With 2009 over, The Sun revises ‘best ever’ list
November 3, 2009 by SJ Skid
Filed under People & Events, SJ Skid
Do you suppose newly crowned world champ Jenson Button made the list?
Nah, no way a single-time winner, who still has his full career ahead of him, would be ahead of the likes of Emerson Fittipaldi, right.
Er…
Here’s The Sun’s breakdown:
10. Lewis Hamilton.
I told you “Er…”
9. Nelson Piquet Jr.
I’m kidding! Nelson Piquet Senior!
8. Niki Lauda.
They have to make sure they can get a quick quote when needed.
7. Jack Bradham
No arguments there.
6. Sir Jackie Stewart
Again, I have no quarrels. And I’m a big fan of his efforts on behalf of the sport since he retired.
5. Jim Clark
At 5?!! The top 4 better be stunning.
4. Juan Manuel Fangio
OK, I get it… but better than Clark?
3. Ayrton Senna
How often do you see Senna out of the top 2?
2. Alain Prost
You see Senna out of the top 2 when Prost is in it.
1. Michael Schumacher
At this point, you don’t even have to look at the link to know. But I checked, just to make sure they didn’t have Luca Badoer or Giancarlo Fisichella there.
Now, I have to admit, I’m a huge fan of these stupid, argument-inducing and hackneyed journalist lists. Can’t help myself.
Anyone want to argue this top 10? Names that should be included? Names that are an affront by being on here?
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Maybe they put Hamilton in the top 10 because he’s the only driver who made so many mistakes and still won the championship the same year… Seriously, what is he doing there?? I’d put Häkkinen or Alonso in 10th.
Apparently the list is considering almost only , but not only, the number of championships won.
1.- 7
2.- 4
3.- 3
4.- 3
5.- 5
6.- 3
7.- 3
8.- 3
9.- 3
10.- 1!
So, no double world champions considered??? (indeed Fittipaldi, Hakkinen and Alonso, most notably)
You can put not many names in front of Hamilton, I’d say to his favor. Granted for the guys above, but he is certainly above the rest. He’d likely be in 15th of all time, and he’s still climbing that ladder.
Hmm, on a second thought even Jacques Villeneuve could be in his place! If you consider the only first years of their respective carrers!
I don’t realy know, it’s so difficult to measure!
Moss? You can hardly hold no championship against him with Fangio and Brabham on the list.
And forget Fittipaldi et al., if Hamilton is included (presumably) because we get to imagine what a great career he will have, then move Sir Jackie up, because we should also get to imagine how dominant he would have been for another five years if he hadn’t retired at 34. He already had the all-time record for wins and won six his last year, it’s not like he was getting old or anything.
… look at it this way: LH is the only modern F1 driver, behing Michael Schumacher, to have a more than 50% rate of podiums per race entered.
That’s simply astonishing, nevermind he’s a lucky guy for landing McMerc at his first season.
Thats the only reason his record looks so good too.
Hard to believe Ascari is not on their list!
hydrogenvodka, Clark only won 2 WCs, but it may have as well been 5. On some lists, he is ranked #1.
It seems that if they are ranking Hamilton because of the career that awaits him, then shouldn’t they have ranked Vettel at #9 or something?
I’ve got a sneaky feeling we are all giving the Sun’s ranking system too much credit! Hamilton’s position – in my view – is largely out of the paper’s desire to have a current, UK, driver in the list to show how he can climb the ladder.
I think Lewis will have a fantastic career (he’s had three pretty darned impressive seasons so far) – but to put him up there already is premature at best.
For driving flair and natural talent, I personally would like to see Gilles Villeneuve on there instead, it would be a nice way to acknowledge that championships aren’t everything. Or – with my patriotic cap on – pick any of Moss, Mansell, Hawthorn or even John Surtees, though that would be more in honour of his astonishing motorcycling career coupled with an F1 World Championship, as more worthy winners of the tenth spot. For now, at least.
I am often accused of berating Lewis and that’s not the case. I consider him the driver, and team, of the year in 2009. He was terrific! BUT…while his strike rate is very, very good…I can’t help but think Tazio Nuvolari should most definitely be in the top ten and yes, more so than Lewis at this point. BUT…Lewis may make it to the top of this list if he keeps it up.
Sorry but as a foreigner i really don’t know what sort of newspaper The Sun is, i remember it was a newspaper with girsl with big boops, but maybe i’m wrong.. i imagine the f1 expert of the sun has seen too many boops and and only some gp!
if Shouey lived in the 70 he probably wouldn’t have survived to silverstone, and had retired with only two championship..
in my opinion it’s impossible to compare different ages, but at the end the best ever has to be found from the 20es till the 70es, because this time f1 was an extreme sport and the best was who survive,and risk his life every week, and maybe the best has died racing. Winning and suriving, this was to be a great champion.
Fangio, Moss, Clark , Stewart, Nuvolari, Caracciola.. Shouey and Lewis do simply another sport. I still love f1 and i’m thankful now we cannot see tragedies every year, even if sadly this year we’ve lost young surtees, but in my opinion the old racers were the biggest considering the risk of racing..
Never thought this website would take “Sun” rating seriously. At their best Sun can comeup with is 10 Best Swimsuit clad models, 10 secrets in Life of Nicole and Lewis ( Or Jenson and Michi%^whoever). I would rate NOTW ahead of Sun at least they had given the world to catch Max with his Pants down, Its sad that he did a Houdini and walked out of that Corner
I did toy with posting the Sun’s story about Jenson unleashing a profanity live on the BBC before the podium ceremony at Abu Dhabi. :)
As I said, I’m a sucker for lists — and the sketchier, the more fun. Just some light diversion for us all.
I think you may be taking this a little to serious. :) We haven’t considered the Sun as our wellspring of accurate journalism but it does make for fun discussion. I, like SJ, like lists and it is always fun to get a list and then discuss.
Seriously, where was Nigel Mansell? And Prost above Senna, really?
I’m sticking with Alonso’s comments about how Hamilton was probably really luckey to have such a fantastic rookie season. Don’t get me wrong, the kid has Madd skillz. Just not top 10 ever after 3 years good. And Mika or Alfonso defninately need to be above Lew (so far, he’s got time to prove hisself better(and Alonso has time to follow the path of Schuey and win 5 titles with Ferrari)).