Who do you think is the BEST driver in the world.

[f6fhellcat13]

Kitdy is the greatest driver in the world.
He once induced mild oversteer in an E46.

Kitdy aside, shouldn't this poll be; "Who is your favorite driver?"
If that's the case Bernd Rosemeyer and Fangio would be my picks, though that changes day-to-day.

[Kitdy]

Kitdy is the greatest driver in the world.
He once induced mild oversteer in an E46.

This is a true.

Kitdy aside, shouldn't this poll be; "Who is your favorite driver?"

I'd like to hope people could separate their favourite driver from their view on who is the best (current?) driver.

Then again...

[Ferrer]

I'd like to hope people could separate their favourite driver from their view on who is the best (current?) driver.

Then again...

Comparing different eras and types of motorsports introduces quite a lot of complexity to the matter. And subjectivity.

[Matra et Alpine]

Modern rally driving cannot be compared to even 20 years ago

All the big events are using the same roads each year on the whole.
Stages are now relative "sprints" and so brakes, tyres and suspension settings are much less of a compromise.
Stage and event milage and duration a fraction of what they once were.
Cars now have power steering, brakes, sequential gear changes.

So drivers don't need the stamina.
Co-drivers are MUCH better prepared to provide EXACTLY the knowledge on upcoming corners/yumps/straights to maximise the driver focus on guiding the car. Before a driver ( and co-driver ) were having to have MUCH more focus on trying to read where the roads went. So mental stamina is lower too.
Teams have vast array of knowledge and sensors to decide on settings again reducing a load on the driver in the service parc and whilst driving.

BUT, the peak of focus and physical ability is no doubt raised as speeds are now a lot higher.

We've lost the dedicated spectator sport it once was, but in return have a sport more accessible to many millions more "viewers". I doubt any of todays armchair WRC fans would willingly drive hundreds of miles in the dark to get from one freezing cold spot to see the top 20 cars go through a desolate forest stage to get to another freezing cold spot 2 miles hike in to see the same 20 cars go past. Then to repeat for 3 days

Or maybe it's just as *I* get older I see the appeal of a "spectator stage" 1/2 mile from warm comfortable hotel and TV/web coverage for the rest

... NAH .... nothing can match the memory (sound) of Waldegard in a Stratos in 75 RAC or Roger Clark in Escort in same totally sideways ALL THE TIME

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ub_ElzpYeHM"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ub_ElzpYeHM[/ame]
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkeFbwSiF3E"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkeFbwSiF3E[/ame]
Oh for HD cameras back then. I'm in the service park and in some of those forests

[group c n b man]

Look no further than the WRC. Sebastian Loeb is who all the evidence points to.

[ringle]

In my opinion the driver is secondary to the machinery he is piloting.

Put any F1 driver in a back-marker car and he will finish well behind. Put just about any driver in the best car and he will most probably finish at the top.

Regardless of class or type of motor-sport, the equipment is fundamentally more important than the pilot.

As proof look at any driver in any class of racing that has had success at one time and failure at another (year-to-year), and the main reason will usually come back to a superior or inferior car.

[LeonOfTheDead]

In my opinion the driver is secondary to the machinery he is piloting.

Put any F1 driver in a back-marker car and he will finish well behind. Put just about any driver in the best car and he will most probably finish at the top.

Regardless of class or type of motor-sport, the equipment is fundamentally more important than the pilot.

As proof look at any driver in any class of racing that has had success at one time and failure at another (year-to-year), and the main reason will usually come back to a superior or inferior car.

As far as I can remember, Schumacher's 1994 Benetton wasn't exactly the best car out there.
Surely having a good car is important, but then again there is plenty exaples of drivers that struggles to compete on well established and performing car (stupid example, Raikkonen at his first year with the all winning Citroen C4 WRC), while there are also some drivers managing good or excellent performance with not so good cars (Vettel back in 2008 with the STR).

