I'm a bit sick of the endless discussion who weither is the best driver of all time, weither it's from all countries of UK only. Here's a fresh one I think:

Who's the best 2nd driver of all time?

Just a few names that come to my mind: Patrese, Mass, Barrichello, Boutsen, Brundle, Irvine, Mass, Coulthard. Yes yes and Moss.

Easily Barrichello.

He produced results and helped Ferrari win Constructors titles. Honestly, I think he was (and is) good enough to be a world champion.

Francois Cevert. The perfect number two. He was all set to take over as number one at Tyrrell when Stewart retired, only for fate to decide differently.

I would say Barrichello and Berger?

Jacques Laffitte to Keke Rosberg at Williams in `83?!! Just watched the You Tube footage of `the 360 Rosberg spin` behind Gilles at Long Beach and it still makes me shout at the screen. How Keke doesn`t lose so much as a couple of feet on the Ferrari and also that Jacques plays an excellent `rear gunner` to Keke. Awesome!!

Moss at Mercedes.
Brooks at Vanwall.
Peterson at Lotus.
Villeneuve at Ferrari.

Denny Hulme. When Brabham kept retiring in 1967, Hulme backed him up to such a degree that he won the world title. And won oodles of races in Can-Am.

Technically one could make a better case for Graham Hill, as he was Lotus' de facto number 2 in 1967 and 1968, but rallied the team together after Clark's death to take them to the championship. Only it seems a bit odd to consider Hill as a number 2.

MS @ Malaysia'99, letting #1 past TWO times, singlehandedly making sure #1 gets win and still coming close second behind

Peterson at Lotus playing bitch to Andretti.

Who was it that gave Fangio his friggin car???

Michael Schumacher for 99 ;)

yep...had to let eddie twice in malaysia (?) and was faster by some margin in suzuka
still he would do a great no 2 job

Let's not forget Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 2008.

Meh, Andretti destroyed Peterson pretty much all season. Mario was the better driver...

And Denny was sometimes faster than Jack like at Silverstone and the 'Ring.
But Jack didn't moan, it was a fair and open combat till the end.

Prost at McLaren.

Peter Collins, Monza, 1956.

Anyone who is contractually obligated to be #2 - and knows how to honour a contract ( which is the hard part..)

rubinho

Ask Alonso.

Thats when I started to support him. Simply because he tried to be number 2. It made me realise how good he was. I had always supported British drivers and was supporting Irvine. There was an interview with MS a few weeks before and I thought he was a cool guy but as a non-Brit I couldn't support him. After that race everything changed. I am now sat with my Ferrari nightie on (its a t-shirt that is now knee length after my weight loss). I've stayed with Ferrari ever since and am now quite anti-Brit driver-wise because of the British press. They dont report F1 properly unless its about a British driver and its usually drivel what they come out with.

I will say that if the British press came out and said Heidfeld was signed for Toyoata for instance, that I would believe because they dont seem to report anything relating to foreign teams and drivers (if neither are British), so when they said Alonso would be in Ferrari in 2010 and Kimi out then that I would believe as it was a non-biased claim. And they were right.

Well, since certain people here claim Prost, Montoya, and Alonso were #2 at McLaren, then I'd say one of those 3, definately!!

Very easy: Nelson Piquet Jr.

Ladies and Gentlemen we have a winner.

The young Emerson Fittipaldi won the last race for Lotus and defended Jochen Rindt in the WDC standings, making his the only Post Morten champion in F1.

Keke Rosberg was brilliant too when he served as bait against the Williams duo to benfit Prost in Adelaide.

But easy pick, Rubens bcs he can set up cars.

Mario Andretti, coming into Ferrari for the last two races of the 1982 season, to help Tambay and Ferrari clinch the Team championship. Taking pole at Monza pretty much seals the deal.

Easily Alonso...

Peterson had a contract clearly stating nr 2 status that particular season and didn't whine about it. Peterson would have been more than a match for Mario with equal treatment.

I think it should be Moss. He seemed to enjoy Fangio winning almost as much as he enjoyed winning himself

I seriously doubt it. Not least given that ground effects did not complement Ronnie's sideways style. Mario had 8 pole positions in 1978; Ronnie just three...and Mario had 6 wins, Ronnie 2, one of which was down to a last lap retirement to Depailler, a race Mario had led with ease before problems stymied him. Could have been 7-1. Not dissimilar to Schumi-Rubens.

