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Most Skilful Motor Racing Sport?

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Ok everyone make compelling arguments for choosing their favorite. But all this subjective reasoning begs a question.

How many drivers have retired from Road racing, Cart/Indy, Rallying or NASCAR that have successfully transitioned into F1 and been competitive? If any I’d be surprised if it’s in recent years or more than a handful at best. Whereas many successful F1 drivers (ala Nigel Mansell) have seen stellar careers after F1.

Say what you want about the others – but F1 is tough and is an invitation only club. But as we all know, even if you get the nod, it’s even harder to keep in good standing at that level.
 
Bret said:
Ok everyone make compelling arguments for choosing their favorite. But all this subjective reasoning begs a question.

How many drivers have retired from Road racing, Cart/Indy, Rallying or NASCAR that have successfully transitioned into F1 and been competitive? If any I’d be surprised if it’s in recent years or more than a handful at best. Whereas many successful F1 drivers (ala Nigel Mansell) have seen stellar careers after F1.

Say what you want about the others – but F1 is tough and is an invitation only club. But as we all know, even if you get the nod, it’s even harder to keep in good standing at that level.
Click to expand...

Of course, unless you "retire" from another motorsport at 18, you can't get into F1 because you would be too old to work your way up.

F1 is exclusive and invitation only because of the limited openings and the huge amount of money invested in the sport, cars, technology and teams, not necessarily because it is harder than other forms motorsports.

F1 is the pinnacle of track racing, there is no where to go but down, just as WRC is the pinnacle of rallying.


I have huge respect for F1 drivers, because of the tremendous speed, their reflexes, commitment and the forces their body must take. But I respect the rally drivers car control and the ability to master so many different surfaces more.
 
History has an effect on my descision.
If we're talking ~ever~, then F1 in the 70's and WRC in the 80's are considerably different motorsports than they are today.
There is no way I can say that James Hunt is a more skillful driver than Juha Kankunen or vice versa. Controlling 500 hp on gravel, in the middle of the night on very narrow twisty Welsh mountain trails with very steep drops gets my slim vote.
 
MoPho said:
Of course, unless you "retire" from another motorsport at 18, you can't get into F1 because you would be too old to work your way up.
Click to expand...
Too Old? While I’ll admit it might be harder today – after racing in Formula Ford (76-77) and Formula 3 (78-79), Nigel Mansell didn’t start his F1 career until 1980 when he was 27 and it wasn’t until 1992 that he finally won the F1 Championship. When he first retired from Formula One he signed on to Newman Haas as was Cart’s Rookie of year. Went back to F1 for a couple of seasons (94 & 95). Then went on to become the British Touring Car Champion in 98.

Not too bad for an old man. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif
 
Bret said:
MoPho said:
Of course, unless you "retire" from another motorsport at 18, you can't get into F1 because you would be too old to work your way up.
Click to expand...
Too Old? While I’ll admit it might be harder today – after racing in Formula Ford (76-77) and Formula 3 (78-79), Nigel Mansell didn’t start his F1 career until 1980 when he was 27 and it wasn’t until 1992 that he finally won the F1 Championship. When he first retired from Formula One he signed on to Newman Haas as was Cart’s Rookie of year. Went back to F1 for a couple of seasons (94 & 95). Then went on to become the British Touring Car Champion in 98.

Not too bad for an old man. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif
Click to expand...

And one driver does not make a trend. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif
It is not like he went into a completely different discipline, they were all similar type track racing that is a step down from F1

Stig Blomqvist is still rallying today at 60 after a 34 year career
Juha kankkunen had a 26 year career in rallying before retiring, competed in Dakar a few times
Carlos Sainz is now competing successfully in Rally raid (Dakar)
Current WRC champ Sebastian Loeb finished second overall at LeMans in 06

/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif
 
I disagree that they do not exist today, they may well, but sponsorship commitments and restrictions are not encouraging, or even permitting the cross-overs between different types of motor sports. I would add to your list a couple of other names. One cannot forget AJ Foyt and Mario Andretti as being drivers who could jump into a variety of machines and shine! Closest thing today I guess would be a Gordon, who runs Baja off-road, champ cars, NAPCAR, etc. It is a little encouraging that some of the NASCAR boys are finding their way into the 24 hr. enduro races!
 
bugimike said:
It is a little encouraging that some of the NASCAR boys are finding their way into the 24 hr. enduro races!
Click to expand...
They have for several years. Tony Stewart, Casey Mears, Bobby and Terry Labonte,etc... As a matter of fact, Casey Mears was on the winning team last year, I think? /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/confused.gif
 
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