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So... I got an education tonight - NeilP - 04-05-2022

My F1 days began with perhaps James Hunt, sure I had then and have subsequently heard about other legendary drivers but my knowledge of them was to all intents and purposes non-existent.

Tonight I watched on my Amazon Prime account a Grand Tour program (Season 3 Episode 5).  In it Richard Hamilton drove the Lotus 25 of Jim Clark and much of the program was in fact devoted to his achievements. I watched David Sims an engineer with Lotus who worked with Clark who still after all these years was moved to tears about his death.  Cedric Selzer another one of Clarks engineers told how he was invited to a party given by Juan Fangio in which Fangio told him he thought Clark was the best ever driver.  Ayrton Senna paid a visit to Clarks school a homage as he called it for a guy who was a hero of his.

Every sport has its superstars and every era usually has a few (Although hyperbole these days is simply out of control) and its hard and not really very scientific or even balanced to say who was the best ever although many try and many arguments are carried out in pursuit of those opinions that we all have.  The variables are simply too great to take into consideration.

I knew nothing about Jim Clark until I saw this (quite brilliant) piece by someone you would not expect (Richard Hammond) and by the end of it I was left thinking to myself this guy was the greatest of them all.

At the end of the program I thought Jeremy Clarkson (Yes, that Jeremy Clarkson) was pretty damn close to crying you could see the emotion of the piece really got to him.

RE: So... I got an education tonight - forzaferrari - 04-05-2022

(04-05-2022, 03:55 AM)NeilP Wrote:   and by the end of it I was left thinking to myself this guy was the greatest of them all.

......you mean second to Michael?  Tongue

RE: So... I got an education tonight - NeilP - 04-05-2022

Michael is absolutely right up there for sure just behind Lewis Hamilton  Smile

RE: So... I got an education tonight - pennywise - 04-05-2022

I have always gave the same answer when asked who was the best ever in F1...Clark.
Every driver that raced him were his pupils..

He was a gentleman as well as a talent...no ego...no self entitlement ...just a guy who loved to drive fast...and fast he was.

The fact Senna paid homage says it all.

RE: So... I got an education tonight - forzaferrari - 18-05-2022

I really need to get my eyes tested quick........looking through the threads I read this one as..... "So... I got an errection tonight"

Im thinking, good for you Neil but the rest of us really dont need to know  Laughing Laughing Laughing

RE: So... I got an education tonight - black - 20-05-2022

(04-05-2022, 07:08 PM)pennywise Wrote:  I have always gave the same answer when asked who was the best ever in F1...Clark.

Fair play.

A lot of people say this and I'm quite happy to buy into the JC legend. The problem is for me it's like school history lessons - it all happened a long time before I was born Wink Therefore I don't personally feel qualified to declare Jim Clark the best ever, but I am sure he is "right up there" amongst the very best of F1 drivers through history. He certainly left his mark on the sport and also did it in a sporting way. A gentleman and an icon for those who followed.

PS:
Yes, that was a dig at the Schumacher / Verstappen's of this world, for whom winning is far more important than the manner in which victory is achieved. There's "winning" and there's "winning the right way".