Can't disagree with any of the inclusions. I would make a case for one of the great sports car drivers beyond Ickx (and I have no arguments at all about his inclusion). Pick one of Al Holbert (outstanding driver, engineer, and team owner), Hurley Haywood (so many Daytona wins, Le Mans, Sebring, and all the rest), Derek Bell (need I say more?), or the already mentioned Tom Kristensen (hard to look past 9 Le Mans victories). There's any good case to be made for any of them.
Seconded, losing two legs horribly, coming with seconds of death and deciding this was INSUFFICIENT REASON to give up racing? Absolute legend and personal hero of mine.
Think of Sir Jackie Stewart as you will, but he is the only one alive who either drove against or knew all F1 drivers since the beginning. He puts Fangio just ahead of Clark. One of my racing memories is sitting in Derek Bell's 962 at Al Holbert's Porsche NA shop and meeting and getting the autographs of Kimi Raikkonen and Seb Vettel.
@@AidanMillward I am sure you have seen the interviews of him at home with memorials to all of them on benches in his garden. Clark and Cevert must have been the most devastating.
I'm probably misquoting badly, but I think Derek Bell said something along the lines of "I was good, but Al Holbert was better." Praise indeed! Although, I think both Bell and Holbert are great and would find it incredibly difficult to choose between the two.
@@daveblock4061 Rindt and Piers Courage were also close friends (he has stated that Rindt was his best friend) and neighbors of Stewart in Switzerland. He is very frank in talking about the reasons he kept driving - mainly because he didn't see any other way he could provide for his family. I think that his childhood dyslexia had left him convinced he was worthless for employment and it was racing or poverty.
Stewart's legacy on and off the track is enormous, a lot more drivers would be dead without the influence he exerted at a time when safety was sneered at as weakness. It's just a shame that he blatantly tries to undermine Hamilton's abilities, likely because he and Jimmy got surpassed by an Englishman (irony being that Clark wouldn't give a stuff) and also because LH idolises Senna, who Jackie didn't like.
AJ Foyt also won 2 of his 500s in a car he built, and his 1977 win, was with his own engine. Dan Gurney also belongs there. His contributions, among others, span across the range of motorsport, from construction (his own car and engine), to influence (pairing Ford and Lotus)
I don't think that Gurney makes it as a driver, but if you have a category that includes overall contributions to motorsports, he goes into the American contingent with Roger Penske, Carroll Shelby, Smokey Yunick, and the Woods Brothers.
@@basher20Gurney is generally a tough one. His versatility and ability was second to none (wins in F1, Indycar, NASCAR, and sports cars), but reliability let him down often, and his career was fairly short. Overall. Wilbur Shaw also had an immense influence out of the cockpit. IMS would be a housing development in NW Indianapolis if not for him.
The King of NASCAR Richard Petty. First driver with 7 championships, 7 Daytona 500 wins, 27 wins in 1967(most ever), 200 wins total in NASCAR a record that will never be broken in Cup series.
In an age where past and present female success in sport gets hugely emphasised, Michele Mouton being completely ignored is absolutely bewildering. She was among the best in the business during rallying's toughest era, quitting in protest that it was becoming too safe.
I would create a wing for special contribution but not as a driver. My first pick for that would be Murray Walker involved with commentary for over 50 years most of which was done in his spare time. The voice of F1 and so many other categories not just the UK but across the globe.
Not only for F1, or even cars. He was a passionate biker! Commentated on the IOMTT, Superbikes (or the equivalent class titles - they keep changing even if the bikes don't). Totally agree with you though. I grew up with his voice - literally. From the early 70s (though I undoubtedly heard it first at the start of the 66 season, I don't remember it!) until he retired. He might not have always been _right,_ but he was _always_ passionate. Hearing him even now will both rev my adrenaline up and bring a lump to my throat.
My nomination for the Special Contributions section - John Fitch. His contribution? The Fitch Inertial Safety Barrier, AKA those yellow plastic bins full of sand that are used to protect pit entries & solid bits of road hardware. Fitch was a teammate to Pierre Levegh @ Mercedes in '55, and was inspired to make motorsports and public roads a little safer, by coming up with a way to protect cars (& drivers) from roadside hazards like bridge abutments, the ends of crash or lane barriers, or pit walls. More importantly, he came up with something that is both cheap and easy to replace - which was important, as it meant that Fitch Barriers got used everywhere, saving lives worldwide, to the tune of some 30,000+ lives saved since their debut...
For all who grew up with f1 and other motorsports in the UK, you can’t not think of Murray Walker. Man was loved inside the sport just as much as he was by the viewers. What a legend!
I don't think he'd make the VIP room, but someone who'd be in WhatCulture and WatchMojo lists for those who should be in it would be Juan Pablo Montoya for his multi-discipline consistency. Being a CART champion, IMSA Sportscar Champion, having won the Indy 500 twice, and having multiple wins in F1 and NASCAR in the eras of Michael Schumacher and Jimmie Johnson respectively is an impressive resume that few can match or best.
Good pick. Montoya, Räikkönen and a few others are probably part of the group of people who just didn't make it, due to the bar being set so high by the people that did. Alonso might be in that group OR in the actual room, and if Max Verstappen continues his reign there's no way he's not going to be in there sooner or later as well.
I think Dale Sr definitely deserves at least an honorable mention for his nascar success. But I think his spot would be undeniable had he lived and been able to pursue sports cars, he showed that he had the metal for it at Daytona. Multiple Daytona 24 and Le Mans class wins were definitely on the table for him
Completely agree. Dale was going to race for about another 2-3 years then retire from NASCAR. I have no doubt Dale would have won Daytona or Le Mans. Perhaps both. Dale Sr. was a very underrated road racer. He only won 1 in NASCAR but bad luck prevented him from having at least 2 or 3.
I’d love to see how different NASCAR would be today if Dale Sr hadn’t passed that fateful day. Would RCR have remained as strong for longer? Would have have won another championship? Would he have been able to show Harvick the ropes in Cup? I believe the answer to all is yes, but there is sadly no way to know. Dale 100% had the ability to win at Daytona 24hr. The only thing that could possibly stop him is his lack of Sportscar experience
I’m a firm believer that any of the greats in auto racing would likely have had success in other series. Car feel, race craft, and raw talent have a lot of crossover. That isn’t to say that different series flatter different skill sets (ie. rally- reflexes and pure car handling; F1- precision and mind for engineering; endurance; extreme mental toughness and discipline; etc. I’m just saying that an extremely talented driver is an extremely talented driver regardless of race series…
Jackie Ickx is one of those ubiquitous names that people rarely talk about. You know he was there, you know he won and you know he's a legend, but nobody says "Ya, I was a big Jackie Ickx fan back in the day."
I’m glad Jackie Ickx is here. No one has adapted to everything as well as him. Sports Cars, F1, Touring Cars, and Production Car wins. Man is the only one listed to win the Bathurst 1000, and probably the highest profile driver to win the race. Add in his Le Mans, F1 and other various successes, he would have to be the most adaptable driver of his time
It should also be noted how some of these drivers that drove in many disciplines and had careers spanning multiple decades (Foyt, Andretti, Ickx, etc.) started their careers driving cars that would look antiquated at the end of their careers. Andretti for example started his professional career in USAC driving a bathtub with non-slick tires and no downforce, and ended it driving a high downforce 230+mph race car in 1994. He even won his last race the year before in 1993. They experience groundbreaking advances in technology, and adapted to the increased physical and mental demands the newer and faster machines forced upon them
Aidan, it's been a year now, to the day, that I've been watching your work - I remember it well, because I spent last Christmas in bed with the flu and listening to your videos was the only thing I had the energy for. Thanks for your great stories! Wishing you all the best for 2024.
