Talking point: Greatest Lotus driver?

Eurosport - Mon, 29 Dec 17:01:00 2008

Who is the greatest Lotus driver of all time? 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.

1978 Lotus Mario Andretti Ronnie Peterson - 0

Note: Drivers are considered only for their achievements at Lotus, meaning all-time greats such as Ayrton Senna and Nelson Piquet are not included on the shortlist.

Mario Andretti

One of only two drivers to win races in the four major motor racing categories: Formula One, IndyCar (USAC), World Sportscar Championship and NASCAR, Andretti joined Lotus in 1968 after a successful spell in IndyCar. The Italian-American only raced sporadically in F1 for Lotus over the next four years, before a full season in the sport with the American Parnelli team. However, he returned to Lotus in 1976 and played a major role in their rejuvination, going on to claim the 1978 world championship with six wins, clinching the title on Lotus home soil in Italy.

Jim Clark

There can be little doubt that Clark was the dominant driver of his era, winning two world championships, in 1963 and 1965, and at the time of his death, he had won more grands prix (25) than any other driver - and all the legendary Scot's performances came in a Lotus. His first world title in 1963 also sealed Lotus their first constructors' world championship. After a lean spell in the mid-1960s, Clark took a second world title when the manufacturer began a profitable partnership with Ford-Cosworth. His life ended prematurely in a crash in April 1968 when, during a Formula Two race at Hockenheimring he had only entered to fulfil contractual obligations, his Lotus 48 veered off the track and crashed into the trees.

Emerson Fittipaldi

Like Andretti, Fittipaldi was a versatile and ambitious driver who had success on both sides of the Atlantic, winning the world championships in both Formula One and CART, and the Indianapolis 500 twice. Fittipaldi was somewhat thrust into the limelight at Lotus but, armed with what was arguably the greatest F1 design of all time, the Lotus 72D, Fittipaldi proved unstoppable in 1972 as he won five of 11 races to claim the Drivers' Championship to become the then-youngest champion in F1 history at just 25 years-of-age.

Graham Hill

Father of Damon, Graham Hill is the only driver ever to win the so-called Triple Crown of Motorsport - winning the F1 World Championship, the Indy 500 and the Le Mans 24 Hour. His time with Lotus came from 1967 onwards, having previously won the world championship with BRM in 1962. He took over as leader of the team in 1968 after team-mates Jim Clark and Mike Spence were killed, going on to claim the title that same year. He returned from a bad crash in 1969 where he broke both his legs to race for Lotus for several more years, although he never repeated his success.

Ronnie Peterson

The Super Swede was loved by F1 fans, who appreciated the aggressive, attacking style that built him a reputation as being the fastest driver in all of F1 throughout the 1970s in terms of raw speed. He joined Lotus in 1973 as a partner for Fittipaldi, winning seven races over a three-year period, returning to the team after a spell with March. At the 1978 Italian GP at Monza, Peterson was involved in a crash at the opening bend, his Lotus crashing hard into the barriers and catching fire. Although his life did not appear in immediate danger, the Swede later died in hospital due to complications arising from surgery on the 10 fractures in his legs.

Jochen Rindt

Rindt is the only driver to win the F1 World drivers' championship posthumously, after being killed in practice for the Italian GP in 1970. It was during his second season for Lotus, the first having been a fourth-place finish in 1969. Before then, the German-Austrian had been noted for being an exceptionally fast driver with superb reflexes, but he had rarely had a car equal of his talent until he moved to the Italian team. Driving perhaps the greatest F1 car of all time, the Lotus 72, Rindt won five races on the way to building a huge lead with five races to spare - until he became the second Lotus team leader to be killed in two years when he crashed in practice at Monza.

Alex Sharratt / Eurosport

Comment 125 - 144 of 164

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  1. jim clark. by a country mile then graham­ hill........jim clark would have been the best driver­ ever if he wasent killed in 68

    From LAWRENCE J, on Fri 2 Jan 6:12PM

  2. Looking at the records above I would say Emerson­ Fittipaldi was the best Lotus driver of all time, he­ even gave Mansell a run for his money in the now­ defunct OAP F1 Masters. Also looking at the above­ records it seems more drivers were killed driving for­ Lotus than any other team, was it due to the­ manufacture of these cars?

    From Glyn, on Fri 2 Jan 4:09PM

  3. There is no doubt that more money is spent on mental­ health in Peru than is spent in F1, look they even give­ the inmates computers!!!!!!!!!!!!

