Senna over rated
Discussion
its a wet Saturday afternoon so i've been staring out the window contemplating.
saw the senna doc on tv again last night, and basically i reckon he's over rated as a driver
I know he did a lot of charity work, which is why i say as a driver, so lets leave the rest of that out of this.
good driver of course, but some of the tactics he used to win where not exactly in the best form. Deliberately taking people out (prost) is not going to win you sportsman of the year. Certainly wouldn't have caught Sterling Moss or Fangio doing that.
IMO if you have to crash another man to win instead of racing till the end then your not the "greatest"
flame me if you will.
saw the senna doc on tv again last night, and basically i reckon he's over rated as a driver
I know he did a lot of charity work, which is why i say as a driver, so lets leave the rest of that out of this.
good driver of course, but some of the tactics he used to win where not exactly in the best form. Deliberately taking people out (prost) is not going to win you sportsman of the year. Certainly wouldn't have caught Sterling Moss or Fangio doing that.
IMO if you have to crash another man to win instead of racing till the end then your not the "greatest"
flame me if you will.
Senna's tragic death has inevitably led to him being idealised and romanticised.
I watched almost every one of his races. He was not overrated. He was quite obviously the fastest and most talented driver of his generation, but he was also a completely ruthless so-and-so who was prepared to risk the lives of his rivals as well as his own.
His premature death took away the opportunity of watching him fight against Schumacher's challenge.
Schumacher was the first of a new generation of drivers who could drive every corner of every lap of every race flat out. He significantly raised the bar in terms of physical preparation, bringing the fitness levels of a professional athlete to motor racing for the first time. Senna would have had to raise his game to compete. It's a shame that his death robbed us of this contest.
I watched almost every one of his races. He was not overrated. He was quite obviously the fastest and most talented driver of his generation, but he was also a completely ruthless so-and-so who was prepared to risk the lives of his rivals as well as his own.
His premature death took away the opportunity of watching him fight against Schumacher's challenge.
Schumacher was the first of a new generation of drivers who could drive every corner of every lap of every race flat out. He significantly raised the bar in terms of physical preparation, bringing the fitness levels of a professional athlete to motor racing for the first time. Senna would have had to raise his game to compete. It's a shame that his death robbed us of this contest.
Edited by Bradgate on Saturday 24th November 20:51
Have you seen the video of him at Monaco when he was with the Toleman (I think) team?
He came second and would certainly have won if the race had not been stopped due to rain. The Toleman was nowhere near a winning car. A bit like one of the current drivers coming second in a Caterham or HRT today!
What he did that day shows just how good he was.
He came second and would certainly have won if the race had not been stopped due to rain. The Toleman was nowhere near a winning car. A bit like one of the current drivers coming second in a Caterham or HRT today!
What he did that day shows just how good he was.
aeropilot said:
I agree with you.
But, you want get far with this on PH, far too many Senna fanboys on here.
I also agree with you. Yes, one of the greatest, but his methods were questionable and I think today's generation of drivers race more cleanly. Jim Clark for me on the basis that Jackie Stewart rated Clark so much better than himself.But, you want get far with this on PH, far too many Senna fanboys on here.
I still think Senna's death happened as a result of him having Schunacher on his tail with traction control and him having to over drive a William's car that was tricky to handle.
first off, you can only rate people against their contemporaries, not the drivers of the past. its pointless to say that Stiring Moss or Fangio didnt need to be as ruthless to win races, they couldnt be. Not only would the death rate have been far higher, motorsport itself was different, customs, traditions etc etc.... there are however, examples of a "second driver" having to retire and give up their car to the "first driver" in the team who had previously retired and such like. Not too disimilar to Massa's gearbox issues last weekend!!!
Senna was one of the best of his time, compared to the likes of Berger and Patrese, he was light years ahead of them. Compared to Mansell and Prost, he was easily as fast as....
Senna was one of the best of his time, compared to the likes of Berger and Patrese, he was light years ahead of them. Compared to Mansell and Prost, he was easily as fast as....
pablo said:
first off, you can only rate people against their contemporaries, not the drivers of the past. its pointless to say that Stiring Moss or Fangio didnt need to be as ruthless to win races, they couldnt be. Not only would the death rate have been far higher, motorsport itself was different, customs, traditions etc etc.... there are however, examples of a "second driver" having to retire and give up their car to the "first driver" in the team who had previously retired and such like. Not too disimilar to Massa's gearbox issues last weekend!!!.
You should know better than to come on PH speaking sense like that....
Did OP actually seen Senna drive I wonder? And by that I mean live- not from the settee.I suspect not ...I saw him race many times - including in Formula Ford and F 3- and to say he was ..err..'good' is just asinine. He certainly, and rightly , had his critics because some of his driving was ruthless but in nearly five decades of watching motor sport I have never seen his equal- nor do I expect to.
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