Top 10 drivers of the last 10 years (98-08)

[ralf fan]

Was just wondering what the forum thought about the current challengers vs those of ten years ago(and a few in between). In the last ten years there has been quite a shift and an emphasis on youth when it comes to picking drivers. Top spot probably won't be heavily disputed but am curious to know how you would sort the other challengers in the last ten years and where you would put some of the youngsters of today (if they feature) on the list as compared to some of the experienced guys who have driven in the last ten years. Anyway my list is as follows:

1. M Schumacher
2. F Alonso
3. M Hakkinen
4. K Raikkonen
5. L Hamilton
6. R Kubica
7. JP Montoya
8. F Massa
9. J Button
10. D Coulthard

The top 5 were easy enough from my perspective. However P6-10 were extremely difficult. Should i have included someone like JV who drove for a bulk of the seasons in the last ten years but had his best form in 96 and 97. Also someone like Webber and Barrichello who have plodded solidly and got some decent results in the last ten years. I also had a strong inclination to include Sebastien Vettel who i think has a lot more potential than Button and Coulthard but hasn't achieved much as yet. I also think Hamilton will eventually feature higher on this list but for now 5th it is. What about you folks?

[Super Hans]

Good thread RF.

1. Fernando Alonso
2. Michael Schumacher
3. Lewis Hamilton
4. Mika Hakkinen
5. Kimi Raikkonen
6. Juan Pablo Montoya
7. Mark Webber
8. Rubens Barrichello
9. David Coulthard
10. Jarno Trulli

As you say, there are a variety of criteria you could base such a list on, but I've just gone with my gut feeling at this present time.

[mattt]

1. M Schumacher
2. M Hakkinen
3. F Alonso
4. L Hamilton
5. K Raikkonen
6. JP Montoya
7. F Massa
8. R Barrichello
9. J Trulli
10. J Button

[Raven]

1. Lewis Hamilton
2. Fernando Alonso
3. Michael Schumacher
4. Mika Hakkinen
5. Kimi Raikkonen
6. Juan Pablo Montoya
7. Rubens Barrichello
8. David Coulthard
9. Eddie Irvine
10. Ralf Schumacher

[Bononi]

1. Lewis Hamilton
2. Jean Alesi
3. Jacques Villeneuve
4. Juan Pablo Montoya
5. Heinz-Harald Frentzen
6. David Coulthard
7. Jarno Trulli
8. Nick Jeidfeld
9. Olivier Panis
10. Mark Webber

There's no doubt that Lewis Hamilton should top every list.

[cptkablamo]

1 M Schumacher
2 Alonso
3 Hakkinen
4 Montoya
5 Frentzen
6 Hamilton
7 Villeneuve
8 Raikkonen
9 Irvine
10 Heidfeld

Bit of reason...

Hamilton will prob be #1 unless he does awfully in the next few years...he only has ever driven the Mclaren which is why he is behind HHF who did great things in that Jordan and ok things in the Williams (although that is not counted...)...and Irvine stepped up to the plate when MS was injured and would have been WC if the pitstop at Nurburgring was not botched...the top was fairly easy...the bottom 2 were really hard...

[Alex Hodgkinson]

1 M Schumacher
2 Hakkinen
3 Alonso
4 Raikkonen
5 Montoya
6 Frentzen
7 Barrichello
8 Hamilton
9 Verstappen
10 Takagi


Schumacher #1 because he won everything with stonking drive after stonking drive.

Hakkinen second for his 98-99 performances, although mid '99 was shakey for him.

Alonso for pretty much everything he's done in his F1 career, from the Minardi days, his two championships through to his present day form.

Raikkonen I placed 4th because he's always been there or there abouts. Some superb drives at McLaren, often let down by the car but it still lasted long enough to show off his talent.

Montoya was always a fighter so I think fifth is where he falls.

Frentzen - 1999.

Barrichello, put in some good drives in the Stewart, eased ever closer to Schumacher while at Ferrari and it currently overshadowing his (previously?) highly rated team mate.

Hamilton has only just appeared, and I have seen people start their careers just as impressively. JV anyone?

Verstappen put in some incredible drives in the Orange Arrows!

Tora Takagi #10. He really was overlooked in my mind. Always qualified well, such as in the 1998 Tyrrell in which he often started in the midfield. Pre-season testing went well too, I remember him being 3rd/4th at most of the Barcelona tests! Overshadowed De La Rosa at Arrows in 1999, so I believe he deserved a better drive.

[Shoe-maker]

M.Schumacher
Hakkinen
Alonso
Raikkonen
R.Schumacher
Hamilton
Frentzen
Barrichello
Coulthard
Trulli

[Ultimo]

Originally Posted by Bononi

1. Lewis Hamilton
2. Jean Alesi
3. Jacques Villeneuve
4. Juan Pablo Montoya
5. Heinz-Harald Frentzen
6. David Coulthard
7. Jarno Trulli
8. Nick Jeidfeld
9. Olivier Panis
10. Mark Webber

There's no doubt that Lewis Hamilton should top every list.

