Most unworthy f1 champion?
Discussion
NewMetalSystem said:
When looking at the list of 3x World Champions, Nelson Piquet always stands out a little bit for me. Especially when you consider than the likes of Clark and Alonso are only on 2.
I think Piquet is the most naturally talented driver I've seen apart from Clark. However . . .I was at a party once and was feeling a bit out of it and mine host said: I've got someone you'll love to talk to. You've got a lot in common.
Thankfully, I had little in common: the chap used to be an engineer for the Brabham F1 team during the time of Piquet. I expected tales of exciting times but what I got was a certain bitterness. I'd always thought he was a favourite of his mechanics - I used to get a little amateur magazine put out irregularly by the Brabham team and that seemed to support my point of view. However, the mechanic reckoned that when Piquet was WDC and had #1 on his car, he could not be arsed. He reckoned that the mechanics would burn the midnight trying to discover why the car was slow, be thanked by NP for doing so, and then he'd just drive around and getting paid for not doing much. The following year he'd put the effort in - which is what this chap and some others noticed - and then, with the new #1 he revert to being on the beach.
The chap left Brabham at the same time as Piquet. When I met him, NP was half way through his first season at Benetton where he was being paid per point. He said that's what they should have done at Brabham.
The bloke was bitter but there is little doubt in my mind that he believed what he said. He came out with lots of details that have blurred in the ensuing 30 years or so, but I was convinced. I got told off for not circulating.
Harji said:
Well , don't look at just stats. Keke drove the only non-turbo car that season, not the fastest car at all and as Patrick Head said and I'll para-phrase him, "Keke drove every race lap like a qualifying lap, rarely did his car come out of the corner facing the straight way"
So he drove like a beast in a slower car, flat out every lap, and accumulated more points than anyone else, how is that not deserving?
Keke Rosberg "I was probably the fastest I'd ever been in my career. I just refused to accept that anybody could beat me and to stay with the turbos I was prepared to take massive risks."
I don't think there are many who begrudged Keke his WDC. Absolutely thrilling to watch. Putting someone in a poor car is the only way of seeing how good they are. I saw Mansell drive the Williams Judd at Silverstone. His qually lap was the best single lap I've ever seen. Not too bad in the race either. In the rain the extra 300bhp of the turbo engines could be counter-blanced by a well set-up car, and a brilliant, if mercurial, driver.So he drove like a beast in a slower car, flat out every lap, and accumulated more points than anyone else, how is that not deserving?
Keke Rosberg "I was probably the fastest I'd ever been in my career. I just refused to accept that anybody could beat me and to stay with the turbos I was prepared to take massive risks."
lbc said:
Because you are a McLaren fanboy?
I would say more because it's an absolutely farcical point.Button took Hamilton close over three seasons, Chilton is a club driver on a fully funded jolly.
And as for the people saying Schuey & Senna are undeserving - get real, there's very few if any better, ever.
Villeneuve springs to mind in 1997 he wasn't really worthy of the title, as he was in a car that was twice the car the F310B and managed to take it down to the wire.
Renault chief Bernard Dudot said at the 97 German GP if Damon Hill was driving for Williams he would be leading the world championship, clearly displeased with both the efforts of JV and HHF.
Renault chief Bernard Dudot said at the 97 German GP if Damon Hill was driving for Williams he would be leading the world championship, clearly displeased with both the efforts of JV and HHF.
lbc said:
Schumi and Vettel most unworthy for me, and Button also, as he had no real competition.
Schumi and Ferrari were cheats, as were Red Bull and Vettel.
Button was just lucky, as I rate him less than Max Chilton.
Jesus! Did button sleep with your wife or something? That's a pretty harsh, and invalid comparison. He had competition from Barrichello in the other Brawn, and over the second half of the season, from many of the other teams once the double diffuser had been ruled legal.Schumi and Ferrari were cheats, as were Red Bull and Vettel.
Button was just lucky, as I rate him less than Max Chilton.
lbc said:
Dr Z said:
Obvious. Troll is obvious. 
Because you are a McLaren fanboy?I think it is telling that Button is highly rated amongst other GP drivers. He is respected by them all.
I am not really a fan of any single driver, personally, but I don't get the anti-Button position you have. Did he sleep with your Mum or something?
lbc said:
Schumi and Vettel most unworthy for me, and Button also, as he had no real competition.
Agreed. Alonso and Hamilton were in mediocre cars.Button was never consistent. He never could get the tyres up to temperature on cool days whereas Barrichello never had a problem eg. German GP JB kept weaving on the straights but RB was driving normally.
Great is an overused word.
On his day JB is great. His trump card is wet to dry conditions.
Mr_Thyroid said:
I can't help thinking that back in the 50s when there were less than 10 races they are only really like half championships.
There were usually an equal number of non-championship races though, and drivers would take part in other formulae, or sports car and saloon racing, as well as the occasional race at Indianapolis. Don't denigrate the achievements of drivers from that era by referring to them as 'half-championships'.Halmyre said:
Mr_Thyroid said:
I can't help thinking that back in the 50s when there were less than 10 races they are only really like half championships.
There were usually an equal number of non-championship races though, and drivers would take part in other formulae, or sports car and saloon racing, as well as the occasional race at Indianapolis. Don't denigrate the achievements of drivers from that era by referring to them as 'half-championships'.Anyway, if all the drivers were doing these "extra" races then my point about the value of the championship still stands.
Smollet said:
Mr_Thyroid said:
I can't help thinking that back in the 50s when there were less than 10 races they are only really like half championships.
However they were about twice as long distance/ time wise so overall endurance probably isn't much differenceGassing Station | Formula 1 | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff