Alan Henry's Top 100 Formula One Drivers (Possible Spoilers) - Page 4

Super Hans · 2 Mar 2008, 11:33 (Ref:2142091)

Quote:

Originally Posted by davyboy

I'm sure he's been controversial intentionally to drum up interest in what would ordinarily be just another list of GP stars with the usual trite commentary. I won't be buying it.

You may not agree with his selection, but I think it's unfair to question his integrity.

Knowlesy · 2 Mar 2008, 12:05 (Ref:2142121)

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyn bott

Me too!

Unfortunately Juan Pablo Montoya was the last one to hint at anything like that kind of style.I'd rather likened him to Alesi actually.

It was sometimes said (by Alesi fans usually), but was obviously BS. JPM is capable of driving with his head, as his career honours testify.

There is a difference between the odd rush of blood to the head and driving brainlessly all the time.

Don't get me wrong, I liked Alesi for his excitement and passion, but a top race driver? No.

Marbot · 2 Mar 2008, 12:06 (Ref:2142122)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr V

You'd agree that Mika was better than Michael? Or that Alesi, with his singular win in over 200 GP's is better than JPM with his 7 wins in less than half the amount of GP's that Alesi contested?

Isn't it obvious that the list has nothing to do with achievement!

Knowlesy · 2 Mar 2008, 12:08 (Ref:2142127)

Quote:

Originally Posted by davyboy

I'm sure he's been controversial intentionally to drum up interest in what would ordinarily be just another list of GP stars with the usual trite commentary. I won't be buying it.

davyboy, do you only buy things you agree with?

Ralf's Girl · 2 Mar 2008, 12:14 (Ref:2142135)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

Alesi is the most overrated driver in the history of motorsport. I wouldn't let him drive the school bus.

Very exciting to watch, but ultimately a complete crackpot.

Oh good, so it's not just me who thinks that then. My issue with considering Alesi a top F1 driver is that he always drove against the car - no matter what he was driving, he always seemed to be fighting it (often unnecessarily). And like certain other drivers, he made some poor career moves that left him without any real opportunity to succeed.

Marbot · 2 Mar 2008, 12:28 (Ref:2142158)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ralf's Girl

Oh good, so it's not just me who thinks that then. My issue with considering Alesi a top F1 driver is that he always drove against the car - no matter what he was driving, he always seemed to be fighting it (often unnecessarily).

Considering that most of the time he was driving pre-Brawn,Byrne Ferrari's this isn't really surprising is it.Alesi was always faster than his cars,this is no secret.

strider · 2 Mar 2008, 13:12 (Ref:2142204)

Quote:

Originally Posted by davyboy

I'm sure he's been controversial intentionally to drum up interest in what would ordinarily be just another list of GP stars with the usual trite commentary. I won't be buying it.

I don't believe Alan Henry is the kind of writer who would do that.

Let's face it, any list of this kind is bound to be controversial because it is one man's opinion on a subject that probably no two people would agree about. I would love to see a similar list from, say, Nigel Roebuck. Otherwise there are not many writers about who would have sufficient personal knowledge of the drivers concerned. Even Henry must be basing his opinions on pre-war drivers on things he has read and conversations he has had with others earlier in his career.

Personally, I'm very interested in Bernd Rosemeyer following an article about him in the private section of autosport.com a few weeks back. Every era is different, which is what makes comparison so difficult, but back then it was amazing. Bernd even gave his wife, who was a famous aviator and much better known than him when they first met, a ride around the Nordschleife as a passenger (somehow) in his Auto Union.

davyboy · 2 Mar 2008, 14:16 (Ref:2142251)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

davyboy, do you only buy things you agree with?

Ah, I've been rumbled

Seriously though, I work close to the book publishing industry and this kind of thing is not an untypical tactic to drive sales. 'Top driver' books are not exactly unique, they're pretty easy to put together and even one written by Alan Henry is unlikely to have stood out... unless he dragged some level of controversy into the equation. I'm not interested in parting with my folding stuff to read a tabloidesque approach to something like this.

A much better read is something like David Tremayne's incredibly well researched and written 'The Lost Generation'. If you don't have it, buy or borrow it.

Henry would have been better to deploy his insights over the years in a more interesting way than he's done.

Ralf's Girl · 2 Mar 2008, 14:34 (Ref:2142258)

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyn bott

Considering that most of the time he was driving pre-Brawn,Byrne Ferrari's this isn't really surprising is it.Alesi was always faster than his cars,this is no secret.

I don't actually remember him being that fast - I started watching F1 in the mid-90s, and I couldn't understand, based on his performances, why he was so highly rated. My abiding memory of Alesi is him cruising to a stop in the 1997 Australian GP after several laps of everybody on the pit wall screaming at him to come in for fuel...

davyboy · 2 Mar 2008, 14:39 (Ref:2142262)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ralf's Girl

I don't actually remember him being that fast - I started watching F1 in the mid-90s, and I couldn't understand, based on his performances, why he was so highly rated. My abiding memory of Alesi is him cruising to a stop in the 1997 Australian GP after several laps of everybody on the pit wall screaming at him to come in for fuel...

