tracks to outqualify Ralf

I am suggesting he wins races because the races he won because Michelin was the superior tyre to be on . Imola 2001 he made a demon start but again his pace was the first true glimpse we got on what Michelins could do

BTW it was originally Eddie Irvine's opinion that he won races due to superior tyres.

I should say once Ralf got the big money deal with Toyota his motivation did start to wane a bit

 

[teabagyokel]

BTW it was originally Eddie Irvine's opinion that he won races due to superior tyres.

Well, he'd know about superior equipment, I suppose...

 

[Il_leone]

teabagyokel I don't always agree with Swerving Irvine but he has a point about Ralf only looking good because of the superior Michelins

 

[FB]

Jean Alesi was missing a great deal.

 

[Incubus]

Well it wasn't so much that he missed great deals, he just had a tendency to put his signature on several of them at once.

 

[FB]

Didier Pironi was missing a conscience.

 

[LifeW12]

Yeah, he had the 82 championship in the bag and was an idiot in practice

 

[Olivier]

Jean Alesi was missing a great deal.

A combination of being in the right car but at the wrong time (H) + Chris Amos's luck (E) + an impetuous character (R) + the ability to shoot himself in the foot when everything looked great (O) = H E R O.

 

[soccerman17]

"A great driver missing bits"

Can't believe nobody has said this yet. Robert Kubica.

 

[LifeW12]

That is probably the greatest tragedy in F1. We will never know how he would have gone against Vettel, Hamilton and Alonso. I do recall reading that Alonso respected him more than any driver. When you get compliments like that, you are good.

I also think we would have been on the verge of a Polish GP as well. Oh well, we can only wonder.

 

[Brogan]

Was Button missing a credible challenge in his title winning season?

 

[Incubus]

I do recall reading that Alonso respected him more than any driver. When you get compliments like that, you are good.

-----------------

Well yeah but Alonso was a personal friend of his, so he would be likely to talk of him in glowing terms in public. Not to take anything away from Robert's vast talent but you're always likely to talk up your mate in public compared to others aren't you.[/QUOTE]

 

[Mephistopheles]

Stirling Moss was missing the killer instinct being a gent doesn't win you titles...

 

[Slyboogy]

"A great driver missing bits"

Can't believe nobody has said this yet. Robert Kubica.

Because he didn't seem to lack anything.

He looked like a World Champion, drove like one, he didn't miss out on a title because he lacked a certain aspect of driving skills, but more so due to an unfortunate accident which ruined his career.