    From Glyn, on Fri 2 Jan 3:59PM

  4. Emerson Fittipaldi is the best!

    From Vinicios José, on Fri 2 Jan 1:08PM

  5. the summary of Clark's career is incorrect. Clark­ won both his championships in a Lotus-Climax in the­ 1.5-litre formula. He had a poor year in 1966, the­ first of the 3-litre F1, because the Cosworth engine­ was late. The Lotus-BRM H16 he had was virtually­ undriveable - but he still won the USGP in it. No-one­ else could have done that. Once he and Hill got the­ Lotus 49 (Ford/Cosworth engine) at the Dutch GP, he won­ - first time out. Things turned round dramatically - he­ won four GPs during the rest of the year and delivered­ one of the most astonishing drives ever seen at the­ Italian GP in 67, coming from a lap down to actually­ lead again going into the last lap. A fuel-pump glitch­ robbed him of what would have been an amazing­ victory.
    He won 25 times in 73 F1 starts - a better­ record than anyone but JM Fangio, who was already­ well-established when the WDC began. Clark's record­ includes his rookie years.
    He could win with cars that­ weren't just not the best but were truly hopeless -­ see the Lotus-BRM. Had he not been killed at Hockenheim­ in 1968 he could, if had wished, have gone on to set­ unbeatable records in the sport. he was simply the­ best, rarely having to extend himself in order to win.

    From RJM, on Fri 2 Jan 11:56AM

  6. Fitipaldi is the best. I always liked his driving­ style, he was always aiming for the win, was always­ ambitious and not calculating like some other drivers­ did and are doing today.

    From martin.mitevski26, on Fri 2 Jan 10:21AM

  7. Bernard...we dont really care whats this got to do with­ lotus am i missing a point­ here???????????????????????????????????????????????????­ ??????????????????????????????????????

    From LAWRENCE J, on Thu 1 Jan 7:06PM

  8. Marion is this person a total @#$%.

    Ferrari: The FIA­ have no balls Berine and co are they in the pockets of­ Ferrari.

    Well done Hamilton and Mclaren.

    From G B, on Thu 1 Jan 6:37PM

  9. Happy New Year! I'm an open minded girl from US,­ I'm interested in exotic things, photography,­ dating and sports...I have my photos on --- Tallhub Co­ m ---, I love tall guys!
    Do you love traveling and have­ some experience? Just find me out.

    From keruyifu09, on Thu 1 Jan 5:26PM

  10. jim clark the best racing driver of all time he­ could drive any type of car

    From LAWRENCE J, on Thu 1 Jan 4:12PM

  11. MARION ask your dad what the hell lewis hamilton­ has to do with ..the best lotus driver

    From LAWRENCE J, on Thu 1 Jan 4:11PM

  12. greyhoundpaul.......... just ignore MARION i have since­ found out he is only 5 years old just let him play­ with copy and paste i think his daddy showed him the­ two buttons

    From LAWRENCE J, on Thu 1 Jan 4:09PM

  13. Here he goes again. Marion the 'copy/paste'­ King!

    From greyhoundpaul, on Thu 1 Jan 11:42AM

  14. Jim Clark.

    From Graham P, on Thu 1 Jan 8:51AM

  15. Arthur is wright.Andretti was the "programmed word­ champion" and that ended with
    Ronnie's­ death.
    After that tha were a few more:Shumy (titles at­ Beneton with an illigal car, the episodes with Damon­ and all the scenes at Ferrari); the alast one is­ Hamilton(all the spy saga, the case Alonso and the­ diferent tratment recieved on the tracks,Shumy had that­ too), make him a fake champion on my books.

    From meixidecity, on Wed 31 Dec 11:54PM

  16. It's Jimmy. If you need to be reassured, go ask­ Jackie.

    From TwinkietheKid, on Wed 31 Dec 7:05PM

  17. Jim clark. F1 F2 F3 Sports cars and saloons.
    The­ greatest Lotus Driver Ever. (the most adaptable driver­ ever) The best.

    From justblowinoffsteam., on Wed 31 Dec 6:39PM

  18. Bill mac. I never said that lotus was italian. I was­ just giving a for instance, And i didnt realise that­ the russians no longer owned TWR, so i apologise for­ that .

    From greyhoundpaul, on Wed 31 Dec 2:14PM

  19. Ronnie was the best, I was privalaged to see him at­ Brands with the car sideways after the dell, then­ flooring it, to line up for the next corner. I also saw­ him and Andretti at Zandfort where he kept pulling­ alongside, looking over at Andretti then being a good­ team mate, backing off to let Andretti win. The record­ books show Andertti being the World Champ that year,­ but I know it really was RONNIE.

    From ARTHUR, on Wed 31 Dec 1:59PM

  20. The Greatest without a doubt Jim Clark, but all who­ drove in the Golden Years were great

    From robin, on Wed 31 Dec 12:37PM
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