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Niki Lauda's career certainly didn't decline over a long period (although he found it tough in 1984, but against Prost, why wouldn't you? and in 1985, he seemed notably slower relative to Alain at a time where he was coming into his own), but when watching season reviews in the time of his career, it's striking just how often he was up front. He feasibly could have won a few more in the 70s had the car been up to it and had near-disaster not intervened in '76.
When reviewing the best drivers ever, his name often gets overlooked, as he doesn't seem to crop up in many people's top lists, but he achieved so much.
Someone mentioned Jarno Trulli fairly early on. He's a curious case. Actually, throughout most his pre-Renault F1 career, he looked one of those good but not-that-good types, like Fisichella. But he seemed to really step up when handed a Renault. Okay, I know it was early in Alonso's F1 career, but Trulli was often ahead. Just what happened? I hear he fell out with Flavio, but how did that impact on his form (before being dropped)? Did he just let his head drop or was he hampered on strategy, or what? It's an odd one, because he's been treading water for a while now.
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