9 replies to this topic

[Jhope]

Well, he may not be, but can you name me one other driver in modern times (90's) that has had as much dissapointment as Jean Alesi has. Like Amon, he's had his share of bad luck in recent times. In 1997, he seemed poised to win at monza, except for a botched pitstop that saw him fall back to second place behind Coulthard. In 1998, he had the talent at Sauber, and managed small miracles in that evil car, Austria for example. 1999, while set to win at Magny Cours in the rain, spins out a lap before the Safety car came out to neutralize the race. This year...nuff said!

Discuss

[Keir]

Two different drivers that share the same bad luck and that is where the comparison ends. Chris Amon is far and away the more talented driver, even taking into context the different eras that Chris and Jean raced.

------------------
"I Was Born Ready"

[William Dale Jr]

"can you name me one other driver in modern times (90's) that has had as much dissapointment as Jean Alesi has"

JOHNNY HERBERT!!!!!

Surely he has had much worse luck and more disappointment than Alesi. Even though he's won 3 GP's so far (hopefully that number will increase) to Alesi's 1 and had his bit of good fortune (on one occasion, thanks to Alesi), after having read how much bad luck Amon has had, Johnny has to be the closest thing to a modern-day version. I don't remember Alesi (or Amon for that matter) finding a spanner in the pedal box after the race has started. Johnny of course was the next big thing in the late 80's before his big shunt at Brands, which wasn't his fault.

[Huw Jenjin]

I dont agree with the talent comparison between Amon and Alesi.
I would say both were on a par, similarly inconsistent and murcurial.
Amon had finesse, while Alesi has guts and car control.
In terms of luck, amon was far and away the more commited test driver, but when has Alesi had a really god car undr him?
I think Alesi is not that commited to the development and engineering, and thus ends up driving old dogs.

[Jhope]

woops! forgot about Good Ol' Johnny. Well, Alesi has had his share of good luck, but I think that the decision to move to Ferrari instead of Williams in 1992 was a blow to him. We can say "what if" or "he coulda", but we won't. Facts state that he chose the wrong option early on in heis career, and ever since then, he's been in a downward spiral (NIN!!!). As for Johnny, welllll, like Alesi, I've always thought he was an extrememly telented driver, with many upon many limitations placed on what he could do. You could classify this as bad luck, but I think in the mid 90's, especially 1994, he suffered from terrible luck. He went from Lotus to Ligier to Benetton within a matter of three races, and had very little time to adapt. Wanna talk 1995? I didn't think so...I'm not too knowledgable about Chris Amon, but what I do know, is that he was immensly talented, and had terrible luck. This is why I wanted to brink up some sort of comparison

[magnum]

Also, they both came "unstuck" at Ferrari ... but at least Alesi claimed that ONE win ...

[KzKiwi]

Amon was a superior test driver, and was second to none in tyre and suspension development. I suspect that Alesi is more tempermental than Amon as well. The only thing they have in common is bad luck. Besides Amon has not got a Japanese wife ;)

As for JP Herbert, this guy has always had the talent but something else is lacking somewhere. I have followed Herbert since his karting days in the late 1970s and have always had a soft spot for him. Remember when Hakinen was his team mate at Lotus , they were extremely close in terms of speed.

They say you create your own luck though.

[Keir]

Huw,
You should have seen Amon power-sliding the Matra at Ontario in '71 while pursuing the "wee Scot". That was car control!!!!
You have to remember, in Amon's era, power-sliding was a given, not a skill.

And Chris wasn't inconsistent, his cars were, as is the case with Alesi.

------------------
"I Was Born Ready"

[Fast One]

I think Chris was always considered as good as anyone out there, and there were alot of good drivers out there in his day. I have always liked Alesi, but have to say I have considered him always a notch below the best of his time. Now he's probably two or three notches down. Chris was incredibly fast WITHOUT seeming reckless, and I can't ever recall him making a serious error of judgement while racing or passing someone. I sure can't say that about Alesi. Both were unlucky, but Alesi made alot of his own bad luck.

[Ray Bell]

At least Alesi's good to watch in the rain... remember that pass at the Nurburgring a few years ago?

------------------
Life and love are mixed with pain...