Senna vs. Schumacher - The debate continues

[Srid]

I'd like to say that no matter how much we argue on who we think is better, I respect every single driver on the track no matter if that driver wins most of the races or always ends up being in the back. There are only 20 best drivers in the world and most of them are found on an F1 track. When people say it's not right to look at statistics and compare Schummie and Senna, I'd say that's the easiest way we will arrive to a conclusion on who a better race driver is. 7 championship titles, highest pole positions, wins and fastest laps etc. that proves a lot in itself. The percentage of wins calculated on number of race starts shows a stark contrast on who the better driver is.

I would still go ahead and say Senna is a better DRIVER per say compared to Schummie. But as a race driver, I would easily choose Schummie and Prost over Senna. Schummie and Prost were calculative and they knew very well how to take good care of their cars n tires and finish the races and WIN! On the other hand, Senna was just rash and to prove that point he held the maximum number of pole positions for a long time compared to the rest his records which were mostly broken by Schummie. It's hard to understand why Senna with 65 Pole positions won only 41 GP's. Qualifying as you know, you have a empty stretch of road, nobody racing with you, it's just about you and your Car. Senna excelled at it or rather was the best at it. But what he couldn't mange is how to nurse the car and win enough races. Schummie just has 68 poles but he was won a record 91 events and the great Prost, 51 wins from 33 poles.

I read a lot of posts before posting mine and I find it quite funny that most of the people say that Schummie always had a better Car. I would suggest people to know the facts and then comment.

Schummie started with Jordan, moved to Benetton, and in his first appearence as a driver in a full calendar year in 1992, he trumped Senna. Let's not forget that Senna's car had a much advanced V12 engines compared to Schummies V8.

In 1993 it was the great Prost who won the title quite comfortably in his Williams which was supposed to be the best package. It was so good that Senna actually agreed to drive a Williams absolutely free. You can't be seen driving in a Car which is not the best, can you? That thing alone says a lot doesn't it? Senna muscled Alain Prost out of Williams and took his seat just the way he used to take Alain out on the track when it mattered the most.. So even after this, in Williams, Senna could not muster a single point in the first 3 races in which Schummie won all the 3 and eventually the championship. Even after being the champ, Schummie could not secure a constructers for Benetton as Williams took it quite easily. Just to show which is a better car

1994, Schummie becomes the champ with 92 points and his team mate fetches Benetton a piddly 10 points.
1995, the year of Schummie again! He gets 102 while his team mate gets some 40 odd points

1996, moves to Ferrari and stands 3rd in the competition. Ferrari stands 2nd in constructers. Their best standing in 6 good years!!!


1991 - Ferrari - 3
1992 - Ferrari - 4
1993 - Ferrari - 4
1994 - Ferrari - 3
1995 - Ferrari - 3
1996 - Ferrari - 2 (Schummi 59, Irvine 11)

And the last time that Ferrari had won the constructors before was WAY BACK in 1978. So if anybody says that Schummie won as he had a better car, go get your facts right. Schummie moved from one worse car to another and made it better, made the car suit his team. Benetton was a mid runner, he won in it, left it to join Ferrari which was a mid runner, he won in it.

Now let's look at Senna. Starts at Toleman, jumps to Lotus. In 1987, figures out that he has no future in Lotus, announces in Monza that he is leaving Lotus for McLaren. In 1993, he felt that McLarens were less competitive compared to Williams etc. he decided not to have a contract with McLaren but drove McLaren's on a race to race basis as he didn't have any other contracts. Next he jumps to Williams offering them to drive for free and muscles Prost out of Williams.

Now please tell me, who had a better car all the time? Was it Schummie or Senna? It's quite magnamious for Schumacher to say that Senna is a better driver than himself. For me, I think that Senna was somebody very similar to Montoya when it comes to the driving style and the attitude. It's live for the moment and 'all or nothing' attitude which makes them more charismatic to watch. And as long as they do, it's fun to watch.

And let's not forget that Schummie was one of the biggest donors when Tsunami hit Sri Lanka and other countries in Asia. I know that he's not a great force to reckon with currently mostly cos of his age and probably the car he is driving. But never make the mistake of ignorning him.

[cosicave]

I've not read any of the posts. - Too predictable and done to death.

The only thing that fails to surprise me is how much futility people are prepared to throw at this 'going nowhere' sterility.

A complete non-event and rather sad to see its ceaseless, regurgitative popularity in a place where I hoped for more.

[sirsmedley]

The tragic and untimely loss of Senna was a crushing blow to the F1 world. Senna carried his powerfully quiet demeanor so lightly and his pure hunger for knowledge and concern for his fellow drivers can't help but be world class. I think had he walked away from that crash that day he no doubt would have continued his reighn and his drive for a better F1 would have been more legendary. He understood that it can happen to any of them, that fast, and yet they continue to go, get better and faster and that drive was Senna.s mark that he left on All who enter F1. Schumacher was behind him when it happened, and I think that Michael felt an enormous loss, probably harder than people think. mike looked up to Senna and Senna saw michael's future before anyone else ansd nourished this with mike and i feel that thier relationship was and still is a shining example of how the F1 family reallydo care about each other deeply.

[jacfan]

There will never be a resolution to this question. Unfortunately Senna was taken from us all too soon. It is so hard to believe that only 2 days ago was the (17th) anniversary of his death.
Every year I remember him and still mourn the loss of such a champion at his chosen sport and as someone who really cared about other people.

To me being a champion is more than just about the stats. I think both Senna and Schumacher will go down in history as great drivers.

[Mordalo]

I think such a topic gives people (especially the young ones) an idea of how great Senna was and realise that no matter how many (easy) championships Schumacher wins he'll never match the great Ayrton Senna

By the numbers, MS is the better driver. Percentage of wins vs starts. Yes, Senna had more pole positions. They were both ruthless on the track, just ask Alain Prost. Both are winners in my book.

[cybernoid]

Senna was genial. Maybe Jim Clark @ number 2. No number 3. Saw him @ Estoril 88?89?. All ppl knew when Senna was coming. He had different driving, and believe me: was frightning. Too powerfull. Was incomparable.

This is like Hendrix vs [1970:S.R.Vaughan][1980:Satriani][1990:Slash][2000:???]and so on, and so on. Or Fischer vs Karpov,Kasparov,Anand, ...

Because those guys were genius. There always be a media creation vs Senna', you know?.. -Don't get fooled again.