Fangio Versus the Modern Day

When asked in a recent interview whom he believes the greatest driver of all time to be, Murray Walker answered,  "Juan Manuel Fangio won five championships with four different constructors, even Michael Schumacher hasn't done that." 
I wonder whether winning with so many different constructors is really something against which the most superior driving skill and talent can be measured.  It is well documented that Fangio followed the best teams around, therefore giving him the opportunity to win so many championships. 
Fangio is described as exuding style and grace in his driving,  showing an immense amount of skill and courage, but isn't the true test of a great driver winning races in a car that isn't the best?  Maybe his real skill was an eye for spotting the best car.

Fangio driving an Alfa Romeo during the 1951 season.

He won the 1954 World Championship with points from both Maserati and Mercedes.  He made the switch because Mercedes had a superior car.  Mercedes also gave him the 1955 title.

Ferrari was the place to be in 1956.

Followed by a switch to Maserati in 1957.

He may have been considered the best driver then, but he certainly wasn't loyal.  It has been written that his strengths included being a team player and a team leader.  Obviously these were great qualities in the Argentinian as long as no one expected them to last more than a year. 

Can comparisons really be made between Fangio and modern day drivers?  There is a lot more loyalty around now.  Schumacher's loyalty to Ferrari rewarded him with five World Championships, and who is to say the same won't be true of Alonso in the near future?  Lewis has stayed true to McLaren when they haven't always been able to give him the best car.  All of these drivers have been able to show they can win races in cars that are not the most superior in the field.  Could we say the same about Fangio?

By the Power of an Accent

In 2010 Lewis Hamilton could be heard talking with an American twang.  He had a good season, in the hunt for the championship.  Last year he seemed to have reverted back to being the boy from Stevenage.  He had a dismal year.

Now in 2012, the twang is back and so is the old Lewis, driving well and leading the World Championship.  Is his ridiculous fake accent the key to his success?

Does adopting Nicole's accent give Lewis strength?

Kimi Remembers Hunt

James Hunt was the focus of a tribute helmet worn by Kimi Raikkonen at Monaco last weekend.  It was good to see a driver display respect and admiration for a past driver other than Ayrton Senna.

There are similarities between Raikkonen and the 1976 World Champion.  When Hunt joined McLaren at the beginning of 1976 he was a rebel, a quality which obviously holds appeal for Kimi, who doesn't exactly conform to the usual expectations in Formula One.  Hunt had a lazy streak which is mirrored in the Finn.  It is no secret that James liked a drink, likewise Kimi is known for having a taste for alcohol, and the way he lives his life away from F1 is widely known.

Now Eddie Irvine is no longer driving, Kimi Raikkonen is probably the closest driver we have to the caddish seventies F1 playboy.


The difference though, is that James Hunt made no effort to hide his maverick personality which is in stark contrast to Kimi who does everything to keep his concealed.  Is the tribute because he believes he has an affinity with the legendary F1 playboy, or is there a touch of envy about the way Hunt could display his personality for all to see?

Schumacher's Pole

Golden rule of punditry - Never write off your star players!  No one should ever believe that Michael Schumacher is no longer able to deliver a lap like he did to get pole at Monaco.  When he broke his leg in 1999, critics wondered what would become of him following four seasons at Ferrari without a World Championship.  Look what happened next...

Emotionless Schumacher?  I don't think so.

Of course he will only start sixth due to the incident with Senna in Barcelona, and this pole will not be recorded in the history books, but I'm sure it will always hold a special place in his heart, and mine.

Maldonado's Massive Ego

Maldonado has returned to displaying his true colours.  Pundits and commentators are always so quick to jump on the bandwagon, and following his win in Barcelona they were falling over themselves to tell the world that he will be the next superstar.  The problem is, that Pastor seems to believe his own hype, thinking he can do no wrong, especially at Monaco. 

Seconds before the swipe on Perez.

Barcelona was a blip.  Swiping Lewis in Spa 2011 and then Perez in Free Practice 3 at Monaco is the real Maldonado - An unlikeable character with an overflowing amount of arrogance.

Barcelona and Valencia

The extension of the DRS zone and the Pirelli tyres did result in a more interesting race this year at Catalunya, however the news that from 2013 Barcelona will alternate with Valencia is welcomed.  Two of the more uninteresting tracks, it makes sense that one of them, essentially, is dropped each year.  Let's hope the replacement race provides more thrilling racing with full grandstands.  Or even better,  keep Spa on the calendar every year.

Small Minded Stewarding

With Pastor Maldonado taking the chequered flag at the Spanish Grand Prix, we have five different drivers from five different teams winning the first five races.  In a season that is so unpredictable where anyone seems to have a chance of winning, it makes it even more unbearable that Michael Schumacher doesn't seem to be able to finish a race. 

A five place grid penalty seems a little harsh for what was really just a misjudgment about Senna's braking area into the corner due to tyre degradation on the Williams.  Surely it was just a racing incident.  Formula One is becoming so contrived with everything being investigated.  Of course, the results of stewards decisions are different if you are called Michael Schumacher or Lewis Hamilton.  It would be interesting to find out who the ex driver steward was today.  I wouldn't be surprised if it was a driver from the 'jealous of Schumacher' camp, of which Damon Hill is the president. 

I have huge respect for Martin Brundle, who as Michael's team mate at Benetton in 1992, could have adopted the same bitter resentment towards him that others seem to have.  However he always remains professional in his commentary, maintaining an objective view about events surrounding the seven times world champion.