Who am I to comment on other people's selections, but no Michael Schumacher in the top ten drivers of the last decade?

Really?

[Mr V]

Originally Posted by Ultimo

Who am I to comment on other people's selections, but no Michael Schumacher in the top ten drivers of the last decade?

Really?

I'm with Bon on this one, he didn't really do enough to prove his worth

[Fish_Flake]

1. Michael Schumacher
2. Mika Hakkinen
3. Fernando Alonso
4. Kimi Raikkonen
5. Juan Pablo Montoya
6. David Coulthard
7. Lewis Hamilton
8. Rubens Barrichello
9. Heinz-Herald Frentzen
10. Ralf Schumacher

[koper]

1. Hamilton
2. Hamilton
3. Hamilton
4. Hamilton
5. Hamilton
6. Hamilton
7. Hamilton
8. Hamilton
9. Hamilton
10. Hamilton

[MichaelH]

1. Michael Schumacher
2. Fernando Alonso
3. Mika Hakkinen
4. Kimi Raikkonen
5. David Coulthard
6. Lewis Hamilton
7. Felipe Massa
8. Rubens Barrichello
9. Ralf Schumacher
10. Giancarlo Fisichella

honourable mention; Eddie Irvine, Jarno Trulli, Jacques Villeneuve, Robert Kubica.

[Ralf's Girl]

1. Michael Schumacher
2. Fernando Alonso
3. Kimi Raikkonen
4. Lewis Hamilton
5. Mika Hakkinen
6. Juan Pablo Montoya
7. Felipe Massa
8. David Coulthard
9. Ralf Schumacher
10. Rubens Barrichello

Not entirely sure how I figured this out, just a gut feeling! I think if I was doing this in a couple of years' time, Kubica would probably be on there, and maybe even Heikki, but I haven't quite seen enough from them just yet to rate them above the 10 on my list.

[Sev]

Originally Posted by Bononi

1. Lewis Hamilton
2. Jean Alesi
3. Jacques Villeneuve
4. Juan Pablo Montoya
5. Heinz-Harald Frentzen
6. David Coulthard
7. Jarno Trulli
8. Nick Jeidfeld
9. Olivier Panis
10. Mark Webber

There's no doubt that Lewis Hamilton should top every list.

I would say there's quite a lot of doubt about Hamilton topping every list Also as noted before, no Schumacher? And, Alesi and Panis haven't driven in the last 10 years...

As for my list:

1. Schumacher
2. Alonso
3. Hakkinen
4. Raikkonen
5. Hamilton
6. Montoya
7. Massa
8. Kubica
9. Coulthard
10. Barrichello

[Speedworx]

1. Raikkonen
2. Alonso
3. Schumacher
4. Hakkinen
5. Kubica
6. Barrichello
7. Montoya
8. Hamilton
9. Massa
10. Coulthard

[Super Hans]

Originally Posted by Sev

Alesi and Panis haven't driven in the last 10 years...

Erm...

Alesi

1999 - Sauber
2000 - Prost
2001 - Prost / Jordan

Panis

1999 - Prost
2001 - BAR
2002 - BAR
2003 - Toyota
2004 - Toyota

[Adam43]

My top ten over than 11 years (well 10 and a bit). I've taken into account the relevance over these years.

1. Michael Schumacher.
Frankly suprised at any other choice, but hey.
2. Alonso
3. Hakinen
4. Raikkonen
5. Montoya
6. Coulthard
7. Barrichello
8. Massa
9. Hamilton
10. Ralf

Some of those frm 5 down could be mixed up and I wouldn't really disagree.

[beau1]

1. Michael Schumacher. (Honestly, even if you didn't like the man, how could you not.)
2. Mika Hakkinen. (2 WDC's very relaxed but a harder worker)
3. Fernando Alonso (2 WDC's, is currently driving the heck out of that Renault)
4. Kimi Raikkonen (1 WDC, Very quick, relaxed but very lazy and acts like he doesn't really care about what he should be doing)
5. Juan Pablo Montoya (Very quick, but never really showed his full power apart from 2003)
6. Robert Kubica (Brilliantly quick, also name me a bad race he has had that was his fault?)
7. Damon Hill (I didn't used to like him but I gained a lot of respect for him during the Jordan years)
8. Lewis Hamilton (Quick, but cracks very easily with pressure, hasn't really had a hard road to the top and comes across as arrogant)
9. Felipe Massa (He's grown up a lot over the last 2 years, and when he's out in front in is Schumi-Esque)
10. Ralf Schumacher (He had 2-3 impressive years but then after his accident at Indy he seemed to lose all his motivation and speed, a forgotton talent. Also came across as a bit arrogant, more so than his brother).

[Dixie Flatline]

Like some others, I'm surprised to see lists without TGF as the top choice, let alone not in the ten drivers of the last ten years.

