56 replies to this topic

[dan2k]

What do you think are some of the best quotes by any formula 1 driver ever???
I think some of the things that Ayrton Senna said, seem to be very interesting...

Dan,

[DangerMouse]

Not why he was driving but by Martin Brundle after Ralf took out Herbert at 200MPH and then tried to blaim the (innocent) Herbert.

He said "Well I know he's a shoe-maker but he's talking absolute cobblers"

it tickled me!

[Mila]

I like Fangio's quote, which I will (likely) misquote here: "try to be the best, but never believe that you are the best."

if it's driver-as-commentator, then, for me, James Hunt takes the cake. for example, when Senna and Mansell came together in the first GP of 86 in Brazil, Hunt said something to the effect that, "Ayrton Senna won't lose many friends doing things like that because he doesn't have any friends to lose."

I think that a lot of posters here have great driver quotes as signatures.

ps: DangerMouse, didn't Herbert hold onto that corner too long?

[bigblue]

I remember one from CART a few years back. Mansell and Emmo got together and Emmo said "he was trying to stop his car with my brakes!"

[kenny]

;) here you go...

[dan2k]

Is there a book with drivers quotes, that i can buy???

[hyper!! james]

"...In F1, there are two types of people: winners and wankers, and I am not a wanker..." - Flavio Briatore

[david_martin]

Murray Walker on Riccardo Patrese:

"..for a racing driver he seems to have an very unhappy repore with machinery."

Not a driver quote per se, but amusing never the less.

[AD]

Eddie Irvine in the press conference
"The car was understeering like a pig"

And was it one year that someones engine was in fire in Monaco and Murray said
"X's engine is on fire in the swimming pool"
And James Hunt interupted to say
"Well, at least that should put it out"

[coyoteBR]

No, I will not answer Nigel Mansell. Put on your paper that I like dogs.
Nelson Piquet,when asked what's his favorite pet

No, today I want to finish at 23rd.
Piquet, again, answering to a reporter who asked if "he wanted to win that day race"

One thing is believe in God. Another thing is believe to be God.
Alain Prost, about Ayrton Senna

These guys are crazy
Ricardo Zonta, about Schumacher and Hakkinen

But I am Senna!
Ayrton Senna

[mtl'78]

"If I had been given three wishes in life, the first would have been to be involved in racing, the second, to be in Formula 1, and the third, to drive for Ferrari." -Gilles Villeneuve.

I think that statement probably echoes the dreams of all Formula 1 fans.

[Wolf]

I'll use my ex sig.
'If you habitually go through the corners one-fifth of a second slower than your maximum, you can make a reputation, you can earn a living, you can even win a race now and then - but you are no racing-driver.'
Sir Stirling Moss, OBE

[dan2k]

"The day it arrives, it will arrive. It could be today or 50 years later. The only sure thing is that it will arrive". About death

Ayrton Senna

[Alien]

How about two quotes from Montoya...

A reporter asked if he had respect to older drivers, after ramming into Andretti, in a practice session on his 2nd race at CART.

"I didn´t come here to respect anybody, I came here to win races."

A reporter asked him about a qualifying session where he almost crashed a few times.

"Almost doesn´t count." [p][Edited by Alien on 11-22-2000]

[Monsell]

Montoya is quite straight forward...


I remember from Gilles (probably misquoted): “When I lift off the accelerator, I stop enjoying it.”

Don’t know who said this, but: “Men love two things: girls and cars... but, not necessarily in that same order”

[Dironey]

"Mansell is probably the fastest idiot in the world."
(Nelson Piquet)

"In fact if I was Mansell I'd be halfway to the hospital in a helicopter by now."
(Thierry Boutsen, explaining he felt a little sore after an uncomfortable drive)

(Worriedly) "Looks like he's in pain."
"Yeah, but it's Mansell. He's always in pain."
(Swedish commentators after Mansell went off the track)

"Make your mistakes out of the spotlight."
(Martin Brundle)

"Depends."
(Stefan Johansson when asked how it feels to crash)

"Women and money."
(Ukyo Katayama when asked if he has any phobias)

[Vunz]

Irvine Quotes:

Interviewer: "Why has Schumacher got an odd shaped helmet?"
Ed: "Because he's German, he's got an odd shaped head"

Asked to comment about the Jerez Schumacher crash in Autosport he said "Honestly, I think we all would have done the same. But I think I'd have made a better job of it!"

Q: How did you celebrate winning the Australian Grand Prix:
Eddie: We went out with a few of the Jordan and Ferrari guys. I had an early night, going to bed at about 2 am, as I was feeling a bit sick". Then, as if he suddenly had a flashback he chuckled and added, "Oh yes, I stole the girlfriend of one of my Ferrari mechanics. The following day my race engineer tried to console the man saying "If you want to eat steak, you don't take it into the lion's cage."

