Thirty Years Ago

[Boorish Grobian]

To those of us who were F1 fans in the seventies, today marks a sad anniversary.  Thirty years ago we lost Ronnie Peterson at Monza.  His death truly marked the end of an era, he was the last top F1 driver who also regularly competed in sportscars.  A man of contrasts, sheer tiger behind the wheel, the fastest of his generation.  Out of the car he was shy, modest, quiet, and dignified.
A far cry from the current generation of spoiled brats/F1 drivers who live for the limelight.
Fax

[Barry]

Thankyou for reminding us, John.
A great driver and greatly missed.

[tn*c]

Wish I could remember, well I was not around at the time. If only the drivers and organisers were as good as back then.

[Andy Zarse]

A far cry from the current generation of spoiled brats/F1 drivers who live for the limelight.
Fax

You say that, and it's been the case for quite a few years. However, I reckon the current crop, Lewis, Kimi, Philipe, and Heikki are a pretty decent bunch to be fair. They might not be big characters like James Hunt or Mike Hawthorne but their not actually objectionable individuals like Senna, Mansell, Schumacher, (who seems to have chilled out big time now he's retired) and some of the other knobs of recent years. Also Webber, Truli, Jensen, Heidfeld, Kubica ( a huge talent BTW) and the other "also-rans" are reasonable human beings who seem genuinely delighted when fate conspires to put them on the podium. So I'm not ssure that your accusation is really appropriate at this season. Alonso is still, and always will be, a whinging tw@t though.

Oh, and by the way Autosport's cover is especially hilarious this week; "IS FORMULA 1 BIASED? We ask the questions and our investigation may shock you!" or some such nonsense. So is it a shocking about-face by the sycophantic mouthpiece of Max 'n' Bernie I hear you ask? Of course not! The matter has been looked into by the "Autosport experts" and the result is that indeed Lewis gained an advantage and deserved to be docked the points. It's worth buying a copy just to read their filthy sh1t, utter cockends the lot of them. 

[Leftie]

Totally agreed about Ronnie P.

That was the era when they were paid to drive whatever was put in front of them.

Also agree with Andy regarding the current bunch to a certain extent.

Insurance Value, Calender and 'commercial' commitments will not allow them to race other formula which is a great shame.

A true World Champion should race every Formula.

[Boorish Grobian]

After giving it some thought, I would agree to certain extent with Andy.  Raikkonen for all of his monotone mumbling in press conferences is supposed to be quite hilarious company, and Hamilton and Heikki seem like good blokes, especially since they have to follow the McLaren Mercedes press conference script.  I'm not as sold on Massa, seems a bit too coddled for my taste, and I've never thought much of Alonso, or Jenson Button for that matter.  I grow weary of seeing everyone's entourages standing around the garages in designer sunglasses.
As for Ronnie?  A racer's racer, and a man's man.  Its cliche but they don't make them like that anymore.  Like Gilles after him, these were men cut from a different cloth.
Fax

[Nordic]

With Andy on this. The drivers today do seem pretty decent most of the time and if they escape their handlers (or dad) up for a laugh.

Most have served time in lower formula and done well.

If Lewis drove in the 70's or kimi in the 60's I expect they would have fitted in just fine and we would laud them in the same we do Ronnie or Emerson.

I have no reason to think that if Ronnie P, Jackie Stewart or whoever in a current F1 car would behave different to the current crop and we would moan about them.

Autosport and the FIA are without doubt power crazed lunatics and very different to thier 70's brethren.