IMO you could make a decent case for Scott Dixon, not many poeple have been at the top of a series for over 20 years, never mind one as competitive as IndyCar
For the bulk of Dixon’s Indycar career he’s been in a more-or-less spec series. Meaning at best a MINIMAL car advantage over his competitors. And yet he’s still winning races, and most years has a tilt at the title.
The HANS device was created in the 1980s. When Senna died in 1994, nobody gave it a second glance. When Dale Earnhardt died in 2001, it was universally accepted in pretty much every series overnight. It opened everyone’s eyes. If this could happen to HIM, anyone could be next. The amount of respect that Earnhardt had, not just from NASCAR but from any racing driver, could not be understated.
Respectfully it was Dales attitude towards it that ultimately cost him and I don’t say that with any malice. It was mandatory after Senna’s death in F1 but NASCAR drivers only used it after Dales passing, a few were already using it but the wider grid felt just same as Dale did. Like you said its use cannot be overstated.
Tony Stewart: one of the only guys to make the jump from IndyCar to NASCAR in the modern era and win championships in both disciplines. Dale Sr. and Jimmie Johnson: 7 time Cup champions in eras with a remotely sane championship formats (if you think the Chase/Playoffs is stupid, look at what it was like when Petty was winning everything) Jeff Gordon: he is Jeff Gordon.
@@leghumper83 I forgot about his current NHRA run. Yeah, arguably the most versatile driver of this century thus far, with MAYBE Kyle Larson on track to attempt to match him.
Rudolf Caracciola for his dominance of European motor racing (won Tazio Nuvolari wasn't winning), A J Foyt (Indy and Le Mans), Jacky Ickx (Le Mans six times plus F1), Vic Elford for sheer variety of machinery. Best wishes!
Thank you for remembering John Surtees. His motorbike career is worthy of being covered in more detail. The statistics are just phenominal and should put him on the shortlist for greatest motocycle GP rider of all time, and achieved at such a young age and against such high quality opposition. (The original Valentino Rossi one could say.) But he should have been even more successful. He was held back and prevented from racing other bikes by Count Augusta, which lead to his switch to four wheels.
My favourite Foyt story is taking pole for a USAC race at the Milwaukee Mile in 1965 - even though, due to a stuff-up, he was in an upright dirt car rather than a low-slung Indy roadster. I don't like the guy, but there's no doubt about his driving. My suggestion is Big Pete Geoghegen. Niche for sure, but I think his reputation is fading a bit in the age of TH-cam because most of his career happened before the cameras arrived. Just to give you a taste: John Sheppard was managing the Holden Dealer Team when Peter Brock won by a record six laps. At the big awards ceremony after, when Sheppard was accepting the trophy, one of the journos asked if Brock was the best driver he'd ever worked with. Sheppard stared through the glare of the stage lights and made eye contact with Pete, his old boss, his talent now well and truly lost to the whisky, then pressed his lips to the microphone and said simpy and honestly, "No." A big call under the circumstances, but those in the know tend to agree.
@@Rezcuz Well he did credit Surtees for his motorcycle stuff and the having two different words for Drivers ans Riders is only an english thing as far as i know
Thank you for adding John Surtees to the list as the man earned the respect of every racng fan for his dedication to his craft. Some have grudgingly called his F1 title a fluke, but he truly earned it by racing the likes of Clark, Hill, Brabham et al and beating them. He was also a bloody nice bloke who always had time for people wherever he went.
Hello Aidan: Your remark about Sebastian Loeb ruining rallying gave me a good laugh. Sebastian certainly ruined life for Mikko Hirvonen. Mikko's only failing was having to race against Sebastian. Have a lovely day.
Being a Richard Burns fan that stopped watching in 2004 I missed NOTHING in the grand scheme of things. If you’re that dominant you can bust your shoulder and still win without turning up you’re too damn good 🤣
Must say, that's a very good list! Of course, there's plenty more drivers, and you could built up this list even up to 50, but I must say, your picks for top 15 are spot on!
You have to have Sir Jack Brabham as an immortal. 3 x WDC but importantly 1966 was WDC and Constructors in a car and team that was owned, managed and built and co-designed by Sir Jack at 40 years of age. That is a record no driver will ever break ever. Now that's Immortal.
Foyt was named shared the award as driver of the 20th century. Also, was voted number 1 driver of all time in 2008 by a diverse list of former drivers in Motorsport. The guy dominated everything and everyone. But you can flip a coin and pick any of these guys as #1. It’s all about perspective.
Of the 15 - I saw 4 race live. Senna, Prost, Schumacher and Hamilton. Also on Mouton - that Quattro was a tough car to drive. Very heavy and understeery as hell with the big 5 cylinder way out front over the front axle and the new 4 wheel drive making it tougher.
I mean I agree with most of it, but this list should include Fernando Alonso and Dale Earnhardt Sr. Especialy Alonso. F1 WDC , WEC DC, 24H Daytona winner, almost won Indy in his 1st attempt, one Dakkar attempt. And not to mention he is still MIGHTY at 42 years of age. Really should be in there. As for Dale Sr well , he is the NASCAR Goat. But Fernando not being in there I think imho is wrong. Great list overall tho. Cheers mate.
I think there's a strong case to be made for Parnelli Jones: Multiple wins in Indycar (chief among them the 1963 Indianapolis 500), NASCAR, Trans Am, and off road/desert racing. Probably would have won in F1 as well had he not turned down Colin Chapman's job offer once he found out he would have been Clark's number two.
I'm liking the variety of options picked, and how that opens this up to a possible 25 honourable mentions based on achievements in multiple fields... Only possible mention I'd add an argument for is Brabham for obvious reasons & how we'll likely never see someone win a world championship in their own car again
Did you know?? Like Foyt and Andretti in America, Jack Brabham wasn't just a road racer, he actually got his motor racing start in dirt track speedway racing what American's call midgets, but in Australia they are known as speedcar's. Before Jack got into road racing, he won the Australian Speedcar Championship 4 times between 1948 and 1953. Not bad given that he was actually a rookie driver in 1948 having only previously been a mechanic who thought the drivers were "all lunatics" as on average 2-3 drivers were killed in crashes each season (at each track.....) until roll cages finally started appearing in the early 1970s. He also won the New South Wales and South Australian State Speedcar titles on multiple occasions. After his return to Australia to live in 1971, Jack mostly drove either production touring cars, usually just in the Bathurst 1000, with moderate success (he was more interested in supporting Geoff's growing career at that stage) with the occasional foray into Australian and international sports car racing until his final retirement at the end of 1984.
I think there should be a hall of fame for catastrofuck drivers. Ricardo Rosset, Nakita Mazepin, Nicolas Latifi. That would be a pretty epic list. Anyone else to add please post in the comments 👍
When you say that Mouton finished second in the championship, you are missing out on how close she was to coming first. If you watch the "too fast to race" documentary she enters the final round of the season having received the news that her father died, and then breaks down with transmission problems near the end of the rally
Would like to see a video of Lynn St. James as she is in the "Automotive Hall of Fame" (how many HOFs are there anyways?). Drove Cart as well as IMSA for many years in the US. Honorable mentions to Dan Gurney and Mark Donohue.
