This could prove to be somewhat controversial however it could also be quite interesting. On the eve of the British GP, Motorsport magazine has a great article on each one of the 10 British world drivers champions plus an opportunity to vote for who your favorite is. Obviously, and as discussed on many occasions on the pages of this and many other sites, comparing drivers across the years is like trying to compare oranges with apples and so on.
If you were asked though, how would you place them into a top 10? Which criteria would you include and which would you overlook?
F1 drivers of the last 20 years only find time to try their hand at other series when their F1 career is over and done with but in order to earn a crust or mainly because they just loved racing, drivers of old would turn their hand to vastly different types of vehicle sometimes even on the same weekend, would the modern driver have the same ability to drive anything, anywhere?
Here is my top 10, starting at number 10:
Number 10 - James Hunt I guess he was the driver who did more than anyone else in Britain to lift F1 from the sports pages to the front pages but in terms of F1, his Championship will always be accompanied by the words "ah yes but... If Lauda hadn't had his accident". Briefly shone for a couple of years and then fizzled out.
Number 9 - Mike Hawthorn It becomes difficult to judge a driver when all you know about him is what you've read or the very small amount of grainy, black and white footage that exists of his driving. Britain's first world champion in an era when to sit in an F1 car was to invite death on a regular basis deserves some respect even though the stats don't tell all. From what I'm given to understand he career and health were hampered by a series of crashes before eventually the loss of one too many colleagues lead to him calling it a day after clinching the title.
Number 8 - Jenson Button Made a strong debut with Williams but then too many contract issues and seemingly bad advice left his career short of what was expected. Faster than Villeneuve in what was regarded as the Canadians own team and had the same sort of impact on joining what many regarded as Hamilton's team at Mclaren. Took the Brawn to the top step by using his experience coupled with a car that was the right one at the right time. The problem with Button for me is that it could have all been different.
Number 7 - John Surtees Like Hunt he only lead the world championship for a few laps at the very end of the last race of the season having not lead at any previous stage. Having (as is always written) made the jump from an awesome two wheel career to take the F1 title it does make him pretty unique in motorsport. Again, from what I understand, he was regarded as a difficult and irascible man to work with but he got the job done.
Number 6 - Damon Hill The first son of a champion to take the title and often regarded as the "nice guy" of British motor racing. As his father faced the task of rebuilding a team in the wake of the death of a legend so Damon had to do exactly the same. 22 wins in 115 GPs puts him up there among the best and had he not had the contractual issues with Sir Frank leaving him scrabbling around for a drive in 1997 it could have been more. (not forgetting the heart break of Hungary and his spell at Jordan). Sadly it all fizzled out in his final season at Jordan when he had perhaps one year too many.
Number 5 - Lewis Hamilton Seldom if ever has a driver made such an impact on his debut and created so many column inches in the press and on the web. You only have to look on CTA to see who the subject of most conversations is about, almost every race weekend. 18 wins in 98 races so far in a Mclaren that at times has been fantastic and others not so puts him slightly ahead of Hill in terms of achievements. His career has a way to go and potentially further titles to add to his one so he could be far higher in the future.
Number 4 - Graham Hill The only driver to have won the big three and Mr Monaco. Would he have won the 68 world championship? We'll never know but I have to say it was unlikely. From what I've read he was a very technical driver who could spend ages sent a car up to his way of driving which in itself is a skill.
Number 3 - Nigel Mansell Like him or loath him, our Nige was the Brit for the 80's. Always dramatic and often seen as a moaner, he has one of the best records of any driver. He should and could have been a world champion 3 times but for his battles with some of the legends of the sport. A mistake in Mexico and then "that" blow out cost him in 86 and simply not being as good as consistent as Piquet cost him 87. Finally, when he got the car right and the head right, he wiped the floor with everyone before flouncing off to America. Let's not talk about comebacks.
Number 2 - Jim Clark Oooh I hear you say. Controversial. I know for a fact that had I been a young lad in the 60's, as he was my mums, Clark would have been my hero. Such was his impact on motor racing that his death shocked the world. As I believe Dan Gurney put it, "if it could happen to Jimmy then what chance do the rest of us have". My mum actually kept the Express newspaper announcing his death in case she ever had a son so that she could show him who Jim Clark was. Having said all that though, while he was a natural driver of fantastic skill, much in the same way Schumacher had a whole team to himself in the early 00's so Clark was very much the same in the early 60's. It's been written that the width of the DFV engine block was determined by the width of Jim Clark's seat !!!.
Number 1 - Jackie Stewart Three World titles, a podium in only his second race, a win in his first season and the man who would go on to pass Jim Clark's score of 25 wins (later passed by Mansell as well). Often remembered for his campaign to push for F1 safety and for his corporate savvy that doesn't sit well with the lovers of the swash buckling buccaneer drivers his record speaks for itself. Another driver who called it a day after loosing one too many friends I think he could very well have had one or two more seasons in him. When placed side by side to Clark, I think he comes out slightly on top and that is from one of the worlds biggest Lotus fans.
