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With the 2018 F1 season well and truly underway, and still looking like the World Championship battle will be between the two 4-time World Champions in Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel, number 5 for both of them will certainly make them one of the greatest F1 drivers in the history of the sport. However are they amongst the greatest of all time?
The famous American monument Mount Rushmore has the faces of 4 US Presidents, which they argue are their greatest of all time. So, my question which I will give an answer to is if F1 had this monument, who would be greatest F1 drivers on this monument. I will assess the options and then pick my 4.
#1 Michael Schumacher
will start off with the one person who will definitely be on this list. And that is the man with 7 world titles, the most in history and arguably one of the most recognizable names of the sport - Michael Schumacher. Sadly, he is still in a medically induced coma from the skiing accident in 2013.
His first title was dubious from a British perspective, where he seemed to purposely hit Damon Hill as he passed him 1994, to retire himself but also Hill at the same time to become World Champion in Adelaide. Not as close in 1995, and then after 5 years of Williams then McLaren wins, Ferrari and Schumacher were untouchable.
4 consecutive drivers titles, which was only achieved by two other drivers - Fangio and Vettel.
However, one season stands out for me - 2004. Schumacher won 13 races from 18, the second highest win percentage in one season ever and the most races won ever in a season, again only matched by Vettel. 7th on the all-time list for highest percentage of wins and most importantly, the most wins ever by one driver with 91 race wins.
Even 2002 can be argued as his greatest, as his lowest position during the season was 3rd. If you thought Vettel and Hamilton were boring, this was the original boring.
That season, the only winners of a race were only a Schumacher (his brother Ralf), a Ferrari, and the Scot, David Coulthard. The records he has are endless. And so Schumacher quite easily takes his place on F1's Mount Rushmore.
#2 Ayrton Senna
One of the most popular drivers in his time and the name everyone compares a driver to - Ayrton Senna. If you haven't watched the movie of his life, watch it.
He was an amazing driver, gifted and was the 'man'.
The King of Monaco and the King in the Wet, with the most consecutive wins at the famous track and at any one track, three world titles and numerous records make him one of the greatest in motor racing history. The records includes most pole positions at one race, only matched by Schumacher, and the most consecutive pole positions.
His rivalry with Alain Prost, was F1 in the 1980s summed up.
Senna was the people's favourite and there are numerous races which merit him to make this list. The two races I can think of are in cars which weren't by far the fastest, but Senna drove them past their potential and then some.
One is with the Toleman in Monaco, where if the race wasn't ended by the red flag due to bad weather, he would have beaten Prost's far superior McLaren. However the most well-known is his drive in Donington in 1993.
Senna started fifth in a slow McLaren-Ford and within 1 lap in the British rain, went to first passing rival Prost in the quicker Williams-Renault. This is regarded as the greatest lap in F1.
The whole F1 world and the outside world were gobsmacked and mourned his death during the 1994 San Marino GP and is lauded as a legend. And this legendary status should be recognised on this monument.
#3 Juan Manuel Fangio
The man with the highest percentage of wins ever in F1 with 24 wins in only 52 races, nearly 50%, 5 world titles, only bettered by Schumacher is Juan Manuel Fangio.
Other records include the highest percentage of poles, with 29 in 52, the most seasons with the most poles, highest percentage podiums, and the oldest to do a grand slam in a race weekend (pole, win and fastest lap).
He was the man before Senna or Schumacher who everyone would compare to as the standard bearer. He was the original untouchable one and winning the World Championship with 4 different constructors, which I cannot see happening again in a long time.
Therefore he is without a doubt on this monument.
#4 Lewis Hamilton
This was the hardest to choose because there are a lot of drivers to pick from and these drivers are on the next slide. However, as a Brit, but also looking at this objectively, it was between Hamilton or Vettel, with both drivers winning four titles each.
I have gone with the Mercedes driver for one reason. Vettel has not won a world championship when his car was the most superior in the field, whilst Hamilton has. Between 2010-2013, Vettel was dominant and made F1 boring like Schumacher did, but he did it in a car which was miles ahead of the rest.
Hamilton has done the same with the Mercedes from 2014 till now, except 2016, but it is his first world title which stands out. He won the 2008 world title in a McLaren-Mercedes which was not the quickest in the field, and it was, in fact, the Ferraris who were quicker, shown by them winning the Constructors' Championship.
As well as that, last season showed again the class of Hamilton. Ferrari had a package which is almost level with Mercedes, and before the summer break, Vettel was ahead of Hamilton. But what happened, Hamilton pulled back the gap and in race weekends where Mercedes and Ferrari were supposed to be level, Hamilton has come out on top this year.
Now he has an equaling fourth driver title to boot and also the most poles in history, possibly aiming for number 5. So Hamilton is driver no. 4 on the list.
The drivers who missed out - Sebastian Vettel & Alain Prost
If the monument was five people, these would be the two who would fight it out for the last place. Sebastian Vettel is a world-class driver, and if it weren't for last season's downfall, he would have a fifth world title and replace Hamilton on this list.
However, it is not the case, because of last season. If Vettel did win the world title this year, this list may be altered.
There is no doubt Prost is a legend of F1 and of French motorsport. For me, I had him competing with Fangio for the third spot on this, but what puts him under Fangio was because he didn't dominate an era like Fangio did in the 1950s.
I have the utmost respect for Prost, he made the rivalry with Senna what it was, and won the title with three different teams, but arguably three different dominant cars, especially the late 80s McLaren and the '93 Williams.
He had records which were broken by either Schumacher or Hamilton or both, such as most podiums, and he shares the record of where he was runner-up of a WC with Sir Stirling Moss with 4.
A legend indeed, but not quite enough to make the monument.
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