My picks to round out the list are as follows: AJ Foyt - 7x IndyCar champion, 4x Indy 500 winner, 1967 24 Hrs of Le Mans winner, 2x Daytona 24 Hr winner, 1972 Daytona 500 winner, and so on. If there was a big race to win, the man they nicknamed Super Tex was always a factor in those races. No one showed up like Foyt when the chips were down and it was all on the line. Jamie Whincup - the man who dominated racing down under, Whincup's Bathurst 12 Hours win and four Bathurst 1000 wins alongside his seven V8 Supercar titles (four of which were in a row) are enough to give the man an argument for a seat at the table despite being primarily an Aussie Touring Car driver his entire career. Richard Petty - 123 pole positions, 712 top tens, 200 wins, 7x Daytona 500 winner, and 7x Winston Cup Series champion. There's a reason they call Richard Petty the King. The case can be made for Dale Earnhardt Sr., but Richard Petty should be the choice given how he put the NASCAR Cup Series (and Plymouth's NASCAR Program) on his back and was the face of the series for two decades strong and straight up dominated. The amount of records, high profile wins, and championships Petty has are unmatched in stock car racing that, like with Whincup in Supercars, demands a consideration for a place among motor racing's hall of immortals.
This one's a little left field as he didn't race at all, but when you think of his voice, you immediately hear a screaming v10 going past the commentary box. Murray Walker. To me the voice of F1 and many other racing disciplines. If motor racing had a cool wall, Murray would be in the fridge at the end.
Tom Walkinshaw should definitely be in the conversation; easy to forget what an accomplished driver he was; let alone the multiple World, European, British touring car wins, Le Mans and WSC titles; both as entrant and car builder (right up to 1996) and F1 race wins and a championship with Benetton, via team management.
great video! I do like the idea of a proper driver Hall of Fame. In Poker they have criteria for their HOF - Have played successfully at the highest level for at least 20 years, Have earned the respect of your peers or have helped grow the game in a meaningful way. Obviously these criteria don't translate precisely to drivers but I feel that there should be defined criteria for entry into this special club. I don't think for example that every championship winner gets an entry. Have a great Christmas everyone - look forward to watching more next year :)
excellent list. make it an annual thing. ... Fittipaldi, two F1 crowns and two times runner-up. One CART championship and two Indy 500. Al Unser Sr., USAC and CART Champ Championships. Ran and won in USAC when road, ovals and dirt tracks where part of that crazy time in the gringo racing scene. Dan Gurney because Dan Gurney. Honorable mentions to Rick Mears (multiple CART championships and four Indy victories and a bunch of poles plus Baja), Mark Donohue, his partnership Roger Penske was the stuff of legend.... love your videos and your opinions and views on motorsports. thanks.
I'm not going to lambast you for it, but I would have included Niki Lauda. Won two championships after his horrendous crash at the Nurburgring and his third was achieved not only without a front row start (the only WC to do this) but he lost the qualifying battle with Prost 15-1 and took two less wins
Mine would be (in no particular order): Jim Clark, Sir Jack Brabham, Alain Prost, Michael Schumacher, Ayrton Senna, Nelson Piquet, Niki Lauda, Nigel Mansell, Jacques Villeneuve, Jacky Ickx, Juan Manuel Fangio, A. J. Foyt, Sir Jackie Stewart, Sir Lewis Hamilton & Graham Hill.
Tazio - before World Championships won on motorcycles, rally cars, sports cars, G.P. cars. Vanderbilt cup, Le Mans, Targa F. Millie M.- Monaco, Plus the greatest race ever where he won over the might of Auto Union and Mercedes at the "Ring" plus Many others. THE true G.O.A.T.
I wish I could name a touring car pro on the list, but unfortunatly the category was and is too fractured into different categories and mostly filled with F1 rejects... still my favourite racing category.
As a fan of drag racing here in the USA I would have to add John Force (or Don Garlits)... I know drag racing LOOKS simple (They go straight! how hard can that be??). But these things are 10000 hp BEASTS that do NOT want to go straight. John has won so many titles- for so many years
Not to mention Force is still in his mid 70s a full time top level drag racer, very competitive making 330 mph passes, and still winning. The man is a beast
I have been following F1 since 1966, and this is my list for greatest F1 drivers, although I do agree that Loeb is one of the the greatest race car drivers ever, but, just sticking to F1 per se. In order of appearance the 20 greatest F1 drivers in history: Tazio Nuvolari Jean-Pierre Wimille Alberto Ascari Juan Manuel Fangio Stirling Moss Jack Brabham Graham Hill Jim Clark Jackie Stewart Jochen Rindt Ronnie Peterson Emerson Fittipaldi Niki Lauda Alain Prost Ayrton Senna Mika Hakkinen Michael Schumacher Fernando Alonso Lewis Hamilton Max Verstappen
Great video, and I have a suggestion to make, could you do a video on Ivan “Ironman” Stewart? I know you’re not big into North American off-road racing but he was quite literally the best at it when racing the Baja 1000
Tazio and Jacky are the two i always go to in these discussions and its great to see Aidan recognise both. Tazio for his switch from motorcyles to winning every italian GP and sports car event and standing tall against the third reich after beating the Auto Unions and Mercedes Benzs in his Alfa Romeo in Nazi Germany.
As a Dale Earnhardt fan I want to say if any NASCAR drivers made this list it should be Jimmie Johnson. Seven championships in an era of nascar with more parity than any generation before with more regulation than any generation before makes him the best ever in NASCAR in my book.
The contrived "Chase" format gifted Johnson his championships, in Gordon's car nonetheless. Based on points, as every other driver on this list was, Gordon would have won 7 championships instead. Gordon also won more races than Johnson.
Derek Bell came to my mind as well, other names are Alberto Ascari and Carlos Sainz Senior. Here in Germany Wolfgang Graf Berghe von Trips, Bernd Rosemayer, Hans Stück (Senior and Junior) but especially Walter Röhl are legendary.
Before watching my quess for the list: F1: Hamilton, Schumacher, Senna, Prost, Clark, Fangio; Rally: Loeb, Ogier; RR: Rossi, Márquez, Agostini; multi-class: Surtees Enduro: Juha Salminen Nascar: Johnson, Earnhardt sr. and some endurance driver or multi class talent or some drift racer or some bit more exotic
Sebastian Loeb for the 9 in a row WRC titles springs to mind. From Indy Scott Dixon incredible shout and one from left field Helio Castroneves. Motorbikes definitely Rossi and Rea from world super bikes and Sheene and Doohan. NASCAR Jeff Gordon.
Was going to say Peter Brock. Then saw your first 11 Global Goats. Then you said Peter is just "Australian Royalty". I actually agree with your assessment.
AJ Foyt, absolutely, but Al Unser Sr. has quite the resume, arguably the second best US racer ever (3 USAC/CART titles, four Indy 500 wins, 24 Hours of Dayonta, two Pikes Peak titles, etc.). Call him a near miss. I'm never going to convince anyone of her being the best woman driver, but Jutta Kleinschmidt's dominance and overall win in the Dakar Rally puts her in the argument for that accolade.
Tom Kristensen has to be in, the 24 Hours of Le Mans is arguably the single biggest motorsport event in the world, if you're going to include Schumacher and Hamilton because they have the most F1 world championships, then you have to include Mr. Le Mans as well.
Whoa... DAN GURNEY!!! While he never won any of the major championships, who else won races in Indy Cars, F1, NASCAR, Can Am, Trans Am, BTCC and of course, the '67 24 Hours of LeMans... and then when on to being possibly one of the most innovative race car builders motorsports has ever seen... all the while being the classy, well-spoken ambassador of American racing for over 60 years.... no list of great drivers is complete without 'President Gurney'... 😊
Jeff Gordon - He brought NASCAR to it's mainstream popularity, in a time where people thought NASCAR of being a backwater sport, Jeff brought the sport to the forefront.