[Boston Killer]

Those ones were around for a while:

"When you're in the race you have to put...double concetration.Because..because you just have to"

"It was so easy you just can't believe it.No it wasn't"

Both are Mika Hakkinen.Probably not 100% accurate.

[Gruff]

Not a driver's quote but:

[words to the effect of]
"No I won't tell you my expections fot the season, because if I don't meet them, you will only come back in a years time and remind me of them." - Eric Broadley, Manager of Lola, to F1 Racing Magazine, in a preview to the season where they went bankrupt after just one qualifying session.

[Dironey]

A few from CART:

"Physically, I feel fine. The only time I feel any pain is when I look at the time sheets."
(Dario Franchitti commenting on his spring training crash, and Homestead qualifying)

"I have only been on an oval alone, never with 26 other maniacs out there."
(Jan Magnussen looking forward to his first oval race)

"I had a little wiggle coming off Turn Four, which could have developed into a wobble."
(Mark Blundell)

There's more at http://www.deepthrottle.com

[Mila]

a recent book, titled "Formula One: The Business of Winning," begins with a quote:

"The curse of commercialism is the ruin of every sport."

that was top British driver, Charles Jarrott, who expressed these sentiments in the year (and here's the punch line) 1906.

little did he know!

[Bernd]

"Why don't the others go faster????" - Jim Clark

[dan2k]

This is what i would of said if i was an f1 driver.
If asked: "Are you scared at any time at all when you are driving at fast speeds?"
"I have no fear at all when i am driving fast, because i am filled with adrenalin everytime i step in a formula 1 car. There for there is no room in my body for any fear."

Dan,

[DangerMouse]

Piquet on Mansell after another mad-man Mansell performance.

"I just want to see how big they are!"

[coyoteBR]

From CART:

I don't know if this title will change my status. But one thing I'm sure of: next year, the other drivers will not say: "Please, Mr. Champion, would you be so kind and overtake me?"
Gil de Ferran

[Pine]

"Driving a Formula 1 car in Monaco is like riding bicycle in a bathroom" -- Nelson Piquet.

[CONOSUR]

Originally posted by AD
Eddie Irvine in the press conference
"The car was understeering like a pig"

Another 'pig' quote (actually paraphrased)... this one from AJ Foyt after qualifying a 935 Porsche at Le Mans back in '80 something...

"Ya shore can't make a pig handle... but you can make an awful fast pig."

[Rudolf]

Anything said by Irvine is amusing!

[foster]

Reporter: "Mario, what goes through your head when you crash through a guardrail at 300 kph?"
Mario Andretti: "Sheet metal."

Micheal Andretti after his third blowout in three straight races, screaming into his car-to-pit microphone which is being broadcast live on tv: "It's those f...ing Goodyear tires again!"

AJ Foyt, in a live tv interview after John (Jeff?) Andretti put Foyt's driver into the wall:
Reporter: "AJ, what was the problem up there in Turn 3?"
AJ: "Aw, that g... d... f...ing John Andretti can't f...ing drive!"
Reporter: "Back you in the broadcast booth, Jim."

There are millions more, but I must go forage for food now.
FOSTER

[Alien]

Originally posted by foster

AJ Foyt, in a live tv interview after John (Jeff?) Andretti put Foyt's driver into the wall:
Reporter: "AJ, what was the problem up there in Turn 3?"
AJ: "Aw, that g... d... f...ing John Andretti can't f...ing drive!"
Reporter: "Back you in the broadcast booth, Jim."

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

[Bruce]

I remember a quote from a driver in the 30s or 40s, goes something like this;

Reporter ; How can you get into a racing car, knowing you might die in it?

Driver : Where do you want to die?

Reporter : Asleep in bed.

Driver : How can you go to bed every night... ?

and one from Wayne Gardener :

Reporter (asking about his qualifying performance): Wayne why are you so slow?

WG (laughing): Thanks! Thanks very much!

and Jacques Villeneuve, proving himself a master of innuendo, commenting on a competitor's start:

"It was very sus... surprising..."

[Wolf]

Bruce, I've heard very similar quote attributed to Nuvolari. That'd be it, methinks.

[Gruff]

[words to the effect of]
"It [Jordan Peugeot 1996] goes OK in a straight line, but cannot turn corners." Marting Brundle, Hungarian GP 1996

NB Hungararung = 12 corners + 0 straights.

[Huw Jenjin]

American interviewer " well Graham, what is significant about this straightaway just here?"
Graham Hill "It's major significance is that it joins this corner to that one......"

Or Barry Sheene interviewing Russell Ingall's wife before Bathurst " what about sex the night before the big race?"
Wife "With you, Barry, oh Yes please!!"

