More important- Car or Driver?

[darth_timon]

An age old sporting question- man or machine? Which is key? Or rather, which is most important?

Personally, I would argue driver. Good or reasonable drivers will fare ok in average cars and poor drivers can take good cars and somehow do badly with them (Schumacher's teammate at Benetton in 94, for example).

The greatest drivers can take average cars and win in them. Senna in 1993 against a far superior Williams managed to win several races and Alonso has done really well with Ferrari this year.

 

[rayven]

Been a few fly by nighters in f1 that only got anywhere cause of the car they got in..


But guys like Senna who dominated in the probably the best car ever (Mclarens of 87-90) cause they done there apprentices (toleman/lotus). However Senna won some of his races in the 90's cause of his and his teams cannyness. That famous British grand prix win was a result partly of them saving a fresh engine and it was planned a fair way out, being a british team an all.

 

[Klyntonius]

It's a combination. Great drivers with good equipment can win, good drivers with great equipment can win. Great drivers with great equipment dominate. Overall, it's the most complete package that is successful.

 

[BomberFletch31]

Both are important, as mentioned above, but if I had to pick one that's more important than the other, then it's the car. Without a half decent car, even the greatest driver in the world wouldn't win.

The examples in the OP are where drivers won in better than average cars, albeit not the best. For example: Benetton were second in the constructors championship that year. It's arguable that they had the second best car overall, or at worst, third best, but given the margin between Benetton and third place Ferrari that year, I doubt that very much. In 1993, McLaren finished second to an all-conquering Williams in the constructors championship. Would Senna have won races in a 1993 Tyrrell, or would Schumacher have won the 1994 title in the Pacific?

So while a driver doesn't necessarily need the best car to win, he definitely needs one that has capabilities somewhat nearer to the front of the field than the back.

 

[Team DJ]

Along the same lines as Bomber.

Look at a guy like Massa. He can only win if his car is elite.
However Schumy Alonso Senna can win in nearly anything.

The absolute elite drivers (ie the ones mentioned above) it doesnt matter about the car, they will develop and ring every last inch of performance out of it.

The very good and lesser drivers need the car to be up to scratch a whole lot more. As mentioned Massa, even Jenson Button and Kimi in recent years. Back to i would argue Piquet and Mansell in years gone by.

 

[chachi11]

Its a combination of both for ultimate success....

You can have average drivers in a decent car
(eg barichello in a ferrari) and they will be okay but not spectacular.
Put a great driver in a decent car and you have a wdc!!

The best drivers dont make as many mistakes, which keeps them scoring points.

Put alonso in a toro rosso, he wouldnt be leading the championship, maybe would have picked up more points here and there, but would still be struggling...