[Training] What are the attributes of an F1 WINNER?

[amon mars]

Winning a Formula 1 race is an event experienced by very few people. Furthermore, to win a race takes the application of a very broad range of skills, abilities and attributes. It is suggested aggression is one attribute that sorts the winners out from other race starters. Farina, Senna, Schumacher and Vettel are all names synonymous with the attribute of aggression on the circuit and have enjoyed their fair share of wins.

This thread asks: what are the skills, abilities and attributes demonstrated by Formula 1 race winners and aspirants?

The idea here is for participants to identify the most important aspects of a Formula 1 drivers skill set.

[E.B]

Probably the most important part of becoming a winner in F1 is getting your timing right.....

..... that is the timing of having a contract with the best team / best car of the year.

J. Villeneuve at Williams being a good example.

[E.B]

Probably the most important part of becoming a winner in F1 is getting your timing right.....

..... that is the timing of having a contract with the best team / best car of the year.

J. Villeneuve at Williams being a good example.
Webber at Red Bull another.

[newlaprecord]

Winning one race, sometimes only involves being one of the 3 finishing cars like Oliver Panis.

I also think that 95% of Formula1 drivers are born-winners, it really takes a fair bit of "right team / right time" scenarios as mentioned above to actually put victories next to their names, but they are born-winners, apart from a few pay-drivers they all have the killer instics and the DNA of a winner.

[Knowlesy]

Talent, luck and a cool head when the opportunity arises.

[bella]

natural race-face.

a lack of need for any brain training or shrinks to teach you how to focus and prepare. those who can zone in and out naturally without needing to learn how to do it don't get distracted, and have no need to learn.

[boyracer019]

I think also the willingness to place yourself and your opponent into mortal danger

Alonso (I think) vs TGF at Suzuka - alonso around the outside of Schui on 130R - "He has 2 kids so would always back out"

[Andy77]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

Talent, luck and a cool head when the opportunity arises.

An exception like Nick Heidfeld proves the luck point in your thesis because he still hunts for the luck
If Nick only once has just the bit of luck someone like Jean Alesi had, he might put that one win under his belt

[Super Hans]

The skillz to pay da billz.

[Knowlesy]

Originally Posted by Andy77

An exception like Nick Heidfeld proves the luck point in your thesis because he still hunts for the luck
If Nick only once has just the bit of luck someone like Jean Alesi had, he might put that one win under his belt

He certainly deserves it. Infinitely better driver than Alesi ever was!

[Bononi]

Beyond the skills to drive an F1 car :

The right car.
The right place.
The right time.

Some people call it luck. Luck is to be prepared when the opportunity comes.

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

He certainly deserves it. Infinitely better driver than Alesi ever was!

Pah, never!!

[Razor]

Um, Charlie Sheen? He's always a WINNER!

[Knowlesy]

Originally Posted by chunterer

Pah, never!!

[Wims]

Tiger blood

[amon mars]

The summary of attributes to win an F1 race gleaned from this thread so far are:
Aggression;
the timing of having a contract with the best team / best car of the year;
95% of Formula1 drivers are born-winners;
the DNA of a winner;
Talent, luck and a cool head when the opportunity arises;
natural race-face;
those who can zone in and out naturally;
the willingness to place yourself and your opponent into mortal danger;
The skillz to pay da billz;
The right car. The right place. The right time;
Luck is to be prepared when the opportunity comes;
Tiger blood;


It would be good if an actual past or present F1 driver responded sharing their thoughts: out of their experience we could really learn something important.

[amon mars]

The analysis of this thread indicates that F1 drivers or future aspirants do not read ten-tenths forum entries or choose not to post a reply. Why this should be the case: we can only speculate on the reason. But I would have thought as a human with red blood in their veins who were born naked like the rest of us mere mortals, they would have an opinion on the subject matter of this worthwhile forum: which is of interest to us the spectating public. Maybe F1 drivers and aspirants are too busy to share their opinion and advice with ten-tenths readers? The comparison is interesting when you think of how the Australian V8 Supercar driver Peter Brock was renowned as a person who would spend as much time as humanly possible conversing with his fans: even when his team around him were trying to drag him away so he would leave the circuit after the race! If Peter Perfect was around today in this time of online forums, I’d be confident he’d answer the questions posed by motorsports’ enthusiast! It must be such a chore for an F1 driver to offer an opinion to us: the great unwashed motorsports’ spectators! P.S. maybe they can’t drive a computer!

[newlaprecord]

Mark Webber!

[newlaprecord]

sorry I thought you meant whiner

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by newlaprecord

sorry I thought you meant whiner

In many cases they are much the same thing.

[Knowlesy]

I think the reason F1 drivers don't post here is largely because they don't have time/have better things to do amon mars.

There are, or have been, F1 drivers frequenting the forum and posting quite regularly before.

[garcon]

But I bet a lot of them are paranoid enough to read the forums, just to see what people are saying about them.

What does it take to be a winner? Absolute focus and determination. A single minded will to win. Total dedication to making it happen. And ruthlessness.

Of course there are occasional lucky ones. For example, I would never, ever describe Jacques Villeneuve as a winner.

[Knowlesy]

Now come on garcon. I am no JV fan, far from it, but he has achieved some notable successes! He can at least look back over his career and say he has won some topline titles.

The last 12 years of his career have been all kinds of though.

[E.B]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

I think the reason F1 drivers don't post here is largely because they don't have time/have better things to do amon mars.

There are, or have been, F1 drivers frequenting the forum and posting quite regularly before.

Perhaps they dont wish to publicly admit that the driver nowadays is a minor, or less significant part in the equation. Great cars win championships.

As we have seen frequently of late the attributes needed to win races and championships are a great, generally the best, car. End of story. Even a great driver cannot win championships in a substandard car. Schumacher, Alonso, Hamilton, Raikkonen, Button, the list goes on, but all have won championships. Equally all have looked far more average in inferior cars. However, I do admit that a great driver can make an inferior car perhaps look better than it actually is.

[Knowlesy]

That is the accepted nature of the sport though. And the drivers always acknowledge how important the car is.

Apart from Nigel Mansell of course, who did it all by himself, running round the circuits in plimsolls and shorts.