Fantastic list. My brain went to Kristensen too, but you make a very convincing argument why Ickx is superior. I feel like we are missing one of the flying Finns, however I can’t think of one at an immortal level but also their average level was spectacular. Maybe one for the future could be for non-drivers? Similarly the likes of Ferrari, Chapman and Newey, would be auto includes, but loads of potential to debate who else, I’m thinking the likes of Brabham, Gordon Murray, Birkin, and Shelby.
Great video. I cant disagree with your 4 additions or really if you would have chosen any of the 5 others. I like the list we got the most though. Thanks aiden
OK, from the outset I will admit to being biased here as Jack Brabham was my childhood hero and no, I am not going to recommend his inclusion on your list because of 1966 but because of something I only learnt from reading his biography by Tony Davis and Akos Armont. As you may be aware he left for the UK in 1955 and wound up at Cooper. At the time they were renowned for their 500cc cars but not their larger capacity vehicles. It was Brabham, behind the scenes, that started to push the concept of a rear-engined race car when the accepted wisdom was front -engined. From 1959 onwards rear-engined became the standard. In addition, he mentored a number of drivers, the most notable being Bruce McLaren and Denny Hulme. Never one to aggrandise himself, he mostly flew under the radar but he was a 3 time world champion, competed in multiple classes of races and survived the deadliest period of grand prix racing.
The three i'd say Richard Petty - 200 NASCAR wins and 7 titles is nothing to scoff at Shane Van Gisbergen - The grestest driver from the south imho. Won a NASCAR race on debut and won several Australian Supercars races. And he can just adapt to a car in a click Bruce McLaren - I'm a McLaren fan. Need I say more?
I can testify to Gizzy. The guy can win races in ANYTHING that has wheels. He might be a bit on to go F1 racing, but I have no doubt that he’d be an absolutely insane driver to watch. Especially with the way he can just make overtakes happen out of thin air!
Great video and I can’t really disagree with any of your choices. But I do feel there could be some inductees or honourable mentions from Pre-FIA. Guys like Nuvolari, Varzi, Chiron, or Fagioli. It’s hard to quantify results from the day but they had to be incredibly brave and well rounded to race in the dangerous and widely varied formulae of the time.
Hey Aidan. In NASCAR, take a look at a man named David Pearson. Yea there is Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt. But Mr. Pearson ran almost every one of his 27 years part time. When he did do a full season he would win the championship. Look at the stats and you will think this man is a racing icon. Better than Petty, Earnhardt. Forgot to mention he won 105 races and ranks number two all time. Has less than half the races Petty ran.
Yeh and jn different disciplines to . Like f1 then endurance and rallying , someone who only sticks to one type of racing although good in that type of racing they can't be compared
Long comment and only F1 drivers but worth a read. In the 1996 Encyclopaedia of Formula 1, the one with then new world champion Damon Hill on the front cover and a Christmas present I still have, there were 10 drivers included in the Legends Of The Track section. 3-time world champion Nelson Piquet wasn't included but Stirling Moss, arguably the greatest to never be world champion, was. The argument being Piquet was one of the champions who won given the best machinery but was otherwise uncompetitive. Where as Moss was consistently competitive even in privately run cars and his best chances to win the world championship were when one of the GOAT, Fangio, was also on the grid. Schumacher was only a 2-time champion at the time and still relatively early in his career but was mentioned in the all-time great drivers section, which was a run down of the best known other drivers (including Piquet) so he wasn't one of the 10 legends. These "all-time great drivers" also included Slim Borgudd (yes, the drummer for ABBA was a pay driver using money earned with the band) though, so some were neither great nor well known. Anyway, the 10 legends Of The Track in the encyclopaedia are: Jack Brabham, Jim Clark, Juan Manuel Fangio, Graham Hill, Niki Lauda, Nigel Mansell, Stirling Moss, Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna and Jackie Stewart. If I were to add more to that list Michael Schumacher would be there and Lewis Hamilton when he retires. Max Verstappen is well on his way to legendary status too and argue amongst yourselves to make up the rest of the 15.
I know I’m a little late but I’m gonna put my personal “godly 15” out there. In no particular order: Jim Clark, Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher, Richard Petty, Tazio Nuvolari, Michele Mouton, Alessandro Zanardi, Colin McRae, John Surtees, Jacky Ickx, AJ Foyt, Valentino Rossi, Graham Hill, Peter Brock, Juan Manuel Fangio
My List for GOATS Lounge is Sir Jack Brabham, Michele Mouton, Possum Bourne, Dick Johnson, Larry Perkins, Colin Bond (Australia Motorsport) Molly Taylor and Leanne Ferrier/Tander. that my list
So who did I forget then?
You are a brave one for this😂 haven't even watched the video yet but I already know the comments are going to be on fire
Walter Röhrl.
One of the NASCAR drivers. Petty, Gordon, ect
Moss
Can't disagree with any of the inclusions. I would make a case for one of the great sports car drivers beyond Ickx (and I have no arguments at all about his inclusion). Pick one of Al Holbert (outstanding driver, engineer, and team owner), Hurley Haywood (so many Daytona wins, Le Mans, Sebring, and all the rest), Derek Bell (need I say more?), or the already mentioned Tom Kristensen (hard to look past 9 Le Mans victories). There's any good case to be made for any of them.
Alessandro Zanardi, his racing accolades might not be enough but the way he came back after losing his legs is just something else.
Also going through TWO comas.
Great shout
@@nolancain8792 and gaining an inch of height after a crash at Spa.
Seconded, losing two legs horribly, coming with seconds of death and deciding this was INSUFFICIENT REASON to give up racing? Absolute legend and personal hero of mine.
@@danesorensen1775 Zinardi appreciation posts - loving this!
Think of Sir Jackie Stewart as you will, but he is the only one alive who either drove against or knew all F1 drivers since the beginning. He puts Fangio just ahead of Clark. One of my racing memories is sitting in Derek Bell's 962 at Al Holbert's Porsche NA shop and meeting and getting the autographs of Kimi Raikkonen and Seb Vettel.
Only one of his mates still alive as well. Must have been a horrendous time for him in the 60s.
@@AidanMillward I am sure you have seen the interviews of him at home with memorials to all of them on benches in his garden. Clark and Cevert must have been the most devastating.
I'm probably misquoting badly, but I think Derek Bell said something along the lines of "I was good, but Al Holbert was better." Praise indeed! Although, I think both Bell and Holbert are great and would find it incredibly difficult to choose between the two.
@@daveblock4061
Rindt and Piers Courage were also close friends (he has stated that Rindt was his best friend) and neighbors of Stewart in Switzerland. He is very frank in talking about the reasons he kept driving - mainly because he didn't see any other way he could provide for his family. I think that his childhood dyslexia had left him convinced he was worthless for employment and it was racing or poverty.
Stewart's legacy on and off the track is enormous, a lot more drivers would be dead without the influence he exerted at a time when safety was sneered at as weakness. It's just a shame that he blatantly tries to undermine Hamilton's abilities, likely because he and Jimmy got surpassed by an Englishman (irony being that Clark wouldn't give a stuff) and also because LH idolises Senna, who Jackie didn't like.
AJ Foyt also won 2 of his 500s in a car he built, and his 1977 win, was with his own engine.
Dan Gurney also belongs there. His contributions, among others, span across the range of motorsport, from construction (his own car and engine), to influence (pairing Ford and Lotus)
You still regularly hear Gurney’s name in F1 tech talks.
Gurney flap is definitely a future video idea
Pikes peak as well
I don't think that Gurney makes it as a driver, but if you have a category that includes overall contributions to motorsports, he goes into the American contingent with Roger Penske, Carroll Shelby, Smokey Yunick, and the Woods Brothers.
