Talking Point: Greatest constructor
Eurosport - Tue, 13 Jan 13:08:00 2009
Which is the greatest constructor in Formula One history? Every week in the off-season Eurosport will offer a point of discussion for F1 fans, in conjunction with our online poll. So let us know what you think.
Click the buttons on the Formula One page to register your vote, and don't forget to let us know your reasoning in the comments box below.
Alfa Romeo participated in Formula One from 1950 to 1988, and enjoyed early success when they won the drivers' championship in 1950 with Nino Farina and in 1951 with the legendary Juan Manuel Fangio. However, thin budgets meant the team were unable to build on that success and spent the latter part of their days in F1 supplying engines, most notably for the Brabham team in the late 1970s. The team returned to the sport from 1979 to 1985, achieving two pole positions, three third-place finishes, two second-places and one fastest lap during those years, with their best season coming in 1983 when they achieved sixth place in the constructors' championship.
Brabham may have been founded in 1960 by two Australians - driver Jack Brabham and designer Ron Tauranac - but the team have always been considered one of Britain's greatest. The Brabham team won four drivers' and two constructors' championships before collapsing in 1992. In all, they achieved 35 victories in 402 F1 races and will be remembered fondly for Nelson Piquet's 1982 World Championship, secured at the season-ending South African Grand Prix when he became the first driver to win the title with a turbo-powered car.
British Racing Motors were founded just after the Second World War and raced from 1950 to 1977, competing in 197 grands prix and winning 17. Although BRM won the 1962 constructors' title and world championship with Graham Hill, the team had a reputation as F1's nearly-men after finishing second in the constructors' championship in 1963, 1964, 1965 and 1971. BRM also had the distinction in 1965 of supplying the car which took Jackie Stewart to his first grand prix win, at Monza in the Scot's debut season.
Scuderia Ferrari are the team most synonymous with F1 and the team most likely to stir the emotions of teary-eyed old men - that's what 58 years, 776 races and 209 victories gets you. They are the oldest team left in the championship and statistically the most successful, with a record of 15 drivers' championships and 16 constructors' championships. In fact, Ferrari own nearly all significant records in the sport: most constructors' championships, most drivers' championships, most wins, most wins in a season, most podiums, most pole positions, most points, most fastest laps. Michael Schumacher also won five of his seven world titles sitting behind the prancing horse.
More than 10 years after their last race, Team Lotus remain one of the most successful squads of all time, winning seven constructors' titles and six drivers' championships. Colin Chapman's team dominated the sport in the 1960s and 1970s thanks to Jim Clark, Graham Hill and Emerson Fittipaldi. They also suffered the tragedy of Jochen Rindt's death at Monza on the way to the Austrian's posthumous drivers' title in 1970. The team also have the distinction of designing perhaps the most popular and iconic car in F1 history: the Lotus 72 (pictured) was an innovative, wedge-shaped car that caused a sensation amongst the media and fans for its remarkably advanced aerodynamics.
Founded in 1963 by New Zealander Bruce McLaren, the team of the same name are one of the most successful, having won over 160 races, 12 drivers' championships and eight constructors' championships. The Woking-based team were at their peak throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, following a merger with Ron Dennis's Formula Two team Project Four Racing in 1980. A revolutionary carbon-fibre chassis and a succession of strong drivers saw McLaren dominate the sport until the rise of the Renault-powered Williams in the Nineties. Recently, of course, a certain Lewis Hamilton has helped the team rise back to the top.
Another British racing institution, Tyrell, experienced their greatest success in the early Seventies when they won three drivers' championships and one constructors' championship with Jackie Stewart. However, the team never really recovered from the death of Stewart's skilful French protege François Cevert, who was killed in practice for the 1973 US Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, after which Stewart retired and Tyrrell immediately stood down. The 1990s saw a brief revival of fortunes, with Jean Alesi's full debut season in 1990 bringing Tyrell two second-places at Phoenix and Monaco, but the team slowly dropped back and was sold to British American Tobacco in 1998.
