Discussion
There has been much discussion on the McLaren drivers recently, mainly about how they are the perfect partnership. Lewis is lightning fast, but Jenson has the racecraft to make up the difference in outright speed.
I was thinking about other team partnerships that were successful (and some that were not, despite being brilliant on paper).
Farina, Fangio, Fagioli Alfa Romeo 1950-1951
These 3 drivers mopped up the championships although they were in the dominant car of the era.
Moss, Fangio Mercedes 1955
Possibly the perfect partnership, with Fangio teaching Moss as he went.
Brabham, Hulme 1966-1967
Having read the new regulations perfectly, Brabham came up with a simple, yet strong car and the Brabham team won 2 championships on the trot. The 1967 championship went to Hulme on the basis of consistently strong finishes along with wins at Monaco and the Nurburgring.
Clark, Hill Lotus 1967
The fastest car with the two fastest drivers of the day. They should have won the championship in 1967, but for the reliability of the car. You have to think that 1968 might have been very different and more dominant.
Andretti, Peterson Lotus 1977-1978
The fastest two drivers of the day. Andretti could set the car up and Peterson would nick Mario's set up and be quicker. Mario won the championship in 1978.
Lauda, Prost, Rosberg McLaren 1984-1986
Lauda won the championship by half a point in 1984, Prost won the chamionship in 1985 with poor reliability for Lauda, Rosberg was the perfect foil for Prost in 1986 although Prost still won the championship.
Prost, Senna McLaren 1988-1989
1988 was the most dominant year in F1 history. Senna had the outright speed and aggression, Prost could wait for the race to come to him. Both were blindingly fast in the McLaren MP4/4.
Hill, Villeneuve Williams 1996
With the dominant Williams chassis, the Renault engine and Schumacher starting to build his empire at Ferrari, the title was a definite for one of the two. But which one? It went down to the wire at Suzuka with Hill putting in a dominant display to win and take the title.
Hakkinen, Coulthard McLaren 1996-2001
Hakkinen had the pace and Coulthard could back him up in the races. After a strange start to the season in 1998 Hakkinen took the title and the 1999 honours.
Alonso, Hamilton McLaren 2007
This should have been good on paper. It was good if you discount the politics and the game playing that lost them the drivers title. Not to mention Alonso's major role in getting McLaren excluded from the constructors championship.
Button, Hamilton McLaren 2010-
Seemingly perfect. Team-mates who can push each other faster, can race fairly for position, are apolitical within the team and actually get on together. They seem well on course to deliver McLaren the 2010 constructors championship...which would be nice to put a plaque in the new road cars commemorating the fact.
I was thinking about other team partnerships that were successful (and some that were not, despite being brilliant on paper).
Farina, Fangio, Fagioli Alfa Romeo 1950-1951
These 3 drivers mopped up the championships although they were in the dominant car of the era.
Moss, Fangio Mercedes 1955
Possibly the perfect partnership, with Fangio teaching Moss as he went.
Brabham, Hulme 1966-1967
Having read the new regulations perfectly, Brabham came up with a simple, yet strong car and the Brabham team won 2 championships on the trot. The 1967 championship went to Hulme on the basis of consistently strong finishes along with wins at Monaco and the Nurburgring.
Clark, Hill Lotus 1967
The fastest car with the two fastest drivers of the day. They should have won the championship in 1967, but for the reliability of the car. You have to think that 1968 might have been very different and more dominant.
Andretti, Peterson Lotus 1977-1978
The fastest two drivers of the day. Andretti could set the car up and Peterson would nick Mario's set up and be quicker. Mario won the championship in 1978.
Lauda, Prost, Rosberg McLaren 1984-1986
Lauda won the championship by half a point in 1984, Prost won the chamionship in 1985 with poor reliability for Lauda, Rosberg was the perfect foil for Prost in 1986 although Prost still won the championship.
Prost, Senna McLaren 1988-1989
1988 was the most dominant year in F1 history. Senna had the outright speed and aggression, Prost could wait for the race to come to him. Both were blindingly fast in the McLaren MP4/4.
Hill, Villeneuve Williams 1996
With the dominant Williams chassis, the Renault engine and Schumacher starting to build his empire at Ferrari, the title was a definite for one of the two. But which one? It went down to the wire at Suzuka with Hill putting in a dominant display to win and take the title.
Hakkinen, Coulthard McLaren 1996-2001
Hakkinen had the pace and Coulthard could back him up in the races. After a strange start to the season in 1998 Hakkinen took the title and the 1999 honours.
Alonso, Hamilton McLaren 2007
This should have been good on paper. It was good if you discount the politics and the game playing that lost them the drivers title. Not to mention Alonso's major role in getting McLaren excluded from the constructors championship.
Button, Hamilton McLaren 2010-
Seemingly perfect. Team-mates who can push each other faster, can race fairly for position, are apolitical within the team and actually get on together. They seem well on course to deliver McLaren the 2010 constructors championship...which would be nice to put a plaque in the new road cars commemorating the fact.
german tony said:
Alesi/Berger seemed to work well wherever they were. & Berger worked well with Senna apparently.
Berger and Senna were a partnership much in the Hakkinen/Coulthard mould mentioned.. One speedy gonzalez and one solid back up man, but they certainly got on well of the track... I believe they used to stay at each others houses etc, not to mention the infamous practical joking... If teammates being actual mates is one def of a perfect partnership then they are up there...
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