Now, what does everyone else think?
If you were asked though, how would you place them into a top 10? Which criteria would you include and which would you overlook?
F1 drivers of the last 20 years only find time to try their hand at other series when their F1 career is over and done with but in order to earn a crust or mainly because they just loved racing, drivers of old would turn their hand to vastly different types of vehicle sometimes even on the same weekend, would the modern driver have the same ability to drive anything, anywhere?
Here is my top 10, starting at number 10:
Number 10 - James Hunt I guess he was the driver who did more than anyone else in Britain to lift F1 from the sports pages to the front pages but in terms of F1, his Championship will always be accompanied by the words "ah yes but... If Lauda hadn't had his accident". Briefly shone for a couple of years and then fizzled out.
Number 9 - Mike Hawthorn It becomes difficult to judge a driver when all you know about him is what you've read or the very small amount of grainy, black and white footage that exists of his driving. Britain's first world champion in an era when to sit in an F1 car was to invite death on a regular basis deserves some respect even though the stats don't tell all. From what I'm given to understand he career and health were hampered by a series of crashes before eventually the loss of one too many colleagues lead to him calling it a day after clinching the title.
Number 8 - Jenson Button Made a strong debut with Williams but then too many contract issues and seemingly bad advice left his career short of what was expected. Faster than Villeneuve in what was regarded as the Canadians own team and had the same sort of impact on joining what many regarded as Hamilton's team at Mclaren. Took the Brawn to the top step by using his experience coupled with a car that was the right one at the right time. The problem with Button for me is that it could have all been different.
Number 7 - John Surtees Like Hunt he only lead the world championship for a few laps at the very end of the last race of the season having not lead at any previous stage. Having (as is always written) made the jump from an awesome two wheel career to take the F1 title it does make him pretty unique in motorsport. Again, from what I understand, he was regarded as a difficult and irascible man to work with but he got the job done.
Number 6 - Damon Hill The first son of a champion to take the title and often regarded as the "nice guy" of British motor racing. As his father faced the task of rebuilding a team in the wake of the death of a legend so Damon had to do exactly the same. 22 wins in 115 GPs puts him up there among the best and had he not had the contractual issues with Sir Frank leaving him scrabbling around for a drive in 1997 it could have been more. (not forgetting the heart break of Hungary and his spell at Jordan). Sadly it all fizzled out in his final season at Jordan when he had perhaps one year too many.
Number 5 - Lewis Hamilton Seldom if ever has a driver made such an impact on his debut and created so many column inches in the press and on the web. You only have to look on CTA to see who the subject of most conversations is about, almost every race weekend. 18 wins in 98 races so far in a Mclaren that at times has been fantastic and others not so puts him slightly ahead of Hill in terms of achievements. His career has a way to go and potentially further titles to add to his one so he could be far higher in the future.
Number 4 - Graham Hill The only driver to have won the big three and Mr Monaco. Would he have won the 68 world championship? We'll never know but I have to say it was unlikely. From what I've read he was a very technical driver who could spend ages sent a car up to his way of driving which in itself is a skill.
Number 3 - Nigel Mansell Like him or loath him, our Nige was the Brit for the 80's. Always dramatic and often seen as a moaner, he has one of the best records of any driver. He should and could have been a world champion 3 times but for his battles with some of the legends of the sport. A mistake in Mexico and then "that" blow out cost him in 86 and simply not being as good as consistent as Piquet cost him 87. Finally, when he got the car right and the head right, he wiped the floor with everyone before flouncing off to America. Let's not talk about comebacks.
Number 2 - Jim Clark Oooh I hear you say. Controversial. I know for a fact that had I been a young lad in the 60's, as he was my mums, Clark would have been my hero. Such was his impact on motor racing that his death shocked the world. As I believe Dan Gurney put it, "if it could happen to Jimmy then what chance do the rest of us have". My mum actually kept the Express newspaper announcing his death in case she ever had a son so that she could show him who Jim Clark was. Having said all that though, while he was a natural driver of fantastic skill, much in the same way Schumacher had a whole team to himself in the early 00's so Clark was very much the same in the early 60's. It's been written that the width of the DFV engine block was determined by the width of Jim Clark's seat !!!.
Number 1 - Jackie Stewart Three World titles, a podium in only his second race, a win in his first season and the man who would go on to pass Jim Clark's score of 25 wins (later passed by Mansell as well). Often remembered for his campaign to push for F1 safety and for his corporate savvy that doesn't sit well with the lovers of the swash buckling buccaneer drivers his record speaks for itself. Another driver who called it a day after loosing one too many friends I think he could very well have had one or two more seasons in him. When placed side by side to Clark, I think he comes out slightly on top and that is from one of the worlds biggest Lotus fans.
Now, what does everyone else think?
