The best F1 combination: Clark/Lotus or Villeneuve/Ferrari?

[Eric Mc]

Clark and Chapman won two WDC as a combination. Tyrrell and Stewart won three. So, in pure F1 terms, the Tyrrell/Stewart combination was more successful. Obviously, Clark's death in 1968 almost definitely robbed him of the 1968 WDC which I'm sure he would have walked and therefore the comparison is a little unfair. Of course, Clark also won non F1 races for Lotus - including F2 and saloon cars. However, Clark did occasionaly drive cars other than Lotuses such as E-Type Jaguars.

Lotus and Chapman were good enough to ensure that, even with Clark's death, they were able to win four more WDC (Hill 1968, Rindt 1970, Fittipaldi 1972 and Andretti 1978). Tyrrell coould never achieve the heights they had without Stewart.

As for Ferrari, they have been around so long and have had so much success with so many drivers that a single combination doesn't readilly stand out. Even Schumacher's achievements with that team were as much a product of the people he brought with him. I would suggest that perhaps the greatest contributing driver to a successful championship for Ferrari could be John Surtees. The problem for Surtees is that Ferrari failed to capitalise on his technical and engineering talents.

Edited by Eric Mc on Tuesday 6th November 00:03

[flemke]

Eric Mc said:

Tyrrell coould never achieve the heights they had without Stewart.

Do you think that might have been different if Cevert had not been killed?

[Eric Mc]

I do - although we'll never know for sure, sadly.