Founded in 1997 by Sir Frank Williams and Patrick Head, Williams are one of only three teams in F1, alongside Ferrari and McLaren, to win 100 races or more. The team's success in a short space of time has been phenomenal, with nine constructors' titles and seven drivers' titles secured between 1980 and 1997. Australia's Alan Jones, Finland's Keke Rosberg, Britons Nigel Mansell and Damon Hill, France's Alain Prost, Brazil's Nelson Piquet and Canada's Jacques Villeneuve all won the drivers' title with Williams.
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Comment 105 - 124 of 184
I keep reading if Lotus or Mclaren or Williams were racing just as long as ferrari they would have won more..what nonsense! would just like to point out Lotus doesn't even exist in the f1 paddock, Williams hasn't won anything since 1997 and most probably won't be winning anything for a very long time and Mclaren hasn't won a constructor title since 1998, 10 years that is a slump! 8 constructor titles in 10 years for ferrari not even Mclaren or williams or Lotus in their hey days managed that sort of feet.
So after reading all the posts to sum up then nobody really likes ferrari but they get the vote because they have been around longer and so would obviously have had more chance to win more often. Had williams, Lotus and McLaren been around that long then they probably would have won more than ferrari.
Alfa Romeo, they are the ones to start it all!!!!
short answer, blatently ferrari. who else? long answer, well lotus made the most interesting cars and won quite alot in a short period, williams for me define the period i really got into the sport, but like, 8 titles with 8 differnt drivers? says it all really. i liked the livery that simtek used for the short time they were on the grid, but i dont think that counts. so ferrari it is.
Hiya Tif it is indeed a no brainer.
For technical innovation its got to be Lotus,
For attendance, Ferrari. :-)
RON DENNIS the man is a man RON DENNIS the knobb who post on here get a life
Yeah!!! Tifosi is back. How have you been? We've missed you.
Back to this story, is there really any debate???? Think not. Ferrari all the way, with all due respect to Lotus and Williams.
This isn't even close.
There is no other team with a record as Ferrari's. No other team that inspire so much passion. No other team that makes F1 drivers drool at the thought of driving for them.
Honors go to the great British car racing tradition as a whole.
MacLaren don't exactly stimulate the senses do they? Cooly clinical but they don't generate the passions like Ferrari, Williams & Lotus do.
No mention for McLaren Tif that really seams like mean-mindedness to me, still a McLaren car will have number one on it this year.
The greatest construtor in formula 1 is really a no brainer. Which team has been there every season? Which team has took the most championships? Which team is arguably the most popular and the one which the sport would not be the same without?
Its our reigning world champions, FERRARI!! For me, they have been the best team in all their 60 years of greatness.
But a noteable mention to Renault (formerly benneton) and Williams too, both great teams that have shown their worth over time.
A very difficult one.
For me it has to be Williams. To have such an impact in such a relatively short time must make them the greatest. Ferrari may be synonymous with F1, even to the point that some think they own it, but they have been in it for a long time and have had massive resources at their disposal.
The Eagles are cool X racer rowdy welcome to you :-)
Amon, Apollon, Arzani-Volpini, Bellasi, Bugatti, Castilla, Connew, Derrington Francis, De Clerk, Eifeland, Emeryson, EMW, ENB, Eurobrun, Ferguson, FIRST, Fondmetal, Fry, Greifzu wonderful constructors all of them infinitely more interesting than the Ecclestone sponsored Ferrari's :-)
Ah A word from the cheep seats Dan Gurney's Eagle
Jeez guys, what started off as sensible discussion quickly descends into stupid bickering again.
I see Marnio is now posting as Klimat Kontrol. At least his fatuous comments have taken a different turn here.
And no Damian, Ferrari are not the only constructor, BMW, Honda Toyota & Renault also make theeir whole cars. Also MacLaren have not copied them.
Greatest F1 contructors of all time Andrea Moda, Coloni, Minardi, Rondel, Maki, Trojon, Life how long shall I go on ?
ferrari only constructor, they make the whole car ,and mclaren copying them proves it.
GREATEST OF ALL IS WALTER WOLF
Oh yah it is. Sorry vinnydawg67 don't know how I could have missed that. I can't tell from the picture, my eyes maybe, if it is a 956 or 962??? Nope, not a 962??
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