THE GREAT DRIVER PLAYOFFS GROUP STAGE 1 OF 33

Dear All

This I'm afraid will become a bit of an ongoing project, but it should be fun while it lasts. I have selected 132 drivers who have at one time or another competed in the World Drivers Championship, some with great success, others with not so great results. Now, through a random drawer I have divided these 132 into 33 groups of 4. The object being that the contibutors to this forum vote for their favourite in each group. The top two in each group therefor go through to the next round, where there will be another drawer, etc. This, while not conclusive, should provide an insight into how we all feel about certain drivers. I am well aware of the disdain for "BEST DRIVER EVER" polls bu tthis I feel is a little different, call it a World Cup for drivers. The poll will last 24 hours and after that period has elapsed I shall record the results and cut those who didn't make it. I shall post 2 groups a day on average.

Anyway, onto out first round.

The drivers drawn in Group 1 are an interesting bunch.

1.Jean-Pierre Beltoise
2.Alessandro Nannini
3.John Love
4.Jo Siffert

So who will take the first group? This poll closes at 12pm GMT on Monday 16th September 2002.

Enjoy. And please feel free to leave comments explaining your choices. Oh and to clarify. It is the driver you rate most out of these four that should be voted for, all others are excluded.

If this were a lineup for a race, it would go to Seppi in a canter... no brainer, in my opinion.

Well, I think Siffert may wel lbe the favourite in this group, however I have voted for Nannini, a more promising and smoother driver you would be hard pushed to find. If it hadn't been for his career wrecking helicopter crash, who knows? A world champion? He may have still been at Benetton on 94. Also, even after his accident the man still flies in touring cars. Just a gut feeling, but he would give Siffert a good hard run.

Nannini and Siffert, in that order.

Seppi.

Nannini, anyone who comes back from a major helicopter accident to race cars again gets brownie points from me.

This is a nice project, keep it going

Go Seppi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

cj
edit: check sig

VVV

It seems entirely illogical, but I feel strangely drawn towards J-P B in this poll. Interesting that the list should contain two drivers who had potentially career ending arm injuries - the difference between Nannini and Beltoise was that Jean-Pierre was able to keep going in F1. Not a great driver by any means, but a hard trier. I admire his persistance - and that performance at the wet Monaco GP of '72 - and that gets him the nod over the rest for me. Oh yes, and the fact that he was also 11-times French Motorcycle champ. Many people forget that.

I admire all four but voted for Nannini... He has a lovely sister, too...

She's an Italian pop star, isn't she?

Originally posted by Speed Demon
She's an Italian pop star, isn't she?

Yes.