Best F1 Drivers of the 1970s!!

[krt917]

Thought I'd jump on the bandwagon and have a 1970s list as well! Think this one could be quite interesting as, after Stewart's retirement, it's difficult to say who was the best. Lauda was probably the most complete, but people like Hunt and Peterson were probably faster.

So, what do you think!?

[DNQ]

Now we just need the 60s version. I'll post my choices later on.

[krt917]

And the 50s!!

Anyway, here's my 70s ten (again in no order!):

Jackie Stewart
Jochen Rindt (though admit he wasn't around very long)
Niki Lauda
James Hunt
Ronnie Peterson
Mario Andretti
Gilles Villeneuve
Emerson Fittipaldi
Francois Cevert
Jody Schekter
Clay Regazzoni
Jacky Ickx

OK, so I've got 12. But it's my thread so there!!

[BootsOntheSide]

I wasn't born for any of this, but fromw aht I've seen, read and heard:

1 Stewart
2 Lauda
3 Peterson
4 Andretti
5 Villenueve
6 Fittipaldi
7 Cevert
8 Nilsson
9 Regazzoni
10 Hunt

[racer69]

Stewart and Fittipaldi get 1st and 2nd for the sideburns

The rest in no particular order:
Peterson
Lauda
Pace
Hunt
Andretti
Watson
Villeneuve
Jones

[BSchneiderFan]

I won't venture an order this time, but:

Jackie Stewart
Carlos Reutemann
Gilles Villeneuve
Jacky Ickx
Niki Lauda
Emerson Fittipaldi
Francois Cevert
James Hunt
Jody Scheckter
Mario Andretti

[ASCII Man]

In no particular order, except the number 1!

1. Jacky Ickx (but then again, i'm biased )
2. Mario Andretti
3. Niki Lauda
4. Gilles Villeneuve
5. Emerson Fittipaldi
6. James Hunt
7. Ronnie Peterson
8. Jackie Stewart
9. Jody Scheckter
10. Francois Cevert

[beau]

1.Stewart
2.Lauda
3.Fitipaldi
4.Hunt
5.Rindt
6.Andretti
7.Schecter
8.Peterson
9.Ickx
10.Cevert

[cds_uk]

Odd that nobody has said Depailler, or is that just me getting all sentimental about my childhood hero. My top 5 in no particular order, Villeneuve, Depailler, Amon, Andretti, Peterson.

[x_dt]

1) Jackie Stewart
2) Niki Lauda
3) Emerson Fittipaldi
4) Ronnie Peterson
5) Mario Andretti
6) Jody Scheckter
7) James Hunt
8) Gilles Villeneuve
9) Clay Regazzoni
10) Patrick Depailler

[Jordi]

1. Stewart - The best. Perfect mix of head and speed
2. Lauda - smart, and tremendously quick back then
3. Villeneuve - the beginning of the myth
4. Fittipaldi - youngest champion ever, what if he hadn't left McLaren?
5. Peterson - the SuperSwede
6. Andretti - a legend
7. Rindt - 1970 enough to make him a great of the 70's
8. Ickx - far better than his F1 results hint
9. Scheckter - quick, and consistent towards the end
10. Reutemann - amazing driver, but moody

[f1manoz]

Jackie Stewart
Niki Lauda
Emerson Fittipaldi
Mario Andretti
Ronnie Peterson
Gilles Villeneuve
Carlos Reutemann
Alan Jones
Jody Scheckter
James Hunt

[Lee Janotta]

1. Gilles Villeneuve (No explanation needed)
2. Ronnie Peterson (the fastest man alive, they called him. Tons of heart, insane car control)
3. Jackie Stewart (never liked him, but he had talent to burn)
4. Mario Andretti (Only needs a LeMans win...)
5. Emmerson Fittipaldi (Beat Stewart at the height of the Scot's powers)
6. Hans Stuck (how he was overlooked by top teams, I'll never understand)
7. Jochen Rindt (Superhuman talent, taken far too soon)
8 & 9. Alain Prost and Nelson Piquet (both started in the '70s, but neither blossomed until the next decade began)
10. I can't pick Rick Mears, can I? I mean, he did a test with Brabham... And absolutely smoked Piquet's lap time. No? Okay, Graham Hill then.
9.


I absolutely can't stand Niki Lauda or James Hunt, that's why they didn't make my list.

Compare these lists to the '80s and since '94 lists, and it's amazing how dramatically fatality rates declined after Gilles Villeneuve died.

Y'know, I'm a believer in chaos theory... But were I to assign some sort of order to the universe, it's as though we have to lose an incredible talent every decade or so, to safeguard everyone else.

And thoughts like that make me _really_ worry about Juan, Kimi... And yes, even Schumi, despite my obvious dislike for him. I still wouldn't wish a fate like that on him.

