[Driver] The GOAT - 3rd/4th Playoff - Schumacher vs Prost

[crmalcolm]

Having lost in the Semi-Finals (Schumacher to Senna 16-8, Prost to Hamilton 17-7), the 3rd/4th Playoff in the bracket sees Schumacher take on Prost.

Who do you vote as the greater?

racefans.net had this to say when comparing the two:

'Michael Schumacher and Alain Prost won more races than anyone else. That’s 142 Grand Prix victories between the two of them.

Of the 839 races that have counted towards the world championship since 1950, one in six were won by one of these two drivers.

While even Prost falls well short of Schumacher’s record total wins, it will be remembered that he drove alongside world championship-winning team mates in five season. Schumacher did so in just five races.

Similarly Schumacher’s tally of titles seven out-strips Alain Prost’s four, but it bears remembering how close Prost came to three more: two points away in 1983, half a point in 1984, and in 1988 he amassed more points than champion Ayrton Senna, but had to discard more under the ‘best 11 results count’ rule.

But it would be wrong to overlook that Schumacher was championship runner-up in 1998 and 2006 (and in 1997, prior to his disqualification).

The pair are almost unequalled in having spent over a decade at the sharp end of Formula 1, challenging for wins and championships.

But that success was sometimes accompanied by controversy: Prost’s collision with Senna in 1989 which sealed his third championship had much in common with Schumacher’s notorious collision with Damon Hill just five years later (and with Jacques Villeneuve three years after that).

Their careers overlapped for little more than a season. Their most interesting encounter came in the 1993 Portuguese Grand Prix, where Schumacher’s tenacity on old tyres allowed him to snatch his second F1 victory. Prost settled for second place behind the Benetton, enough to secure his fourth and final world championship.'

[FIRE]

Schumacher

[chillibowl]

schumi

[Aysedasi]

Prost

[Gerard C]

Well… because you ask… sadly… Prost.

[BTCC frog]

I voted for Schumacher, and personally think he should have been in the final with Hamilton. Whilst Jerez 1997 excludes him from being the GOAT (and his punishment for this was not harsh enough), I think he should be number two, because on pure driving ability I think he is the greatest. It is such a shame that he ruined it with that deliberate crash.

[Skam85]

Originally Posted by BTCC frog

I voted for Schumacher, and personally think he should have been in the final with Hamilton. Whilst Jerez 1997 excludes him from being the GOAT (and his punishment for this was not harsh enough), I think he should be number two, because on pure driving ability I think he is the greatest. It is such a shame that he ruined it with that deliberate crash.

And yet Senna is in the final despite Japan 1990... far more deliberate, pre-meditated and dangerous.

[VIVA GT]

I was never really a fan of Schumacher (apart from his first couple of years when he appeared to be the only one who was happy on the podium) as he did some really devious things. However Prost also 'played the game' a few times too, so with the better results my vote goes to Michael.

[Gerard C]

Not a great fan of the German either but must admit he has been working hard on datas to raise his level, analysing and monitoring anything he could specially the last lap before pitting and the first lap after pitting. Prost has been complaining a lot about car, engine, fuel, and competitors. Politician and driver. IMO.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Skam85

And yet Senna is in the final despite Japan 1990... far more deliberate, pre-meditated and dangerous.

Not everyone dismisses Senna for that one incident. While it was worse than the year before, there is still a degree of balancing to be done.

[Anyopenroad]

Originally Posted by Skam85

And yet Senna is in the final despite Japan 1990... far more deliberate, pre-meditated and dangerous.

I think both Schumacher and Senna's 'moments' are in keeping with their characters. Senna's was angry, fuelled by a sense of injustice, much like his racing. Schumacher's was calculated and considered, much like his racing. Schumacher also did this stuff more often, though Senna did it first.

As bad as each other IMO. I think both are ruled out of my personal GOAT vote as a result, but that doesn't mean I'm unable to appreciate and respect both the way Schumacher redefined what was expected of an F1 driver and the way Senna set tracks alight like a force of nature.

[Racing Harz]

It must be Schumi.

[morninggents]

I don't think either should be in this play off situation. Schumacher should be in the final play off and Prost, in my opinion, does not make it to the final 4. Therefore, Scumacher for third place.


Interesting that a different seeding structure could have given different results. This is not a criticism of the way this contest has been structured and it's given a lot of fun to those who have responded. It's also given me, and probably others, much to think about and I certainly have changed my view on some drivers. Prost, for instance, was never a favourite of mine but reading the individual bracket synopses has reminded me how good he was - just not quite top 4 though.


Thanks again to Mr Malcolm.

[Aysedasi]

Again I think views are coloured by head and heart (sorry to keep bleating on about it!). If this was a stats only contest, many would have fallen by the wayside earlier. Schumacher wouldn't have made my final four. Great driver, dominant in his time but didn't excite me much in a racecar (nor indeed out of one). Others will vehemently disagree, no doubt....

[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

Others will vehemently disagree, no doubt....

Fine for me.

[S griffin]

Prost for me. Not only was he fairer on track, but he went against plenty of world class team mates. Unlike Schumi who needed his team mate to defer to him. Plus Prost very rarely made mistakes, whereas Schumi was always flaky under pressure