@@basher20Gurney is generally a tough one. His versatility and ability was second to none (wins in F1, Indycar, NASCAR, and sports cars), but reliability let him down often, and his career was fairly short. Overall. Wilbur Shaw also had an immense influence out of the cockpit. IMS would be a housing development in NW Indianapolis if not for him.
The King of NASCAR Richard Petty. First driver with 7 championships, 7 Daytona 500 wins, 27 wins in 1967(most ever), 200 wins total in NASCAR a record that will never be broken in Cup series.
In an age where past and present female success in sport gets hugely emphasised, Michele Mouton being completely ignored is absolutely bewildering. She was among the best in the business during rallying's toughest era, quitting in protest that it was becoming too safe.
I would create a wing for special contribution but not as a driver. My first pick for that would be Murray Walker involved with commentary for over 50 years most of which was done in his spare time. The voice of F1 and so many other categories not just the UK but across the globe.
Not only for F1, or even cars. He was a passionate biker! Commentated on the IOMTT, Superbikes (or the equivalent class titles - they keep changing even if the bikes don't).
Totally agree with you though. I grew up with his voice - literally. From the early 70s (though I undoubtedly heard it first at the start of the 66 season, I don't remember it!) until he retired. He might not have always been _right,_ but he was _always_ passionate. Hearing him even now will both rev my adrenaline up and bring a lump to my throat.
My nomination for the Special Contributions section - John Fitch. His contribution? The Fitch Inertial Safety Barrier, AKA those yellow plastic bins full of sand that are used to protect pit entries & solid bits of road hardware. Fitch was a teammate to Pierre Levegh @ Mercedes in '55, and was inspired to make motorsports and public roads a little safer, by coming up with a way to protect cars (& drivers) from roadside hazards like bridge abutments, the ends of crash or lane barriers, or pit walls. More importantly, he came up with something that is both cheap and easy to replace - which was important, as it meant that Fitch Barriers got used everywhere, saving lives worldwide, to the tune of some 30,000+ lives saved since their debut...
100% agree with that
For all who grew up with f1 and other motorsports in the UK, you can’t not think of Murray Walker. Man was loved inside the sport just as much as he was by the viewers. What a legend!
Sid Watkins
I had a picture of Jacky Ickx walking to his GT40 signed by him last year: one of the most significant moments in Le Mans history. A living legend.
I don't think he'd make the VIP room, but someone who'd be in WhatCulture and WatchMojo lists for those who should be in it would be Juan Pablo Montoya for his multi-discipline consistency. Being a CART champion, IMSA Sportscar Champion, having won the Indy 500 twice, and having multiple wins in F1 and NASCAR in the eras of Michael Schumacher and Jimmie Johnson respectively is an impressive resume that few can match or best.
Good pick. Montoya, Räikkönen and a few others are probably part of the group of people who just didn't make it, due to the bar being set so high by the people that did. Alonso might be in that group OR in the actual room, and if Max Verstappen continues his reign there's no way he's not going to be in there sooner or later as well.
I think Dale Sr definitely deserves at least an honorable mention for his nascar success. But I think his spot would be undeniable had he lived and been able to pursue sports cars, he showed that he had the metal for it at Daytona. Multiple Daytona 24 and Le Mans class wins were definitely on the table for him
Completely agree. Dale was going to race for about another 2-3 years then retire from NASCAR. I have no doubt Dale would have won Daytona or Le Mans. Perhaps both. Dale Sr. was a very underrated road racer. He only won 1 in NASCAR but bad luck prevented him from having at least 2 or 3.
I’d love to see how different NASCAR would be today if Dale Sr hadn’t passed that fateful day. Would RCR have remained as strong for longer? Would have have won another championship? Would he have been able to show Harvick the ropes in Cup? I believe the answer to all is yes, but there is sadly no way to know.
Dale 100% had the ability to win at Daytona 24hr. The only thing that could possibly stop him is his lack of Sportscar experience
I’m a firm believer that any of the greats in auto racing would likely have had success in other series. Car feel, race craft, and raw talent have a lot of crossover.
That isn’t to say that different series flatter different skill sets (ie. rally- reflexes and pure car handling; F1- precision and mind for engineering; endurance; extreme mental toughness and discipline; etc. I’m just saying that an extremely talented driver is an extremely talented driver regardless of race series…
I would agree. But if we're talking stock car racing and putting Dale in but not Petty or Waltrip would be nuts
What a list, definitely agree with your picks
My honourable mention would be Sabine Schmitz
Nigel Mansell for winning indycar in his rookie year as F1 world champion and for his general flamboyance!
Mouton is an excellent pick, Albon (not that one!) did a great video about her career which gave a lot of insight I was unaware of
Jackie Ickx is one of those ubiquitous names that people rarely talk about. You know he was there, you know he won and you know he's a legend, but nobody says "Ya, I was a big Jackie Ickx fan back in the day."
I’m glad Jackie Ickx is here. No one has adapted to everything as well as him. Sports Cars, F1, Touring Cars, and Production Car wins. Man is the only one listed to win the Bathurst 1000, and probably the highest profile driver to win the race. Add in his Le Mans, F1 and other various successes, he would have to be the most adaptable driver of his time
Loved seeing Tazio get a mention :)
Mark Donohue. Although his Formula 1 career was cut short, his list of accomplishment rival many on this list.
It should also be noted how some of these drivers that drove in many disciplines and had careers spanning multiple decades (Foyt, Andretti, Ickx, etc.) started their careers driving cars that would look antiquated at the end of their careers. Andretti for example started his professional career in USAC driving a bathtub with non-slick tires and no downforce, and ended it driving a high downforce 230+mph race car in 1994. He even won his last race the year before in 1993. They experience groundbreaking advances in technology, and adapted to the increased physical and mental demands the newer and faster machines forced upon them
Aidan, it's been a year now, to the day, that I've been watching your work - I remember it well, because I spent last Christmas in bed with the flu and listening to your videos was the only thing I had the energy for. Thanks for your great stories! Wishing you all the best for 2024.
IMO you could make a decent case for Scott Dixon, not many poeple have been at the top of a series for over 20 years, never mind one as competitive as IndyCar
For the bulk of Dixon’s Indycar career he’s been in a more-or-less spec series. Meaning at best a MINIMAL car advantage over his competitors. And yet he’s still winning races, and most years has a tilt at the title.
Dixon is the Alonso of indycar
Came here to make the same comment.
This is a great pick, and during these 20+ years he's been quite successful in endurance racing as well, even if it wasn't his main occupation.
Dixon should be a lead candidate for the smartest driver of all time.
The HANS device was created in the 1980s. When Senna died in 1994, nobody gave it a second glance. When Dale Earnhardt died in 2001, it was universally accepted in pretty much every series overnight. It opened everyone’s eyes. If this could happen to HIM, anyone could be next. The amount of respect that Earnhardt had, not just from NASCAR but from any racing driver, could not be understated.
Earnhardt’s refusal to get with the times did as much to contribute to the injuries than the actual crash did, unfortunately.
Respectfully it was Dales attitude towards it that ultimately cost him and I don’t say that with any malice.
It was mandatory after Senna’s death in F1 but NASCAR drivers only used it after Dales passing, a few were already using it but the wider grid felt just same as Dale did.
Like you said its use cannot be overstated.
Tony Stewart: one of the only guys to make the jump from IndyCar to NASCAR in the modern era and win championships in both disciplines.
