f1king
Well Mario is still alive for one and no one can argue that he isnt the best of all time.
Oh, I think they can. Mario was very very good, but he was more of a worker than a flare guy, which puts him in the Prost mould. And also, when discussing the career of Mario Andretti, it is worth doing some research on the automotive product STP. Think Southern Italy.
It is also interesting to note that the STP support is never, ever, mentioned in Gordon Kirby's official Andretti biography, whereas other major sponsorships that Mario acquired were.
I'm not saying that Andretti wasn't any good, but he definitely got where he got because he received significant financial support.
Mansell isnt dead he has to be up there in the ranks of the best.
The best what? Whinger? Mansell's F1 and ChampCar championships were both at the wheel of the car that was the class of the field. Mansell had flashes of genius, but these do not place him anywhere near Senna.
On the other hand Prost as good as he was he will never be looked at as an icon.
I think Prost's "Professor" tag will stick for a while, and he will definitely remain in the top three Most Intelligent F1 drivers for a good few decades.
As far as Dale goes he was thought to be the best before he died. So I dont know if a driver has to die to be seen as great.
My point was that Dale's death would elevate him to the point where people will simply cease to compare others to him.
vat_man
I'd normally roll my eyes at old threads being revived, but this actually made pretty good reading - two and a half years ago! I'm pretty happy with my calls - shame about Heidfeld.
Yep, you were on the money.
With regard to Heidfeld, I think that his career was killed by the reintroduction of traction control. I think this after watching him drive. He's very measured on the brakes, and then also on the throttle. He coaxes the car, teasing more and more grip out of it. This is not the way to be quick in 2004-F1. To be quick nowadays, you have to throw the car at the corner hard on the brakes, let the active diff hold the turn-in oversteer for you, then mash the throttle on exit. Traction control equalises everyone's exit (within the parameters of the car's performance), and so all the time is made up on entry. Heidfeld's entry style is relatively slow given that it doesn't need to be used to hold the car or initiate the exit phase.
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