Who is the greatest? (no not drivers - read on)...

[TheOriginalGT40]

Taking a different angle to the usual was Senna better than Prost threads etc.

Who do you think was or is the greatest team principal. Some ideas for the melting point are the genuis that was Chapman, the grey suited commercial world of Dennis, the italian passion of Ferrari, or maybe the greatest privateer in F1, our own Frank?

Who get's your vote as the best and why...

[kevin ritson]

It's another question that down to eras, isn't it? What was needed in the '60s isn't necessarily so great now.

But personally, I'd say Chapman as during his era he did a great deal to change the sport and not just in the technical area, for example getting Ford and Players involved made a huge impact.

[jacobyte]

Greatest is so subjective, but those that have earnt my respect from a variety of technical genius, sheer determination, endearing characteristics, and pure results are, in alphabetical order:

Colin Chapman
John Cooper
Ron Dennis
Eddie Jordan
Bruce McLaren
Ken Tyrrell
Frank Williams

I'm sure another few will jump out at me shortly, but that'll do for now.

[rubystone]

Nick Wirth

I'll get me coat....

Edited for poor spelling

Edited by rubystone on Friday 25th May 14:36

[loneranger]

What about Alfred Neubauer? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Neubauer

[freedman]

John Wyer

[stephen300o]

Best or most obscure?, instead of showing my lack of depth in motoring knowledge i'll say the obvious one everyones avoiding, Enzo Ferrari.

[FourWheelDrift]

jacobyte said:

Greatest is so subjective, but those that have earnt my respect from a variety of technical genius, sheer determination, endearing characteristics, and pure results are, in alphabetical order:

Colin Chapman
John Cooper
Ron Dennis
Eddie Jordan
Bruce McLaren
Ken Tyrrell
Frank Williams

I'm sure another few will jump out at me shortly, but that'll do for now.

loneranger said:

What about Alfred Neubauer? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Neubauer

And add to them Roger Penske and I'd also include someone outside F1 but who's innovations were picked up by F1, Jim Hall.


One of those.

[loneranger]

stephen300o said:

Best or most obscure?, instead of showing my lack of depth in motoring knowledge i'll say the obvious one everyones avoiding, Enzo Ferrari.

So who do you think is obscure?
Seriously, tell us.

[stephen300o]

loneranger said:

stephen300o said:

Best or most obscure?, instead of showing my lack of depth in motoring knowledge i'll say the obvious one everyones avoiding, Enzo Ferrari.

So who do you think is obscure?
Seriously, tell us.

Alfred Neubauer,Nick Wirth,John Wyer hence "lack of depth in motoring knowledge" as in mine not implying others lack

Edited by stephen300o on Friday 25th May 21:15

[freedman]

stephen300o said:

loneranger said:

stephen300o said:

Best or most obscure?, instead of showing my lack of depth in motoring knowledge i'll say the obvious one everyones avoiding, Enzo Ferrari.

So who do you think is obscure?
Seriously, tell us.

Alfred Neubauer,Nick Wirth,John Wyer hence "lack of depth in motoring knowledge" as in mine not implying others lack

Edited by stephen300o on Friday 25th May 21:15

How on earth is John Wyer obscure?

[stephen300o]

freedman said:

stephen300o said:

loneranger said:

stephen300o said:

Best or most obscure?, instead of showing my lack of depth in motoring knowledge i'll say the obvious one everyones avoiding, Enzo Ferrari.

So who do you think is obscure?
Seriously, tell us.

Alfred Neubauer,Nick Wirth,John Wyer hence "lack of depth in motoring knowledge" as in mine not implying others lack

Edited by stephen300o on Friday 25th May 21:15

How on earth is John Wyer obscure?

Sorry never heard of him.

[loneranger]

stephen300o said:

loneranger said:

stephen300o said:

Best or most obscure?, instead of showing my lack of depth in motoring knowledge i'll say the obvious one everyones avoiding, Enzo Ferrari.

So who do you think is obscure?
Seriously, tell us.

Alfred Neubauer,Nick Wirth,John Wyer hence "lack of depth in motoring knowledge" as in mine not implying others lack

Edited by stephen300o on Friday 25th May 21:15

Nick Worth was (is?) a joke. Neubauer and Wyer were amazing, both advanced the art of team management towards what it is today.
Why not read up on them? Knowledge like this will increase your enjoyment of motor racing.

Neubauer http://www.ddavid.com/formula1/neub_bio.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Neubauer
http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/cref-neualf

John Wyer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wyer
http://www.answers.com/topic/john-wyer
http://www.cs.clemson.edu/~mark/racing.html#wyer

[Galileo]

Lord Alexander Hesketh. For his attitude.

[williamp]

Teddy Mayer?
WO Bentley?

[Galileo]

williamp said:

Teddy Mayer?
WO Bentley?

Ok, but why? What makes them great?

[rubystone]

How can you say Wirth is a joke - he came up with CDG

[Eric Mc]

Teddy Mayer more or less kept McLaren together following Bruce's death. They even managed to win two World Championships and an Indy 500 under his command.
However, I wouldn't look on his as a GP "great" - just a competent team manager. He was eventually ousted from the team following the Ron Dennis takeover.

For me, Colin Chapman will always be the one "stand out" great of F1. Although he wasn't the great innovator that he is sometimes given credit for, he was a great motivator and could seize on other peoples' ideas and make them work effectively.

[siztenboots]

Surprised that Flavio Briatore not mentioned ,

[FourWheelDrift]

siztenboots said:

Surprised that Flavio Briatore not mentioned ,

He's a good jumper salesman, but as a team manager no way. He only ever saw his first race in 1988 after previously saying he wasn't at all interested in F1. Hardly a man to be called the greatest.