The best number 2 has to be the most unwanted title in F1 I would think. How anyone can grow up through karting and all the junior categories to F1 and then hand a win to a teammate is beyond me. Its a clash of logic to have the fight to get to F1 and race in F1, but then run out of competitive instinct just when it most matters.

To be excused are young drivers in learning years alongside a WC teammate, e.g Cervert.

But Barrichello, what was he thinking.

Ricardo Patrese for sure.

Depends on how high your ambitions are. To be even considered for this is exceptional and not something for many mortals on this planet. I could think of some far worse titles in Formula 1, such as paydriver of any Japanese driver to be called a Kamikaze pilot.

not '99, but the race in Spain where he knew he had a terminal problem so eased Ralf to the edge of the track to allow Rubens past, was one of the finest pieces of number 2 driving ever.

Methinks that too! And so sad it had such a tragic end... I know, shoulda, woulda, coulda, but if Ronnie didn't have to qualify in the old car, he would maybe not be near Hunt and Patrese...

In answer to the OP, I'd go for Clay Regazzoni. Excellent competitive number two to Ickx and Lauda at Ferrari, almost picking up the World Championship pieces in 1974, and good support for Jones at Williams in 1979. He also gets my vote for quickest starter (see Silverstone 1971, Monza most years etc.).

Patrese?

David Coulthard, at least he could bring the car home and take points of Schumacher, for Mika.

4 of those wins were 1-2s were Ronnie just followed him across the line. The contract stated a nr2 status in the team and that was that. I just think it was quite obvious that from midseason Peterson was getting stronger. However - I still thinks Mario was a great champion but he himself has said that Peterson had the most amazing carcontrol he has seen. To compare that with Schumacher vs Barrichello is ridiculous.

Heidfeld's never really been the focus of a team, but his record is fantastic. Perhaps more of a 1B driver than a 2.

As for the best #2 in another team, the prize goes to Ralf Schumacher for body-guarding his brother Michael in the Brazil GP.
Ralf on a Williams avoided at all cost to overtake Michael at Ferrari.

That is not quite true. Three of those 1-2s saw Mario lead all the way (barring Spain, where Lauda led for a couple) whereas Ronnie had to fight through the field. The one where Peterson definitely stayed behind Andretti was Zandvoort - and even in that one Mario had a problem. Michael-Rubens is not an inapt comparison, as there were precious few occasions where one could say Peterson was faster than Andretti.

What makes a good #2? Loyalty? Bringing plenty of points for the team while #1 takes the crown?
In recent years, I would nominate Coulthard, Rubens, Massa and Kimi.
They all helped their team in the quest for the WCC and, when necessary, helped their team mate in the challenge for the WDC.

Kovalainen is, unfortuantely, not strong enough to be a good #2. He could have stolen more points from Kimi 2007 and from Massa, and Ferrari 2008. In the end, Hamilton managed to grab the WDC, but he did not get much help.

I would also like to give a honorary mention to Colin Edwards in the MotoGP who, while partnering Rossi, really put in another gear when Rossi needed him to steal points from Nicky. He failed, but he sure tried

For me, a good #2 is a good #equal that is given the #2 role at the end of the season and does what is best for the team. A designated #2 is usually not strong enough to matter much and only real exception I can think of, in recent years, is Rubens. I am sure there is plenty that could have been, and even migth become, a good #2 but have never yet been in a position where they have to play that role.

Fernando Alonso

Kimi Räikkönen


*snigger*

First thing I thought when I saw the topic title

http://f1rumors.net/articles/1999/15/press-sunday.html

This

If what we're talking is not superstars relegated to a supporting role by high achieving teammates, then I'm tempted to say Rubens but I can't. He ticks all the proper #2 boxes except one, and it's a biggie. He can't help complaining about feeling mistreated in the backup role and has become a wee bit paranoid about it.

The most hilarious thing about Barrichello was that he thought that he could win the WDC with Ferrari.

fisichella was an excellent n2 in 2005 and 06, helped renault get constructors championship and his relation with fernando was extraordinary

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uI9ZHk425Z4...feature=related
I forgot about that one

Guys, the Andretti-Peterson argument has been going on for 31 years now and we're never gonna have a satisfactory answer, because one of the two guys who know the truth isn't with us anymore. I prefer to just remember the results they achieved, and the great friendship they had, something that is really rare today in F1.