Dale Sr. and Jimmie Johnson: 7 time Cup champions in eras with a remotely sane championship formats (if you think the Chase/Playoffs is stupid, look at what it was like when Petty was winning everything)
Jeff Gordon: he is Jeff Gordon.
I love you didn’t need to justify Jeff Gordon.
Not a Stewart fan, but he’s also winning in NHRA presently and looked handy in an F1 car (he swapped rides with Button at Indy)
@@leghumper83 I forgot about his current NHRA run. Yeah, arguably the most versatile driver of this century thus far, with MAYBE Kyle Larson on track to attempt to match him.
@@pendremacherald6758 Gordon's IMSA drives certainly shouldn't be overlooked.
So what was wonky about winning the championships etc in Petty’s era?
Rudolf Caracciola for his dominance of European motor racing (won Tazio Nuvolari wasn't winning), A J Foyt (Indy and Le Mans), Jacky Ickx (Le Mans six times plus F1), Vic Elford for sheer variety of machinery. Best wishes!
Thank you for remembering John Surtees. His motorbike career is worthy of being covered in more detail. The statistics are just phenominal and should put him on the shortlist for greatest motocycle GP rider of all time, and achieved at such a young age and against such high quality opposition. (The original Valentino Rossi one could say.) But he should have been even more successful. He was held back and prevented from racing other bikes by Count Augusta, which lead to his switch to four wheels.
My favourite Foyt story is taking pole for a USAC race at the Milwaukee Mile in 1965 - even though, due to a stuff-up, he was in an upright dirt car rather than a low-slung Indy roadster. I don't like the guy, but there's no doubt about his driving.
My suggestion is Big Pete Geoghegen. Niche for sure, but I think his reputation is fading a bit in the age of TH-cam because most of his career happened before the cameras arrived. Just to give you a taste: John Sheppard was managing the Holden Dealer Team when Peter Brock won by a record six laps. At the big awards ceremony after, when Sheppard was accepting the trophy, one of the journos asked if Brock was the best driver he'd ever worked with. Sheppard stared through the glare of the stage lights and made eye contact with Pete, his old boss, his talent now well and truly lost to the whisky, then pressed his lips to the microphone and said simpy and honestly, "No." A big call under the circumstances, but those in the know tend to agree.
Its ya boi big Jim, JC himself, the flying Scotsman, Mr 997 NUR.
The GOAT.
Rossi ruling MotoGP for so long would definitly put him on my list
Well this is for racing drivers, not riders
@@Rezcuz Well he did credit Surtees for his motorcycle stuff and the having two different words for Drivers ans Riders is only an english thing as far as i know
@@arztbesucharzt8143 Makes sense to have different words - 2 and 4 wheels is a pretty big difference
He's also quick in the M4, wold be cool to see him win the LM in a couple years, or even a championship.
Mick Doohan, five times world champ.
Thank you for adding John Surtees to the list as the man earned the respect of every racng fan for his dedication to his craft. Some have grudgingly called his F1 title a fluke, but he truly earned it by racing the likes of Clark, Hill, Brabham et al and beating them. He was also a bloody nice bloke who always had time for people wherever he went.
One addition, in a class all of his own, professor sid Watkins. Not a driver, but a man who saved as many as he possibly could
Hello Aidan: Your remark about Sebastian Loeb ruining rallying gave me a good laugh. Sebastian certainly ruined life for Mikko Hirvonen. Mikko's only failing was having to race against Sebastian. Have a lovely day.
Being a Richard Burns fan that stopped watching in 2004 I missed NOTHING in the grand scheme of things.
If you’re that dominant you can bust your shoulder and still win without turning up you’re too damn good 🤣
Must say, that's a very good list! Of course, there's plenty more drivers, and you could built up this list even up to 50, but I must say, your picks for top 15 are spot on!
You have to have Sir Jack Brabham as an immortal. 3 x WDC but importantly 1966 was WDC and Constructors in a car and team that was owned, managed and built and co-designed by Sir Jack at 40 years of age. That is a record no driver will ever break ever. Now that's Immortal.
Foyt was named shared the award as driver of the 20th century. Also, was voted number 1 driver of all time in 2008 by a diverse list of former drivers in Motorsport. The guy dominated everything and everyone.
But you can flip a coin and pick any of these guys as #1. It’s all about perspective.
Honourable mention to, in no particular order. Vic Elford, Brian Redman and Dan Gurney. All multiple discipline winners.
Of the 15 - I saw 4 race live. Senna, Prost, Schumacher and Hamilton.
Also on Mouton - that Quattro was a tough car to drive. Very heavy and understeery as hell with the big 5 cylinder way out front over the front axle and the new 4 wheel drive making it tougher.
Jack brabham. Only person to ever win the F1 title in a car he designed
He owned it but it was Ron Tauranac (the 'T' in BT) who designed the car.
I’d love to see you do a similar video on the greatest families in racing.
I mean I agree with most of it, but this list should include Fernando Alonso and Dale Earnhardt Sr.
Especialy Alonso. F1 WDC , WEC DC, 24H Daytona winner, almost won Indy in his 1st attempt, one Dakkar attempt. And not to mention he is still MIGHTY at 42 years of age. Really should be in there. As for Dale Sr well , he is the NASCAR Goat. But Fernando not being in there I think imho is wrong. Great list overall tho. Cheers mate.
I wholeheartedly agree.
I was going to say, Dale Earnhardt had seven world championships as well. If Lewis is in, then Dale is in.
@@alaeriia01 Nascar titles are world titles now?
@@AidanMillward They do one race in Mexico. If having one team in Toronto makes MLB a "world series", then that should count.
@@alaeriia01 nobody outside the US will be willing to entertain the delusion that the Fall Classic constitutes a world title.
And I forgot to mention Peter Brock in the list of racing immortals.
I think there's a strong case to be made for Parnelli Jones: Multiple wins in Indycar (chief among them the 1963 Indianapolis 500), NASCAR, Trans Am, and off road/desert racing. Probably would have won in F1 as well had he not turned down Colin Chapman's job offer once he found out he would have been Clark's number two.
I'm liking the variety of options picked, and how that opens this up to a possible 25 honourable mentions based on achievements in multiple fields... Only possible mention I'd add an argument for is Brabham for obvious reasons & how we'll likely never see someone win a world championship in their own car again
Did you know?? Like Foyt and Andretti in America, Jack Brabham wasn't just a road racer, he actually got his motor racing start in dirt track speedway racing what American's call midgets, but in Australia they are known as speedcar's. Before Jack got into road racing, he won the Australian Speedcar Championship 4 times between 1948 and 1953. Not bad given that he was actually a rookie driver in 1948 having only previously been a mechanic who thought the drivers were "all lunatics" as on average 2-3 drivers were killed in crashes each season (at each track.....) until roll cages finally started appearing in the early 1970s. He also won the New South Wales and South Australian State Speedcar titles on multiple occasions. After his return to Australia to live in 1971, Jack mostly drove either production touring cars, usually just in the Bathurst 1000, with moderate success (he was more interested in supporting Geoff's growing career at that stage) with the occasional foray into Australian and international sports car racing until his final retirement at the end of 1984.
I think there should be a hall of fame for catastrofuck drivers.
Ricardo Rosset, Nakita Mazepin, Nicolas Latifi. That would be a pretty epic list.
Anyone else to add please post in the comments 👍
When you say that Mouton finished second in the championship, you are missing out on how close she was to coming first.
If you watch the "too fast to race" documentary she enters the final round of the season having received the news that her father died, and then breaks down with transmission problems near the end of the rally
Would like to see a video of Lynn St. James as she is in the "Automotive Hall of Fame" (how many HOFs are there anyways?). Drove Cart as well as IMSA for many years in the US. Honorable mentions to Dan Gurney and Mark Donohue.