1. TGF (I don't like him, but his record speaks for itself)
2. Mika Hakkinen (double world champion in a time when TGF was in peak form)
3. Fernando Alonso (double world champion)
4. Kimi Raikkonen
5. Juan Pablo Montoya
6. Damon Hill
7. David Coulthard
8. Gianluca Fisichella
9. Jenson Button
10. Rubens Barrichello

I've gone for longevity in my spots from 7-10. Hamilton hasn't done enough to make my list at this stage, but he, Massa and Kubica are knocking on the door.

Over the timeframe, JV had some woeful cars to drive but he also, in hindsight, didn't distinguish himself over the last few years of his Formula One career. Therefore, as much as it pains me to do so, I can't squeeze him in to the top ten.

[Steve Carter]

In no particular order:

Lewis Hamilton
Jacques Villeneuve
Juan Pablo Montoya
Mika Hakkinen
David Coulthard
Jarno Trulli
Michael Shumacher
Kimi Raikkonen
Rubens Barrichello
Mark Webber

And a highly commended to Takuma Sato & Mika Salo

[EERO]

Looking just at the past ten years, I think it's difficult to include Alesi, Hill or Panis, ten years ago, their best days were already behind them.

1 Schumacher, (Couldn't stand him, but hey, it's undeniable he's the best for at least the past 10)
2 Alonso
3 Hakkinen
4 Montoya
5 Raikkonen
6 Hamilton
7 Barrichello
8 Coulthard
9 Button
10 Trulli


I just cannot bring myself to put Massa on the list, Hamilton isn't higher because this is only his second season.

[M Harrison]

1. Michael Schumacher
2. Fernando Alonso
3. Lewis Hamilton
4. Mika Hakkinen
5. Kimi Raikkonen

Top 5 are easy enough - Schumacher's record is just untouched, and will be for a long time; Alonso produced some brilliant drives in his two championship years, while Hamilton's start to a career is just the most impressive I've ever seen, hands down. The earlier comparison with Villeneuve doesn't really hold up IMO; JV was a fairly clear 2nd to Hill through most of '96, while Hamilton came straight in and beat Alonso (who is faster than Hill) in the same car in his first year.

Hakkinen's two WDCs were fantastic, and Raikkonen has been consistently quick in whatever car he's driven (though not so much the last two races...)

6. Rubens Barrichello
7. Robert Kubica
8. Felipe Massa
9. Mark Webber
10. David Coulthard

Curious mix of youth and experience; Barrichello heads the 'best of the rest' list for, as Alex said, pushing the ridiculously fast Schumacher all the way at times in the Ferrari. Kubica is just blindingly fast; Massa has matured, and is obviously very quick indeed; the season he had alongside Schumacher was impressive.

The two Red Bull guys go at the bottom for very different reasons; I'm a big Webber fan, but he does seem awfully hard on his machinery sometimes, and something always seems to go wrong when he finds himself at the sharp end (either mechanical or overdriving). Coulthard, while never being the quickest, is always there or thereabouts; never more than a couple of tenths off Hakkinen, and always consistent.

[Born Racer]

1. Michael Schumacher
2. Fernando Alonso
3. Lewis Hamilton
4. Kimi Raikkonen
5. Juan-Pablo Montoya
6. Mika Hakkinen
7. Jarno Trulli
8. Felipe Massa
9. Rubens Barrichello
10. Mark Webber

I based this on a mix of overall ability/potential ability, and achievements, hence Barrichello being on the list but not Button despite my thinking Button is a bit better (Barrichello makes it in on his Ferrari achievements- he showed he was no slouch next to Schumacher. Button hasn't had the chance to show this).

I rank Hamilton so highly because I think he has shown sufficient potential on enough occasions to be well up the list of pure ability; he beat my number 2 choice, a double world champion, in his first season.

Raikkonen gets ahead of Montoya by virtue of a championship and more wins generally, but I think Montoya was a real talent who ought to have put himself higher on my list.

Hakkinen follows them- a very good driver but not quite as good as some people here feel, in my view.

The remainder of the list was hard. I was thinking "are these guys really the rest of the best of the last ten years"? Trulli's in at number seven because he's very fast as could be seen when he was alongside Alonso. Massa's perhaps a bit better than Barrichello (and the Schumacher team-mate scenario helps me analyse this), and Webber has consistently beaten most his team-mates and regularly shown strong pace.

[Joe Taylor]

1. Michael Schumacher
2. Hakkinen
3. Alonso
4. Raikkonen
5. Frentzen
6. Hamilton
7. Montoya
8. Barrichello
9. Coulthard
10. Ralf Schumacher

Top 4 were no-brainers for me, Frentzen makes it high up for his brilliant 1999, combined with being pretty consistently in other years. Hamilton has the potential to be higher, but hasn't accomplished much. Montoya was brilliant at Williams, less so at McLaren. Coulthard mostly makes it for 2001, although he has been pretty consistent throughout the years. Ralf Schumacher scrapes on to the list due to his brilliant 1999 and 2001 outweighing his generally abysmal 2004-7.