The best ever crap car driver

Goondu86

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Thought it'll be interesting to have a thread on this, so what are your candidates? For me it has to be Fernando Alonso, he seems to drive shitty cars really fast. Case in point, the Renault R28 in early 2008, and the last 2 Ferraris. Really happy to have him drive for Ferrari, a lesser driver would have most likely cracked and got sacked by Luca.

Going further back, Michael Schumacher in his prime is another. Not going to comment on Aryton Senna as that's a legend, and I have never seen him on a live race. For Aryton, his worst car was most likely his first. :)
 
Fisichella seemed to go alright in midfield cars. Cracked a bit under pressure from Alonso during their time at Renault but he got a few good results for midfield teams like Benetton, Jordan, Sauber and Force India.
 
Stefan Bellof. Some incredible driving in an N/A Tyrrell which was hopelessly behind its turboed rivals at the time.
 
Hamilton in 2009. Driving that piece of crap and almost getting podiums.
 
Fisichella seemed to go alright in midfield cars. Cracked a bit under pressure from Alonso during their time at Renault but he got a few good results for midfield teams like Benetton, Jordan, Sauber and Force India.

True, but the turd of a Ferrari didn't do him any favours.

Stefan Bellof. Some incredible driving in an N/A Tyrrell which was hopelessly behind its turboed rivals at the time.

Unfortunately killed in a young age. I suppose if he didn't, perhaps a driver's championship? Read the Wiki and it made me :(

Hamilton in 2009. Driving that piece of crap and almost getting podiums.

Which reminds me of Kimi in the F60 also, thanks!

Pierluigi Martini. Only man to lead a lap and qualify on the front row of the grid in a Minardi. :p

One of the proper Italians? :lol:
 
Most recent one I can think of is Hulkenberg grabbing pole in the Williams-Cosworth.

Oliver Panis in the Ligier-Mugen as well. He won the 1996 Monaco GP with it. Damon Hill in the Arrows too, sadly it let him down at the final hurdle.

Going back further Giles won in off the pace cars, and James Hunt won driving a Hesketh.
 
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I always thought Takuma Sato was fantastically fast, if not totally wreckless in the old Super Aguri car

Aside from that, it has to be Alonso. That man is capable of truly extraordinary things.
 
Rosberg at Dallas GP
 
The last two Ferraris were shitty? How was that determined? In the last two seasons, Ferrari was 3rd in the constructors championship. I would hardly call that shitty. Is sub-par of their previous performance? Yes. But, to call the cars shitty is a bit of a stretch when there are 9 different cars that finished below them...


Jesus the minute the word "Ferrari" is brought into conversation, logic gets thrown out the window...
 
People seem to forget Jean Alesi's heroics in the Tyrell at Phoenix in '90 - That was one of the truly amazing drives. Another is Stefan Bellof and Ayrton Senna in the Toleman. These were people who could really throw a car around the track far beyond of what it was theoretically capable of,
 
The last two Ferraris were shitty? How was that determined? In the last two seasons, Ferrari was 3rd in the constructors championship. I would hardly call that shitty. Is sub-par of their previous performance? Yes. But, to call the cars shitty is a bit of a stretch when there are 9 different cars that finished below them...


Jesus the minute the word "Ferrari" is brought into conversation, logic gets thrown out the window...

Very true, but considering the money they throw into F1, the cars were shit.
 
I wouldn't say that the Ferraris are 'shit', after all they are still faster than a lot of other cars out there. However, I tend to agree with Pininfarina here - considering their experience and both financial and technical possibilities, the last two cars were Toyota'esque failures. However, all the big teams had such phases. And while the Ferrari is surely not as hopeless as - let's say - last year's Williams, I'm pretty sure the Ferraristi will not find positive words only to describe this year's aesthetically challenged result.
 
I wouldn't say that the Ferraris are 'shit', after all they are still faster than a lot of other cars out there. However, I tend to agree with Pininfarina here - considering their experience and both financial and technical possibilities, the last two cars were Toyota'esque failures. However, all the big teams had such phases. And while the Ferrari is surely not as hopeless as - let's say - last year's Williams, I'm pretty sure the Ferraristi will not find positive words only to describe this year's aesthetically challenged result.

Well, looks like the last race proved your point. Not the best car, but with a driver that can make cars work, wowza.
 
Barrichello wasn't a bad example when he put the Stewarts' teapot in 2nd place at Monaco 1997.
 
I think what we're looking for are drivers who can be consistently fast with theoretically slower cars. One-off cases, like Panis in Monaco 96, when only 4 (!) cars finished, or Barrichello in Monaco 1997, shouldn't be considered. Those 2, for instance, went on to show that they weren't so good...
Taking this into account, I think from what I've seen in F1 Alonso is an excellent example. His Ferraris were never the best car around, but still he manages to fight for titles and race wins, and look what his team mate has been doing. He also made a great job with the terrible 2008 Renault. There's also Ayrton Senna, but I think that's an obvious choice.
 
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