Beswick Prize Bands Big Drum
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Carl Fogarty
Jonathan Rea
John McGuinness
Mike Hailwood
Jonathan Rea
John McGuinness
Mike Hailwood
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Britain’s Greatest Sportstar
- Thread starter Machiavelli
- Start date
Magicpole
Well-Known Member
I think the context of the achievement is important. In terms of Murray to cope with the pressure of a nation who think you are a jock **** when you lose but love you when you win, who are desperate to see a British Wimbledon winner, who label you a bottle job and call you a miserable sod. All whilst playing in the greatest era of Men's tennis and doing it on your own with such pressure. It is phenomenal. Especially after losing a final then coming back to win it. Three grand slams and a finalist in all, world number 1 and double Olympic winner.
He might not be the greatest ever British sportsman but he is definitely up there.
We’re used to getting called Jock cunts. It doesn’t phase us in the slightest. We know we are the greatest race on earth. :)
pace89
Well-Known Member
Jim Clark. In the 1960s he was universally regarded on both sides of the Atlantic as the best racing driver in the world. He had 2 F1 world titles but it would have been 4 in a row if mechanical frailty hadn't intervened, he won the Indy 500 in '65 as well as dominating F1 and managed a touring car title to boot. More significantly, however, he was accepted by his peers as the absolute best in an era of many truly great drivers such as Stewart, Rindt, Gurney, Surtees, Amon, etc.
He won over a third of all the Grand Prix he entered at a time when mechanical failure would eliminate competitors from between a quarter and a third of all races. He qualified on poll for almost 50% of all his GPs, but the most telling stat is that he only came 2nd once - basically if he could win a race he would win a race. He didn't court publicity and died just before F1 started to appear on TV on a regular basis, nevertheless 50 years on discussions about the greatest driver of all time often come down to a Senna V Clark debate.
He won over a third of all the Grand Prix he entered at a time when mechanical failure would eliminate competitors from between a quarter and a third of all races. He qualified on poll for almost 50% of all his GPs, but the most telling stat is that he only came 2nd once - basically if he could win a race he would win a race. He didn't court publicity and died just before F1 started to appear on TV on a regular basis, nevertheless 50 years on discussions about the greatest driver of all time often come down to a Senna V Clark debate.
Jim Clark. In the 1960s he was universally regarded on both sides of the Atlantic as the best racing driver in the world. He had 2 F1 world titles but it would have been 4 in a row if mechanical frailty hadn't intervened, he won the Indy 500 in '65 as well as dominating F1 and managed a touring car title to boot. More significantly, however, he was accepted by his peers as the absolute best in an era of many truly great drivers such as Stewart, Rindt, Gurney, Surtees, Amon, etc.
He won over a third of all the Grand Prix he entered at a time when mechanical failure would eliminate competitors from between a quarter and a third of all races. He qualified on poll for almost 50% of all his GPs, but the most telling stat is that he only came 2nd once - basically if he could win a race he would win a race. He didn't court publicity and died just before F1 started to appear on TV on a regular basis, nevertheless 50 years on discussions about the greatest driver of all time often come down to a Senna V Clark debate.
Yep great driver and this country has had more than it’s fair share. Think Graham Hill the only person to win the Triple Crown of Motorsport (F1 Championship / Monaco, Indy 500 and Le Mans), As mentioned already John Surtees with titles on both the top level of motorbike and F1.
Also I still think Mansell simultaneously holding the F1 and Indycar championships is something very special as well. Not many drivers were so utterly fearless that they went from being a rookie in Indycar to winning at the terrifying superspeedways in only a few races.
I didn't realize that he was that good at snooker. Wasn't he a losing finalist in the world championship 7 times. :)Jimmy Wilde. Had a 106 fight winning streak