His first few outings in the Tyrrell [1989/1990] were sensational and he was lauded in an not disimilar way to Lewis Hamilton today. He went to Ferrari after that and the wheels seemed to come off his career. Eddie Jordan said that Alesi was a difficult person to manage/motivate with big emotional needs. He went to Ferrari at a real low point for them and the marraige didn't really work out.

Knowlesy · 2 Mar 2008, 14:43 (Ref:2142265)

Quote:

Originally Posted by davyboy

David Tremayne's incredibly well researched and written 'The Lost Generation'. If you don't have it, buy or borrow it.

However, the fascination with this book of Henry's is not the order of the top 100, it will be how he justifies the choices. I fail to see how this can not be fascinating to read.

I am consumed with rage

that Alesi got close to the top 50 (and beat JPM in the process!) but I can't wait to read it.

jedrinck · 2 Mar 2008, 15:14 (Ref:2142276)

I agree with the theory that the list was edited with book sales in mind. Every F1 fan will find something he strongly disagrees with and if 10% of us want to know how the author came to his respective conclusions and buy a copy, good for him!

First I thought Schumi not even being in the top 10 would be the best sales trick, but now I have to wonder how DC made it to 59!

Marbot · 2 Mar 2008, 15:16 (Ref:2142278)

Quote:

Originally Posted by davyboy

He went to Ferrari at a real low point for them and the marraige didn't really work out.

He ought to have gone to Williams really.

Alain Prost had previously labelled his Ferrari a "Truck" before getting the push.This didn't however seem to put Jean off joining the team.His driving style couldn't have been more different from Prosts and gave the impression that he was trying much harder.The fans loved this,as they did when Mansell drove for them.All to no avail.

**Bononi** · 2 Mar 2008, 15:57 (Ref:2142304)

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyn bott

He ought to have gone to Williams really.

Alain Prost had previously labelled his Ferrari a "Truck" before getting the push.This didn't however seem to put Jean off joining the team.His driving style couldn't have been more different from Prosts and gave the impression that he was trying much harder.The fans loved this,as they did when Mansell drove for them.All to no avail.

Berger and Alesi were a "great couple" at Ferrari... I can remember Alesi making the pole in Monza and then slowing down, waving to the crowd and a crazy Berger in a flying lap crashing to avoid running into Alesi's Ferrari !

Super Hans · 2 Mar 2008, 15:58 (Ref:2142306)

Quote:

Originally Posted by davyboy

'Top driver' books are not exactly unique, they're pretty easy to put together and even one written by Alan Henry is unlikely to have stood out... unless he dragged some level of controversy into the equation. I'm not interested in parting with my folding stuff to read a tabloidesque approach to something like this.

There'd be something controversial in anyone's list though. If I listed my top 100 it'd be controversial, if you did yours it'd be controversial (no Gilles in the top 20?).

alonso11 · 2 Mar 2008, 16:07 (Ref:2142313)

it seems the less F1 stars you discovered/introduced the more compelling it gets to release your "top100 F1 drivers of all times" list ... would be nice to see a similar list by Flav or Herr Sauber though

**Bononi** · 2 Mar 2008, 16:20 (Ref:2142323)

I really would like to read from TGF and the likes their list of Top 100...

Super Hans · 2 Mar 2008, 17:33 (Ref:2142384)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bononi

I really would like to read from TGF and the likes their list of Top 100...

Michael Schumacher famously takes little interest in F1 history, so I can't imagine we'll be seeing his Top 100 list anytime soon.

Knowlesy · 2 Mar 2008, 17:34 (Ref:2142386)

1. Jean Todt
2. Ross Brawn
3. Nigel Stepney
4. Rory Byrne
...
...
...

**Peter Mallett** · 2 Mar 2008, 17:37 (Ref:2142389)

....................... Mike Coughlan

davyboy · 2 Mar 2008, 17:49 (Ref:2142399)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Super Hans

There'd be something controversial in anyone's list though. If I listed my top 100 it'd be controversial, if you did yours it'd be controversial (no Gilles in the top 20?).

Ah ya, but neither you nor I are Alan Henry, nor did we just publish a book we need to sell.

Maybe the question is really whether we need another 'top F1 drivers' book at all... and why would anyone want to buy Henry's list just to hear his reasons for producing it... its a bit like buying a copy of the Labour Party manifesto in order to read why Unflash Gordon chose his policies.

Knowlesy · 2 Mar 2008, 18:01 (Ref:2142410)

...and then discussing it on a forum.

davyboy · 2 Mar 2008, 18:11 (Ref:2142416)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

...and then discussing it on a forum.

Ya, exactly. Maybe those of us who've contributed to this thread need to take stock of ourselves and get a life... me most of all

Marbot · 2 Mar 2008, 18:12 (Ref:2142418)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Super Hans

Michael Schumacher famously takes little interest in F1 history, so I can't imagine we'll be seeing his Top 100 list anytime soon.

Michael who?!

Knowlesy · 2 Mar 2008, 18:12 (Ref:2142419)

We're all geeks davyboy, share in our geekdom without shame.

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