Most entertaining F1 driver?

[Yoong Montoya]

Who do you think was the most entertaining F1 driver ever in terms of being most exciting to watch racing?

My vote goes to Ayrton Senna

He was brilliant to watch, whether wet or dry: Monaco 84, Estoril 85, Jerez 86, Japan 88, Monaco 92, Donington 93.... need I go on?

[Mr V]

Mansell, total balls to the wall!

[Inigo Montoya]

Gilles. Driving with a front wing bent in front of his face, or with 3 wheels, or... etc etc etc. The guy just never gave up.

[f1manoz]

Mansell by far. A race never went by without Nigel pulling off some death-defying move, or being involved in controversy.

[Lee Janotta]

Gilles, then Senna, then... Well, I'm tempted to say Jacques or Alesi, but there are hundreds of drivers I've never seen and can't really comment on.

[Spudgun]

Mansell for me. When he was on a mission it was spectacular to watch.. Passing Senna when he got caught up with a backmarker when he was driving the Ferrari and the passing move at the end at the 1987 British Grand Prix on Piquet at the end of the Hangar Straight.

Also, I can't remember the Grand Prix off the top of my head, but when Mansell, lost it in his Ferrari while following Berger, did a full 360 spin, spectacularly gathered it up and only lost 2 seconds on that lap before posting the lap record on the very next lap. Pure class.

An honourable mention must also go to Alesi. Whenever he stepped into a car, you knew he gave his all. Especially in his Ferrari. It's unfortunate that the record books don't reflect this.

[Jordi]

Gilles by a hundred miles!

[paul-collins]

All I have to do is think back to the last few laps of the French GP in 1979 at Dijon, the race between Arnoux and Villeneuve for second... multiple passes, wheel banging, side by side through corners...

GV by a mile.

[Mal]

There can only be one answer to this - Gilles

[Sato san]

Gilles for spectacular racing .......but Mansell for the whole package , The drama off the track and the excitement on the track was brilliant .

[alesi95]

Alesi Japan 95

[Glen]

Keke Rosberg has to be in the running for this award too, although Mansell gets on my short list as well. Shame in many ways that today's refined cars demand a more refined and disciplined style, because there was a lot to like back in those days.

I must add that I am confident that any one of today's stars could hold their own with those good old boys - the problem being that if anybody did drive in that way today they wouldn't get the lap times and they'd crucify the tyres.

[TimD]

Mansell and Gilles are obvious choices, but don't forget the Superswede. Ronnie Peterson could throw a car into corners in the same manner, but was perhaps more likely than Gilles to find a way of getting out of them as well.

Rosberg was awesome to watch, and Michele Alboreto was perhaps one of the most delicately spectacular I was ever privileged to witness. When he did broad oversteer, you got the impression that it was a calculated tactic for speed or track position, rather than pushing the envelope. Quite sublime.

[freud]

Not ncessarily in any order:

Gilles Villeneuve
Ronnie Peterson
Nigel Mansell
Jean Alesi
James Hunt

[Gt_R]

Gilles... Gilles... Gilles!

[Neil C]

Thanks, freud for adding Hunt to an already complete list.

[Damon]

Originally posted by Spudgun
Also, I can't remember the Grand Prix off the top of my head, but when Mansell, lost it in his Ferrari while following Berger, did a full 360 spin, spectacularly gathered it up and only lost 2 seconds on that lap before posting the lap record on the very next lap. Pure class.

It was Imola '90 . My vote would also go to Mansell although Senna could be equally entertaining to watch in a very different way. With Mansell you would marvel at his bravery or, at times, down right stupidity. With Senna you marveled at the shear skill of the guy.

[paul-collins]

Originally posted by TimD
Mansell and Gilles are obvious choices, but don't forget the Superswede. Ronnie Peterson could throw a car into corners in the same manner, but was perhaps more likely than Gilles to find a way of getting out of them as well.

Well, I doubt that, but...

Peterson was awesome. My first ever race (1971 Canadian GP) I was on the outfield at corner 4, Mosport. (I was 5.) It was in the rain, and Peterson was chasing Stewart in his "tea-tray" March (712?). Watching him come out of the left-hander and carry the powerslide all the way down the hill, straightening out juuust in time to go up and into Moss corner - what an introduction to motorsports!

[billyblister]

Watching TGF in Suzuka 98 after he started from the back of the grid- he drove the out of that car

[Speed]

Besides those who were mentioned before, JPM brought some flavour to this modern F1 and deserves a special mention...

2001:
Interlagos, Imola, Silvertone, Indy, Spa
2002:
Canada !!! that double on KR/RS was superb

[senna12]

Gilles was one of the few drivers brave enough to attempt outside passes, on a regular basis. His spin recovery technique was unsurpassed...while in mid-spin, and knowing exactly where he was, he would simply select first gear, and when the car was pointing in the right direction, would drop the clutch and take off as if nothing had happened.

billyblister, that was indeed a great performance, but I distinctly remember many of the cars practically driving off the road to get out of his way in those opening laps. Nobody made it difficult for him in any way until he got near the front.

[ljakse]

Ones I watched - Mansell & Alesi