[Fish_Flake]

Originally posted by Lee Janotta
Y'know, I'm a believer in chaos theory... But were I to assign some sort of order to the universe, it's as though we have to lose an incredible talent every decade or so, to safeguard everyone else.

And thoughts like that make me _really_ worry about Juan, Kimi... And yes, even Schumi, despite my obvious dislike for him. I still wouldn't wish a fate like that on him.

I think about the same thing, but I definitely don't wish for it. The death of a great driver is perversely necessary to put the dangers of the sport in perspective for everyone else, from the others on the grid to the kid in a go-kart with high hopes of stardom to the fan watching in the grandstands or on TV who thinks his favorite driver is invincible. It's cyclical; A midfield driver or a backmarker dies, it's a tragedy, but nobody thinks it could happen to a better driver. Then, it does happen, not just to a great driver, but the quintessential driver, the one with the huge legion of fans who years afterward are still mourning their loss. Roland Ratzenberger, Ayrton Senna. Gonzalo Rodriguez, Greg Moore. Kenny Irwin, Dale Earnhardt. And the great drivers always had something so big ahead of them, which makes it all the more tragic. Clark, Villeneuve, and Senna all had clear and away the car to beat that year. Greg Moore was about to move to Penske as the number one driver for what would be the dominant team in CART for the following years. Dale Earnhardt was for once sacrificing the glory so he could be the first man in Victory Lane to congratulate his son or his best friend. Rindt was on the brink of the World Championship. François Çevert was about to fill Jackie Stewart's role at Tyrrell, which the team never recovered from. The sad thing is, I can see something like that happening soon. I can see Fisichella finally getting a drive with Ferrari and crashing to his death at a test in Monza. It would be a trademark example of the tragic luck that dictates a driver's fate. I'd hate it if it were to happen, but I can see it happen.

[JohnSSC]

Getting back to the list, I would agree that Graham Hill belongs there and perhaps Peter Revson - Chris Amon has already been mentioned. Will have to think on this a bit!

[alesi95]

1. Jackie Stewart
2. Niki Lauda
3. Emerson Fittipaldi
4. Ronnie Peterson
5. James Hunt
6. Jody Scheckter
7. Mario Andretti
8. Carlos Reutemann
9. Gilles Villeneuve
(Again gets very difficult here)
10.Jacky Ickx
or Depailler, Pironi, Jones, Regazonni, Laffite, Hulme, Amon, Rindt


Hill does absoloutely not deserve a place on the list. after his accident in 69(?) His performance turn to mush. He couldn't keep up with Rindt and once he left Lotus he didn't have a hope in hell therefore spent the first half of the 70's just getting in the way.

If Rindt hadn't have died in the the first year of the decade he would have undoubtedly been hidher in my list.

[bcobbus]

So many greats at one time, but here is my list...

1. Jackie Stewart
2. Emerson Fittipaldi
3. Ronnie Peterson
4. Gilles Villeneuve
5. Nikki Lauda
6. Mario Andretti
7. Clay Regozonni
8. James Hunt
9. Francois Cevert
10. Patrick Depailler

[krt917]

Originally posted by Lee Janotta

I absolutely can't stand Niki Lauda or James Hunt, that's why they didn't make my list.

Interesting list Lee. Nice to see some other names, but I don't think you can leave Lauda or Hunt out really (well you can, you have!). I couldn't stand Piquet, but he still made my '80s list.

Originally posted by Lee Janotta
Y'know, I'm a believer in chaos theory... But were I to assign some sort of order to the universe, it's as though we have to lose an incredible talent every decade or so, to safeguard everyone else.

I think that it sometimes goes with the territory. The things that can make a driver incredibly fast - bravery, fearlessness - can also mean they take too many risks. I think Bellof and Villeneuve perhaps fit that description, though Ronnie was plain unlucky.

[DNQ]

Originally posted by Lee Janotta
6. Hans Stuck (how he was overlooked by top teams, I'll never understand)

A nice inclusion Lee, I agree with what you said. It'd have been great to see just how he would have done in a good car.

[Neil C]

Rather than redo a list that looks pretty much like those above, I'll add a name I feel should be there: Mark Donahue. Like Peterson and Revson, he died too soon to take his proper place on the list, but his dominance in all forms of racing leading to his F1 effort, makes him one of the best ever, or best never, if you wish.

Lee, Lauda and Hunt where such opposites, yet they were close friends. You probably dislike them for the same reason they are two of my favorites from that era. viva la difference!

[Snrub]

Originally posted by Lee Janotta
Y'know, I'm a believer in chaos theory... But were I to assign some sort of order to the universe, it's as though we have to lose an incredible talent every decade or so, to safeguard everyone else. [/B]

Let's hope that it was Zanardi, who cheated it. While much more talented than his F1 experience would suggest, I wouldn't call him a great, but certainly world class. Then again I don't think Kimi is either.