Russell Ingall was fined $10,000 dollars at Bathurst for saying on live TV "There are far too many wankers here this weekend"

[dan2k]

I think Russell also said "there are alot dickheads out there!" or something like that.
Funny guy!

[AyePirate]

I can't remember the exact quote..but Hakkinen
when asked if he expected DC and MS to tangle
in the first corner he said something to the
effect, " I don't expect any trouble because David
and Michael are such good friends"

You gotta love Mika's Aquavit dry wit.


PS : Anything Nelson Piquet says is pretty priceless
it's like, Eddie Irvine + talent!

[david_martin]

Originally posted by DangerMouse
Piquet on Mansell after another mad-man Mansell performance.

"I just want to see how big they are!"

Actually I heard that was Riccardo Patrese, after qualifying for the 1992 British GP, when Mansell had blitzed (something like 1.7 seconds faster than Patrese, who himself was nearly 1 second in front of Senna in 3rd). Arriving in the motorhome for the post-qualifying de-brief (in front of all of the assembled Williams and Renault staff) Riccardo order Nigel to stand up so he can see how big his balls were

[Williams]

Rick Mears: "To finish first, you must first finish".

Phil Hill: "When I see something really terrible, I put my foot down, because I know that everyone else is lifting theirs." (interestingly, this quote was used directly in the movie Grand Prix, by the characer of the the French driver who dies at the end of the movie).

Eddie Irvine on Monaco: "Like threading a needle with a jet fighter".

Clark on Indianapolis: "Indianapolis: it would be fine without the Americans."

Clark on the Championship: "The Championship has a certain amount of luck attached to it. It is not really conclusive proof of anything."

Clark on survival: "I am like an old granny...it's being an old granny that keeps me alive".

Chris Amon on Villeneuve: "There is only one other driver who was like Villeneuve in always knowing where he was in the car, no matter what, and that man was Jim Clark."

Gilles: "I love the smell of burning rubber."

Gilles to his wife before every race: "Wait for me, I'll be back."

Gilles on a quick lap: "You can't lift off if you're on a quick lap, no way. All you can do is hope he's looking in his mirrors".

Roebuck on Villeneuve: "The crowds loved him, because he, of all the men out there, was so obviously working without a net."

[RedFever]

Clark on Indianapolis: "Indianapolis: it would be fine without the Americans."

[magic]

dh on hhf or ms? ;

"he is one brick short of the full load"

[jloehs777]

dh on hhf or ms?

it was dh on hhf at 98 spanish gp

[redgirl]

Originally posted by Pine
"Driving a Formula 1 car in Monaco is like riding bicycle in a bathroom" -- Nelson Piquet.

And Eddie Irvine put it even better, as: "Like threading a needle with a jet fighter."

[hands-on]

Froilan Gonzales while looking at a 1980's F1 car

"In my time the tires were skinny and the drivers were fat"

[tifoso]

In the F1 2000 year in review VHS, there's a pretty funny one.

The interviewer is asking Sid Watkins how a driver can race just a few days after being in a plane crash with loss of life (Coulthard's)...Wakins says, "That's easy. They have no brains."

I'm really enjoying this post...but laughing out aloud alone in your office does cause comment ;)

[Pine]

Originally posted by redgirl


And Eddie Irvine put it even better, as: "Like threading a needle with a jet fighter."

I've heard that one too, but I really think Piquet's quote is better. I've never liked Piquet too much -- my interest in F1 started around the time when people started calling him "granny" -- but looking at his quotes in this topic, I really think he was a great guy.

[JPMCrew]

Mika Hakkinen answering a lengthy question by a reporter: "Yes"

[magic]

"i helped him make the corner"

quote ms after ramming jv jerez'97.
what a joker.

[mono-posto]

Italian GP 196? - Enzo Ferrari to Phil Hill after Hill complained there was something wrong with his car and he was losing like 1.5 seconds a lap in practice:

"Well maybe it's your foot."

and he walked away...

Hill went on to win that race.

[Zawed]

I race because when the race is finished, the sky is bluer, the women are prettier and the steaks taste better-

anonymous Indycar driver.

Dan, I have a book called "The Grand Prix Book of Motor Racing Quotations" by Eugene Webber, published by Hodder and Stoughton. Nearly 200 pages of quotes from drivers, team owners etc.. from motorsport.

[Indian Chief]

Sweden 1978 : An example of Niki Lauda being as blunt as ever.

Brabham were running their famous Fan car for the only time. After practice, Mario Andretti complained to Lauda that his Brabham was throwing up a lot of dirt and **** when Mario was following him closely. Lauda replied, "Then you should overtake, or **** off!"