Who is the best driver in Formula 1?

[Swoop]

If it is all time then of course it is M. Shumacher.

Disagree.  Fangio.

Closely followed by Sterling Moss.

[Holden McGroin]

According to Autocar, in history it's

1.       Stirling Moss
2.       Jimmy Clark
3.       Ayrton Senna
4.       Alain Prost
5.       Alberto Ascari
6.       Juan-Manuel Fangio
7.       Bernd Rosemeyer
8.       Jackie Stewart
9.       Tazio Nuvolari
10.     Mika Häkkinen
11.     Michael Schumacher
12.     Gilles Villeneuve
13.     Chris Amon
14.     Tony Brooks
15.     Carlos Reutemann
16.     Achille Varzi
17.     Emerson Fittipaldi
18.     Jack Brabham
19.     Mario Andretti
20.     Niki Lauda

I would swap the first two around.

[SIK1]

According to Autocar, in history it's

1.       Stirling Moss
2.       Jimmy Clark
3.       Ayrton Senna
4.       Alain Prost
5.       Alberto Ascari
6.       Juan-Manuel Fangio
7.       Bernd Rosemeyer
8.       Jackie Stewart
9.       Tazio Nuvolari
10.     Mika Häkkinen
11.     Michael Schumacher
12.     Gilles Villeneuve
13.     Chris Amon
14.     Tony Brooks
15.     Carlos Reutemann
16.     Achille Varzi
17.     Emerson Fittipaldi
18.     Jack Brabham
19.     Mario Andretti
20.     Niki Lauda

I would swap the first two around.

Carp I say Mika Hakkinen ahead of Schumacher. Shumi won one of his titles in a Benetton(sp) for cod sakes. Hakkinen did what exactly, besides retire?

MrCoffee FIY Las Vegas sportsbooks will not take bets on F1 Because of Shumi letting Barrichello(sp) pass for the win at Indy a few years back.

Senna and Prost were great fun to watch, but if you look at all the records Shumacher has, he eclipses them both, as well as Fangio.
I was a big fan of Senna's because he was so intense and I almost quit watching F1 after his death, but I had been watching Shumacher come up and he kept me in it.

[Masherbrum]

Shumacher is exceptional and one of the best if not best with most titles. however keep in mind, the gay team/driver rules at ferrari where theyre not allowed to race each other. senna and prost were bitter rivals and I think the three of them are all in the same category of rare talent. Both senna or prost could have accomplished the same thing in the same situation, vice versa. edit: I'll add that mansell was also exceptional, perhaps better than many of the modern drivers today or recent years. 1 title (not counting indy) and many close ones because he had to contend with prost then senna.

Schumacher's abilities never approached Senna's.   

1.  Senna
2.  Fangio

Everyone else.

[-tronski-]

MrCoffee FIY Las Vegas sportsbooks will not take bets on F1 Because of Shumi letting Barrichello(sp) pass for the win at Indy a few years back.

Actually Hakkinen and Coulthard pulled that trick  earlier in '98 Australia, and the year before that in Jerez


Early '07 the fastest all time according to F1 Racing magazine were: (the top 25 out of 50)

1. Ayrton Senna
2. Michael Schumacher
3. Jim Clark
4. Nigel Mansell
5. Ronnie Peterson
6. Juan Manuel Fangio
7. Mika Hakkinen
8. Fernando Alonso
9. Sir Jackie Stewart
10. Jochen Rindt
11. Gilles Villeneuve
12. Stirling Moss
13. Kimi Raikkonen
14. Alain Prost
15. Nelson Piquet
16. Alberto Ascari
17. Emerson Fittipaldi
18. Niki Lauda
19. Stefan Bellof
20. Keke Rosberg
21. James Hunt
22. Alan Jones
23. Francois Cevert
24. Chris Amon

 Tronsky

[68Wooley]

Just out of interest, what is it about Finland that lets such a relatively small country produce so many great drivers? Not just in F1, but in WRC as well.

[Gh0stFT]

i dont like this kind of listings, Clark never driven against Senna, or Schumacher, he never raced
agianst Fangio, so this listings are based on what ? pure BS.

Since 1950 only 29 Driver won the World Championship. Those are the best of the best.
But you cant really compare each other as long they dont race togheter.

At the end this is the real thing -> : http://www.motorsport-total.com/f1/db/drivers/stats/wcs.php
not based on speculations.

But Fanboys will allways have his own heros.
In the early '90 i was a hughe Senna Fan, and today i like Hamilton alot.
Schumacher was outstanding, very talented driver. He still dont have enough,
now he races Superbikes! imagine that

[rogerdee]

if senna had been alive longer i dont think schumacer would have won so many titles.

The new season looks like its going to be goo now traction control and engine breaking have gone.
Kubica and heidfield are the ones to watch at the moment with there BMWS
Kimi has the best car at the moment,but he didnt last year and wouldnt have won if maclaren handent farted around  in the last few races.

[cpxxx]

68Wooley, there's something about Finns alright. Odd people, aliens maybe

The Autocar list putting Schumacher as No.11 makes the whole list a farce. No way is he below Hakkinen. That judgement is based more on the fact the a lot of people don't like him.

Fangio and Stirling Moss are still No 1 and 2 though. Fangio was extraordinary in that he won all those races and Championship at an age when most modern drivers have retired. He quit racing aged 47.

What I always believe is a pity the way in recent years the new hot driver appears just when the old hot drivers bows out or dies. Schumacher arrived just as Senna is killed. So they never really had a rivalry. Now Hamilton appears just as Schumacher quits. But the jury is still out on Hamilton. He's good but is he great? Time will tell. 

[BlauK]

Just out of interest, what is it about Finland that lets such a relatively small country produce so many great drivers? Not just in F1, but in WRC as well.

Must be the Sauna

No way should Schumacher be below Häkkinen. Schumi should be at tha top, point of view (which ever historical comparisons) may shift him between 1st and 3rd, but at top 3 anyways.

[Dowding]

Hamilton is still young and new to the game. I think he will be great - he was only beaten by one point last year after a pretty tumultuous season with lots of distracting off-strack shennanigans.

[-tronski-]

I personally don't believe Hamilton had the nerve to win it last year - he was after all a rookie, and a number of times I think the pressure got to him when older cooler heads would've prevailed...China and Brazil were clangers!!
This year I'm not so sure either - but it could be interesting

 Tronsky

[Masherbrum]

Hamilton is still young and new to the game. I think he will be great - he was only beaten by one point last year after a pretty tumultuous season with lots of distracting off-strack shennanigans.

I agree.    Hamilton looked mighty impressive.   

[Masherbrum]

Schumacher was Top 10, but not Top 5.   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cA3Hy0pTjNk&feature=related

What people don't know about Senna's wet track racing is that he DIDN'T use Rain tires.   He used the slicks because they didn't have to be changed as often.   But with the video when folks realize he was in a GROSSLY UNDERPOWERED Ford powered McLaren and managed to finish 2nd in 1993.   

Senna - 65 Poles from 161 races
Schumi - It took him until his 236th race to break it.     

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4uNSYTnhnA&feature=related

Mika embarrassed Schumacher at Spa in 2000.

[SIK1]

Just out of interest, what is it about Finland that lets such a relatively small country produce so many great drivers? Not just in F1, but in WRC as well.

My personal beliefe is that Fins learn great car control from driving in the ice and snow. Being that far north what else is there to do in the winter beside fight, fornicate, and race. (paraphrased from Smokey Yunick)