10 replies to this topic

[Barry Boor]

Having neither the time nor the inclination to search back through TNF for answers to this question, I wonder if anyone can shed light on an interesting point that was raised during the Toronto Champcar Farce (sorry, race)?

When Franchitti stopped to sign an autograph on his walk back to the pits, being left-handed myself, (should there be a hyphen there?) I noticed immediately that he is too. Just as I was feeling smug, the commentators started a brief discussion about the fact that so many race drivers seem to be southpaws.

So are they? How many of them and who? Does anybody know?

[nichotj]

MS and RB both sign autographs with their right hands, but this of course does not exclude them from being left-handed or indeed ambidextrous (bring back the spell checker!)

Tim

Cymru am Byth!

[FLB]

Ayrton Senna was a lefty.

[Leif Snellman]

Ayrton Senna. And Elio de Angelis I think.

[Draco]

Originally posted by Captain Cook
... Unless of course you were referring to the properties of the hemispheres to which the hands are connected. That is a different matter entirely! ...

That was my expectation when I read the question. Certain professions have an unusually high proportion of lefties, such as computing/IT and, apparently, astronauts. I don't know any details for racing drivers, but as a lefty myself I'd be fascinated to find out.

[LittleChris]

As another lefty, so would I.

[Barry Boor]

It would appear that a chord has been struck.

Come on now, all you experts. How many other lefties have been top drivers?

I have this strong feeling that when S. Moss casually signed a book for me at Silverstone a couple of years back, he used his left hand. My good lady wife says that I told her so when I came home, but I don't remember!

[mhferrari]

I'm special, I'm ambidexterous! But predominately lefty.
I never really paid attention to what drivers were lefty!

[Roger Clark]

It's widely known that left handed people are generally of above average intelligence (he says typing with his left hand) and have particularly strong imaginations, left handeness being linked to the right side of the brain which is responsible for creativity. This surely rules out most racing drivers.

[biercemountain]

My guess is that a lot of racing drivers are southpaws because lefties generally have better spacial relationship comprehension which helps them judge distances and speeds better than others. When I was in art college almost half of my classmates were left handed. My guess is that the ratio of racing drivers will also be about 50/50.

BTW: I have sent an email to cart.com asking how many of the current CART drivers (as well as past greats) are left handed. Will let you know when they get back to me.

I'll bet most of the IRL drivers are right handed.

[ehagar]

Originally posted by Roger Clark
It's widely known that left handed people are generally of above average intelligence (he says typing with his left hand) and have particularly strong imaginations, left handeness being linked to the right side of the brain which is responsible for creativity. This surely rules out most racing drivers.

The majority of NHL hockey players are left handed. Is that intelligence?