My picks to round out the list are as follows:
AJ Foyt - 7x IndyCar champion, 4x Indy 500 winner, 1967 24 Hrs of Le Mans winner, 2x Daytona 24 Hr winner, 1972 Daytona 500 winner, and so on. If there was a big race to win, the man they nicknamed Super Tex was always a factor in those races. No one showed up like Foyt when the chips were down and it was all on the line.
Jamie Whincup - the man who dominated racing down under, Whincup's Bathurst 12 Hours win and four Bathurst 1000 wins alongside his seven V8 Supercar titles (four of which were in a row) are enough to give the man an argument for a seat at the table despite being primarily an Aussie Touring Car driver his entire career.
Richard Petty - 123 pole positions, 712 top tens, 200 wins, 7x Daytona 500 winner, and 7x Winston Cup Series champion. There's a reason they call Richard Petty the King. The case can be made for Dale Earnhardt Sr., but Richard Petty should be the choice given how he put the NASCAR Cup Series (and Plymouth's NASCAR Program) on his back and was the face of the series for two decades strong and straight up dominated. The amount of records, high profile wins, and championships Petty has are unmatched in stock car racing that, like with Whincup in Supercars, demands a consideration for a place among motor racing's hall of immortals.
This one's a little left field as he didn't race at all, but when you think of his voice, you immediately hear a screaming v10 going past the commentary box. Murray Walker. To me the voice of F1 and many other racing disciplines. If motor racing had a cool wall, Murray would be in the fridge at the end.
YES! I love that you had her in your list! Niki Lauda said she was one of the greatest ever...
So glad you added John Surtese and Michelle Mouton , 2 of my heros of motorsport
Tom Walkinshaw should definitely be in the conversation; easy to forget what an accomplished driver he was; let alone the multiple World, European, British touring car wins, Le Mans and WSC titles; both as entrant and car builder (right up to 1996) and F1 race wins and a championship with Benetton, via team management.
Richard Petty, Mario Andretti, JM Fangio, Graham Hill
great video! I do like the idea of a proper driver Hall of Fame. In Poker they have criteria for their HOF - Have played successfully at the highest level for at least 20 years, Have earned the respect of your peers or have helped grow the game in a meaningful way.
Obviously these criteria don't translate precisely to drivers but I feel that there should be defined criteria for entry into this special club. I don't think for example that every championship winner gets an entry.
Have a great Christmas everyone - look forward to watching more next year :)
excellent list. make it an annual thing. ... Fittipaldi, two F1 crowns and two times runner-up. One CART championship and two Indy 500. Al Unser Sr., USAC and CART Champ Championships. Ran and won in USAC when road, ovals and dirt tracks where part of that crazy time in the gringo racing scene. Dan Gurney because Dan Gurney. Honorable mentions to Rick Mears (multiple CART championships and four Indy victories and a bunch of poles plus Baja), Mark Donohue, his partnership Roger Penske was the stuff of legend.... love your videos and your opinions and views on motorsports. thanks.
Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Scott Dixon, Jamie Wincup, Valentino Rossi, Mark Marquez
I love this channel always learning something new
I'm not going to lambast you for it, but I would have included Niki Lauda. Won two championships after his horrendous crash at the Nurburgring and his third was achieved not only without a front row start (the only WC to do this) but he lost the qualifying battle with Prost 15-1 and took two less wins
Mine would be (in no particular order): Jim Clark, Sir Jack Brabham, Alain Prost, Michael Schumacher, Ayrton Senna, Nelson Piquet, Niki Lauda, Nigel Mansell, Jacques Villeneuve, Jacky Ickx, Juan Manuel Fangio, A. J. Foyt, Sir Jackie Stewart, Sir Lewis Hamilton & Graham Hill.
Tazio - before World Championships won on motorcycles, rally cars, sports cars, G.P. cars. Vanderbilt cup, Le Mans, Targa F. Millie M.- Monaco, Plus the greatest race ever where he won over the might of Auto Union and Mercedes at the "Ring" plus Many others. THE true G.O.A.T.
I wish I could name a touring car pro on the list, but unfortunatly the category was and is too fractured into different categories and mostly filled with F1 rejects... still my favourite racing category.
As a fan of drag racing here in the USA I would have to add John Force (or Don Garlits)... I know drag racing LOOKS simple (They go straight! how hard can that be??). But these things are 10000 hp BEASTS that do NOT want to go straight. John has won so many titles- for so many years
Not to mention Force is still in his mid 70s a full time top level drag racer, very competitive making
330 mph passes, and still winning. The man is a beast
I have been following F1 since 1966, and this is my list for greatest F1 drivers, although I do agree that Loeb is one of the the greatest race car drivers ever, but, just sticking to F1 per se. In order of appearance the 20 greatest F1 drivers in history:
Tazio Nuvolari
Jean-Pierre Wimille
Alberto Ascari
Juan Manuel Fangio
Stirling Moss
Jack Brabham
Graham Hill
Jim Clark
Jackie Stewart
Jochen Rindt
Ronnie Peterson
Emerson Fittipaldi
Niki Lauda
Alain Prost
Ayrton Senna
Mika Hakkinen
Michael Schumacher
Fernando Alonso
Lewis Hamilton
Max Verstappen
Great video, and I have a suggestion to make, could you do a video on Ivan “Ironman” Stewart? I know you’re not big into North American off-road racing but he was quite literally the best at it when racing the Baja 1000
Tazio and Jacky are the two i always go to in these discussions and its great to see Aidan recognise both. Tazio for his switch from motorcyles to winning every italian GP and sports car event and standing tall against the third reich after beating the Auto Unions and Mercedes Benzs in his Alfa Romeo in Nazi Germany.
As a Dale Earnhardt fan I want to say if any NASCAR drivers made this list it should be Jimmie Johnson. Seven championships in an era of nascar with more parity than any generation before with more regulation than any generation before makes him the best ever in NASCAR in my book.
Yeah true Johnson is underappreciated for his accomplishments. Honestly even though this list has the stats this list is a popularity chart
The contrived "Chase" format gifted Johnson his championships, in Gordon's car nonetheless. Based on points, as every other driver on this list was, Gordon would have won 7 championships instead. Gordon also won more races than Johnson.
Derek Bell came to my mind as well, other names are Alberto Ascari and Carlos Sainz Senior. Here in Germany Wolfgang Graf Berghe von Trips, Bernd Rosemayer, Hans Stück (Senior and Junior) but especially Walter Röhl are legendary.
Before watching my quess for the list:
F1: Hamilton, Schumacher, Senna, Prost, Clark, Fangio;
Rally: Loeb, Ogier;
RR: Rossi, Márquez, Agostini;
multi-class: Surtees
Enduro: Juha Salminen
Nascar: Johnson, Earnhardt sr.
and some endurance driver or multi class talent or some drift racer or some bit more exotic
Sebastian Loeb for the 9 in a row WRC titles springs to mind. From Indy Scott Dixon incredible shout and one from left field Helio Castroneves. Motorbikes definitely Rossi and Rea from world super bikes and Sheene and Doohan. NASCAR Jeff Gordon.
Pretty good list. Glad to see Michelle on there, she was a beast 👍
Good effort, so many great driver achievements, hard to pick only 15
Was going to say Peter Brock.
Then saw your first 11 Global Goats.
Then you said Peter is just "Australian Royalty".
I actually agree with your assessment.
Brock also failed miserably when he came to Europe. Yeh he’s won 9 1000s but that’s it.
Would have been pulverised in the BTCC.
@@AidanMillwardreally?