[Matra et Alpine]

Put any F1 driver in a back-marker car and he will finish well behind. Put just about any driver in the best car and he will most probably finish at the top.

Jackie Stewart and before him Jim Clark demonstrated otherwisem historically.
Being able to take mediocre cars and yet lead the best.
( yes both Scots which is why I know so much of them, am sure we can find examples from all nations )

Regardless of class or type of motor-sport, the equipment is fundamentally more important than the pilot.

I think the problem now is the TRACK is the major factor, thus preventing the skill of the driver demosntrating it head to head.
Perversely, drivers like Senna and Prost were able to use their skill to make the track the key factor in enabling them to WIN races

As proof look at any driver in any class of racing that has had success at one time and failure at another (year-to-year), and the main reason will usually come back to a superior or inferior car.

"success" is moot. WINNING yes, but competing at the front. No.
Again, F! is the worst example as the tracks and stupid rules make the driver much less capable of demonstrating the skill gap.

[henk4]

Look no further than the WRC. Sebastian Loeb is who all the evidence points to.

he just won the Germany Rallye again, for the 8th time in a row, (in fact he won all editions since it started). Now competition this year might not be the strongest, but surely during this whole 8 year period there have been some serious contenders around.

[Matra et Alpine]

Loeb gets my respect for being the worlds best tarmac rally driver talent when he entered WRC and growing his skill over the time to equal the best on the loose stuff.

BUT, seeing how much he is knackered at the end of special stages I'd love to see him do an original Monte or RAC

[henk4]

BUT, seeing how much he is knackered at the end of special stages I'd love to see him do an original Monte or RAC

Academic, just as it is no longer possible to do 24 Le Mans on your own, as Levegh once tried.....and the 23 hours that Chinetti spent behind the wheel on his win together with Lord Selsdon.
Alternatively, he is a driver that apparently is able to give it all and at the same time gets the results. Perhaps if other drivers were as knackered as he apparently is, they might be winning too......so a good driver is combination of driving talent and commitment.

[Matra et Alpine]

^ I agree.

My point in making the comparison is similar to the challenge of decidng who is the best runner.
The one who has the world record at 100m or the one with the world record in the 800m ?

There was a time when a "runner" ran both competitively.
Same with drivers.
SOME did Le Mans and also F1 and F2 and F3 and Saloon cars and in some cases like Jim Clark et al 3 out of the 4 in the same day/weekend

I think "best" is someone who CAN be at the front in many examples, rather than one who is always wins in one. Just me maybe

[henk4]

^ I agree.

My point in making the comparison is similar to the challenge of decidng who is the best runner.
The one who has the world record at 100m or the one with the world record in the 800m ?

There was a time when a "runner" ran both competitively.
Same with drivers.
SOME did Le Mans and also F1 and F2 and F3 and Saloon cars and in some cases like Jim Clark et al 3 out of the 4 in the same day/weekend

I think "best" is someone who CAN be at the front in many examples, rather than one who is always wins in one. Just me maybe

unfortunately F1 drivers these days are contractually bound to do nothing else but F1. And for what is is worth this annual show in Paris (Bercy) where they put drivers against each other from different disciplines, might be a show but does give an indication.
PS: Michael Johnson once had the WR 200 and 400 meters....

[Matra et Alpine]

Had to go look it up as I only remembered "Flying Finn". But when I worked out in Helsinki and TUrku was told of the guy..............
Paavo Nurmi. 1924 Paris Olympics won 1500 m , 5000 m , Individual cross country , 5000 m cross country team , 3000 m team. They would not let him run the 10000m for fear of his health, so he went home and ran to take the world record 10000m.
Now THAT is a "best" in my book
Turku Finns are VERY proud of him.
And got upset when I talked about the "Flying Finns" and how much I loved their driving

[LeonOfTheDead]

AFAIK Loeb did pretty well with a Le Mans prototype too, and even if there aren't many drivers racing with different cars, I suppose that counts for something nonetheless.