Least talented F1 Driver Ever?

[ImissJORDAN]

Not that any of these guys lacked a certain amount of talent, after all, they could all whoop all of our asses, but who do you guys think is the least talented F1 driver ever? I've only had since 2003 to judge, and Yuji Ide sticks out for me. Having read all of the F1 rejects profiles, Deletraz and Langes also stand out to me, but I'd appreciate the opinion of one who saw these races, and lived through these eras.

-Ok, fair enough.. Sorry. -

[Captain Hammer]

Ralf Schumacher.

[Nuppiz]

The worst? Well, Yuji Ide WAS an extremely awful driver. He was a danger to anyone near him, whilst Deletraz & Co. were slow, but at least not that dangerous drivers.

[Cynon]

Yuji Ide. Yes, Deletraz wiggled his car about and stuff and was way off the pace, but it takes some real talent (or rather, lack of it!) to get your superlicense revoked for causing Christijan Albers to do a barrel roll on the first lap!

[rffp]

I was in Interlagos in 1992 and believe me, I saw the legend and only Giovanna Amati at her peak! At that time ouly 26 out of 30 qualified, so she would never get on the grid. She lacked all skills to be even a decent Formula 3 driver!

[Captain Hammer]

Ide did us all a favour when he sent Albers into the scenery. The man was an idiot, espeically in the way he took off with the fuelhose still attached and tried to blame it on the pit crew.

[Yannick]

The benefit that the Gentleman Drivers of the old days have over the Pay Drivers of the current era is that their deeds weren't documented nearly as well as those of the latter. That's why Ide-San's performances reach a higher count of votes than for example that of a small man who tried to qualify a Connaught for the 1958 Monaco GP but only scored 28th fastest with a time of 6' 05'' 0 minutes, when only 16 drivers would qualify and 2 drivers didn't set a time. http://www.statsf1.com/saisons/gp/grill ... gp=66&LG=1

That's why I can't decide. At least, Yuji Ide has shown in other series that he's a professional driver, but some of those gentleman drivers of the old era, whom probably nobody remembers, most certainly weren't too skilled after all.

[Captain Hammer]

I think Ide was rushed into F1 by Aguri Suzuki simply so that Super Aguri could be a Japanese-owned team with Japaense-built cars piloted by Japanese-born drivers more than being a pay driver.

[Kuwashima]

Ladies and Gents - we don't like to talk about the 'worst' anything, unless it's our own site design. These guys deserve respect. Without them, this site would not exist, for one.

If we must discuss this issue - let's keep it on the topic of talent.

Which is itself a particularly murky issue when the reality is that F1 is as much about the machinery as the man. Having said that, of course some drivers were out of their depth at F1 level. You appear to have covered many of them above!!!

[FullMetalJack]

Ide or Deletraz, can't decide between the two.

[Ide]

For me it has to be the man who lends his name to my alias, Yuji Ide. I can't think of anyone who has had their Superlicense revoked and then not given back again! I would have said Al Pease, but it has to be said that F1 was different in the 60's and amateur drivers weren't rare.
Ide for me.

[Nin13]

Alex Yoong.............

[Henrique]

I put my money on Deletraz. Given the way he was lapped in Australia, I think he was just not ready for F1. Ide is pretty close, but I think he could have improved as he raced more, if he hadn't made that mistake with Albers.

[thehemogoblin]

I don't think Ide was given enough of a shake, to be honest. In the only race he finished, the 2006 Australian Grand Prix, he was only three laps off of the pace... and he was saddled with an ancient car at that point.

[UberOwnage]

Ide? You people haven't seen Super GT. Ide simply wasn't given prep time and he can't speak english.

[runningboots]

A cruel topic as we all know that the car has soooo much to do with success.

For example, Chrstian Danner won the 1985 F3000 crown, but always drove rubbish F1 cars. He deserved that fourth in Phoenix 1989, even though 80% was attrition. On the flip side, who has driven for the top three teams in any year and been really pi$$ poor ?

I can only think of Johnny Dumfries (who did win Le Mans but was hopeless in F3000), Satoru Nakajima (multiple Japanese F2 champ a hero in Aussie GP rain), and Michael Andretti (proven to be great in Champ Cars).

Hmmm, they all had Senna as a teammete....