AJ Foyt, absolutely, but Al Unser Sr. has quite the resume, arguably the second best US racer ever (3 USAC/CART titles, four Indy 500 wins, 24 Hours of Dayonta, two Pikes Peak titles, etc.). Call him a near miss. I'm never going to convince anyone of her being the best woman driver, but Jutta Kleinschmidt's dominance and overall win in the Dakar Rally puts her in the argument for that accolade.
I think Tony Stewart could go in the honorable mentions. Irl champ, nascar, all the stuff on dirt, now nhra drag racing guy.
Mouton also had a 2.0l prototype class win at Le Mans i 1975. Not overall winner obviously, but clearly not only quick in rally.
The only other new entry I can think of will be if Valentino Rossi makes it into Hypercars and wins Le Mans.
You'll get so many differing opinions Aidan, but this is a cool list to which some I hadn't heard of
AJ Foyt
Jacky Ickx
Rudolf Caracciola
Dan Gurney
Edit: I was not disappointed!!!
Spent 10 minutes saying “Surtees” “Surtees” internally and glad Ickx gets his due
Cracking selections
Jack Brabham is the only person to wins the world championship as a driver and a constructor
Tom Kristensen has to be in, the 24 Hours of Le Mans is arguably the single biggest motorsport event in the world, if you're going to include Schumacher and Hamilton because they have the most F1 world championships, then you have to include Mr. Le Mans as well.
Whoa... DAN GURNEY!!! While he never won any of the major championships, who else won races in Indy Cars, F1, NASCAR, Can Am, Trans Am, BTCC and of course, the '67 24 Hours of LeMans... and then when on to being possibly one of the most innovative race car builders motorsports has ever seen... all the while being the classy, well-spoken ambassador of American racing for over 60 years.... no list of great drivers is complete without 'President Gurney'... 😊
Great video, some fantastic choices. Andy Rouse as another possible hounerable mention as he was a great driver and engineer
Jeff Gordon - He brought NASCAR to it's mainstream popularity, in a time where people thought NASCAR of being a backwater sport, Jeff brought the sport to the forefront.
Fantastic list. My brain went to Kristensen too, but you make a very convincing argument why Ickx is superior. I feel like we are missing one of the flying Finns, however I can’t think of one at an immortal level but also their average level was spectacular.
Maybe one for the future could be for non-drivers? Similarly the likes of Ferrari, Chapman and Newey, would be auto includes, but loads of potential to debate who else, I’m thinking the likes of Brabham, Gordon Murray, Birkin, and Shelby.
7:04 is that Marq Marquez? Dang they do look alike from the picture
I think you need all rounders so Moss, Clark, G Hill and Mario Andretti get my vote.
Great video. I cant disagree with your 4 additions or really if you would have chosen any of the 5 others. I like the list we got the most though. Thanks aiden
OK, from the outset I will admit to being biased here as Jack Brabham was my childhood hero and no, I am not going to recommend his inclusion on your list because of 1966 but because of something I only learnt from reading his biography by Tony Davis and Akos Armont. As you may be aware he left for the UK in 1955 and wound up at Cooper. At the time they were renowned for their 500cc cars but not their larger capacity vehicles. It was Brabham, behind the scenes, that started to push the concept of a rear-engined race car when the accepted wisdom was front -engined. From 1959 onwards rear-engined became the standard. In addition, he mentored a number of drivers, the most notable being Bruce McLaren and Denny Hulme. Never one to aggrandise himself, he mostly flew under the radar but he was a 3 time world champion, competed in multiple classes of races and survived the deadliest period of grand prix racing.
The three i'd say
Richard Petty - 200 NASCAR wins and 7 titles is nothing to scoff at
Shane Van Gisbergen - The grestest driver from the south imho. Won a NASCAR race on debut and won several Australian Supercars races. And he can just adapt to a car in a click
Bruce McLaren - I'm a McLaren fan. Need I say more?
I can testify to Gizzy.
The guy can win races in ANYTHING that has wheels. He might be a bit on to go F1 racing, but I have no doubt that he’d be an absolutely insane driver to watch. Especially with the way he can just make overtakes happen out of thin air!
As an American it's nice to see AJ Foyt get some love, incredible race car driver, tough as nails, could win in anything.
Great video and I can’t really disagree with any of your choices. But I do feel there could be some inductees or honourable mentions from Pre-FIA. Guys like Nuvolari, Varzi, Chiron, or Fagioli. It’s hard to quantify results from the day but they had to be incredibly brave and well rounded to race in the dangerous and widely varied formulae of the time.
Hey Aidan. In NASCAR, take a look at a man named David Pearson. Yea there is Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt. But Mr. Pearson ran almost every one of his 27 years part time. When he did do a full season he would win the championship. Look at the stats and you will think this man is a racing icon. Better than Petty, Earnhardt. Forgot to mention he won 105 races and ranks number two all time. Has less than half the races Petty ran.
To be GOAT status, I believe you need to win in multiple cars within a single championship, or win in different championships.
Yeh and jn different disciplines to . Like f1 then endurance and rallying , someone who only sticks to one type of racing although good in that type of racing they can't be compared
Juan Pablo Montoya has entered the chat.
@@pendremacherald6758 now is he better than every F1 winner without a championship? I would say he is...
@@Timoto58 Then you have forgotten the name Stirling Moss.
Maybe I missed Alberto Ascari. He still holds F1 records over seven decades later.
Long comment and only F1 drivers but worth a read. In the 1996 Encyclopaedia of Formula 1, the one with then new world champion Damon Hill on the front cover and a Christmas present I still have, there were 10 drivers included in the Legends Of The Track section. 3-time world champion Nelson Piquet wasn't included but Stirling Moss, arguably the greatest to never be world champion, was. The argument being Piquet was one of the champions who won given the best machinery but was otherwise uncompetitive. Where as Moss was consistently competitive even in privately run cars and his best chances to win the world championship were when one of the GOAT, Fangio, was also on the grid.
Schumacher was only a 2-time champion at the time and still relatively early in his career but was mentioned in the all-time great drivers section, which was a run down of the best known other drivers (including Piquet) so he wasn't one of the 10 legends. These "all-time great drivers" also included Slim Borgudd (yes, the drummer for ABBA was a pay driver using money earned with the band) though, so some were neither great nor well known.
Anyway, the 10 legends Of The Track in the encyclopaedia are: Jack Brabham, Jim Clark, Juan Manuel Fangio, Graham Hill, Niki Lauda, Nigel Mansell, Stirling Moss, Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna and Jackie Stewart. If I were to add more to that list Michael Schumacher would be there and Lewis Hamilton when he retires. Max Verstappen is well on his way to legendary status too and argue amongst yourselves to make up the rest of the 15.
Great choices. I would add my own personal fave, Jim Richards.
I know I’m a little late but I’m gonna put my personal “godly 15” out there. In no particular order:
Jim Clark, Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher, Richard Petty, Tazio Nuvolari, Michele Mouton, Alessandro Zanardi, Colin McRae, John Surtees, Jacky Ickx, AJ Foyt, Valentino Rossi, Graham Hill, Peter Brock, Juan Manuel Fangio
I'll throw in Surtees for championships on 2 and 4 wheels and do we go back far enough to include Ascari?
I’ve been to the nascar hall of fame in Charlotte and was impressed and thought how is their not an FIA equivalent
My List for GOATS Lounge is Sir Jack Brabham, Michele Mouton, Possum Bourne, Dick Johnson, Larry Perkins, Colin Bond (Australia Motorsport) Molly Taylor and Leanne Ferrier/Tander. that my list
Merry Christmas 🎄 Aidan