Talking Point: Like father, like son

Eurosport - Mon, 17 Nov 17:08:00 2008

Who was the best father/son combination in Formula One? Every week during the off-season, we are opening up a discussion point for Formula One fans in conjunction with our online poll. So let us know what you think.

FORMULA 1 - Michael and Mario Andretti - 0

Our shortlist of six:

Mario and Michael Andretti (pictured): As well as the Formula One World Championship, Mario won the Indianapolis 500, Daytona 500 and four ChampCar titles as he took the chequered flag 111 times in a career that stretched for five decades. Son Michael was consistent in his long American CART career, but struggled in his solitary season in F1 alongside Ayrton Senna at McLaren. The Andretti family has produced other drivers and runs a team in IndyCar.

Jack and David Brabham: Triple world champion Jack was the first driver to be knighted for his services to motorsport. He is the only driver to have won a world title in a car of his own construction, the BT19 - which he drove to victory in 1966. David has raced in Australia and the United States as well as in F1, and won the 2008 Le Mans 24 Hours.

Graham and Damon Hill: British hero Graham won two World Championships, with BRM and Lotus, and is the only driver to win the Indy 500, Le Mans 24 Hours and world title in the same year. He was tragically killed in a light aircraft crash in 1975 when son Damon was 15. After a late start - and not financially benefited by his father - Damon went on to match Graham's title feat when he beat Michael Schumacher in 1996, becoming the only son of a world champ to win the big one.

Nelson and Nelsinho Piquet: Brazilian Nelson Piquet Sr won three titles in the eighties and lit up the sport, especially after joining previous rival Nigel Mansell of Great Britain at Williams. He won his third title with that team and the three-way battle between the pair and Alain Prost was legendary. Eurosport-Yahoo! blogger Nelsinho was tipped for stardom when a force in GP2 and impressed in patches in a difficult first F1 season with Renault, finishing second in the German GP and retaining his seat for 2009.

Keke and Nico Rosberg: Finn Keke took over the Williams seat of retiring former champion Alan Jones in 1982 and was a revelation, winning the championship through consistency of performance. Nico, who holds dual Finnish and German nationality, was expected to shine but in his three seasons so far is yet to translate his occasional brilliance into success - although he has not been helped by an uncompetitive Williams.

Gilles and Jacques Villeneuve: Gilles starred for Ferrari but never won the title, finishing second to team-mate Jody Scheckter in 1979. He had completed only four full seasons with the Scuderia before his tragic death in qualifying for the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix at Zolder. Jacques honoured the memory of his father with his World Championship triumph in 1997, driving for Williams. He also won the 1995 Indy 500.

So vote now in our online poll - scroll down our F1 page to find it - and let us know your thoughts on the discussion board below.

Eurosport

Comment 1 - 17 of 57

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  1. father & son HILLS to turn the clock back for real­ genuine race days
    -

    From salsa747, on Mon 17 Nov 5:55PM

  2. Graham and Damon Hill without a shadow of a­ doubt.

    Stevehaw78.

    From Steven, on Mon 17 Nov 5:49PM
  3. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    @[17] You have a right to love anything you like but­ please dont be Ridicules

    From stivsf1, on Mon 17 Nov 5:39PM

  4. you all assume that the father has the same­ surname.....what if Senna was fittipaldi's other­ son...you never know in F1

    From Bill Satwat, on Mon 17 Nov 5:34PM

  5. Hello m.e., mrs rats had a real shock this morning. She­ looked out at our back garden and noticed that our cat­ had dug up a large garden pot thing that she had­ planted up a little while ago.
    So after breakfast she­ wonders out and sees something sticking out of the­ surface. Gives it a firm yank and it's a dead rat­ the size of a kitten burried in the pot thing. She is­ still rather green about the gills.
    Nightmare Eh?

    From BigBill, on Mon 17 Nov 4:59PM

  6. The Hills win it by a mile. Graham was a brilliant­ driver, and Damon's World Championship in '96­ seals it. Second would have to go to the Villeneuves.­ They'd have both been World Chamions as well wee it­ not for Gilles untimely demise.

    From superjohn_rtp, on Mon 17 Nov 4:58PM

  7. The Brabbams or the Hills?
    But my vote goes to... The­ Hamiltons because it winds some people up.
    Sorry...­ generates discussion and speculation!

    From Count Louis Zborowski, on Mon 17 Nov 4:56PM

  8. Graham and Damon Hill, no doubt whatsoever. Love­ reading that sentence: '..when he beat Michael­ Schumacher in 1996..' My hero!

    From m.e.jenner, on Mon 17 Nov 4:44PM

  9. It has to be the Hills, they were both champions.

    From BigBill, on Mon 17 Nov 4:31PM

  10. Andretti only won the F1 title because of the total­ dominance of the Lotus 79, the only person who could­ match him was his team mate Ronnie Peterson who was­ told that Andretti was the team leader. Peterson­ therefore spent the season sitting 6 inches off the­ gearbox of Andretti to prove his point that he was­ faster. Andretti clinched the title when Peterson was­ killed at Monza. Michael had a tough time in F1 because­ he couldnt keep the car on the track-my vote would go­ with the Villeneuves purely because Gille Villeneuve­ generated more excitement in one lap than the current­ F1 clones manage to produce in a whole season.

    From D R, on Mon 17 Nov 4:08PM
  11. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    The greatest father-son duo in Formula 1 history: Lewis­ and Anthony Hamilton

    From lewis.great, on Mon 17 Nov 3:58PM

  12. We in Europe tend to forget that Mario Andretti is the­ most versatile and a driver that has won at every­ category of racing he ever did. Nobody in Motorsport­ has ever come near this accomplishment. While some­ drivers including Schumi may have won more in any one­ category but We have never seen him in anything but­ F1.
    As for Michael, he had a tough time in F1 but did­ not do too bad in the USA. So my vote would go to them­ .

    From robert b, on Mon 17 Nov 3:13PM

  13. meaningless indeed - if I have to say it would go to­ the Brabhams who did more than just steer the bloody­ thing

    From not printable, on Mon 17 Nov 1:27PM

  14. no doubts ^^^ we saw them in the days of real genuine­ racing

    DAMON & GRAHAM HILL^^^^ get the old­ circuits back **** DUMP Singapore

    From thomsons34, on Mon 17 Nov 1:14PM

  15. Keke and Nico Rosberg

    From James, on Mon 17 Nov 12:43PM

  16. Its simply to generate advertising income, meaningless­ to us, worth money to Yahoo!

    From Mike, on Mon 17 Nov 12:23PM

  17. vote for what!!!!?????????? this poll is­ meaningless !!!!

    From Racehound, on Mon 17 Nov 12:07PM
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