Who's the most overrated driver in the past 20 years ?

[Cola83]

Got this idea from the Shout Box - This could be a good discussion. So in your mind, "Who's the most overrated driver in the past 20 years" ?

and we can say in any form of racing. If you want you can add the best in the past 20 years.

Overrated - Ricky Stenhouse

Best - Kyle Busch

 

[Rollo75]

I think that the actions that some drivers take should invalidate them from racing forever.

To that end, Michael Schumacher's accident with Damon Hill in Adelaide in 1994 put him on notice and his deliberate failed punting of Jacques Villeneuve at Jerez in 1997 should have invalidated him for life:
"That didn't work Michael. You hit the wrong part of him, my friend".
- Murray Walker, BBC TV, 26th Oct 1997.

Schumacher deliberately lost the 1999 Japanese Grand Prix; which meant that Mika Häkkinen won the title and not fellow Ferrari team mate Eddie Irvine.

All of this comes before Schumacher's five championship wins on the trot; which given all of the above, are ignoble.
When you add the fact that Rubens Barrichello was good but acted in a major supporting role; which included moving out of the way. Schumacher's championships look even more ignoble.
When you add the fact that Jean Todt was able to pull across his ex-Peugeot team and then pull in members from else where, it means that the cars that Schumacher had were utterly brilliant.

Schumacher - most overrated; which isn't helped by championships which I don't think that he should have been allowed to participate in.

 

[The_Tigg]

Danica Patrick, there's no arguing that and I dare you to try.

 

[Lastlap]

I don't think Ricky Stenhouse should be on the list.

He has 2 NNS titles, 8 NNS wins and currently has 2 Cup wins. That's more than most.

He would have won the ARCA Championship in '08 had he not been silly around Scott Speed instead of Justin Allgaier.

 

[DaleTona]

When I think of how people rate drivers, I often consider on track success as only a part of the tally. While Dale Jr for example may not have the raw stats, he is relateable, personable, and represents the fans, 2 Busch Championships and 3 Daytona 500's is also nothing to sneeze at, and I'd bet thousands of drivers would give their souls to the devil to have the career he's had.

He has developed champions such as Truex, Keselowski, and Chase Elliott. Junebug also has not only the connection to the past of his father, but is as much a fan of the sport and it's history as he was a participant. He has little attitude or douchebaggery, just a down to earth, honest guy who wants whats best for the sport, and a proper ambassador to the fans, much more so than vanilla Jimmie or a**hole Kyle or JoLo will ever be, despite them being much better in terms of on track performance.

There is more to racing than just winning, and I consider offtrack attitude and actions as equally important as raw talent.

Now Danica, she not only was unsuccessful, but also spent most of there time complaining and whining, and really didn't do much but reinforce the "women just complain and gripe" stereotype. Atleast Jr. when on his day could hang with the best of them and has a more than respepctable 26 cup victories in his pocket, while Danica couldn't rack up a single win in any series.

 

[Lastlap]

I think off track is a valid point, but that's part of the job and after the fact.

Drivers that come along with a lot of hype by the industry and media should be ones that make the list that don't have the on track results.

 

[Cola83]

Ok I agree, I'll remove Stenhouse from my list.... and add Dana, she could drive a road course but she could never get her brakes to last.

 

[ddrap14]

When I think of how people rate drivers, I often consider on track success as only a part of the tally. While Dale Jr for example may not have the raw stats, he is relateable, personable, and represents the fans, 2 Busch Championships and 3 Daytona 500's is also nothing to sneeze at, and I'd bet thousands of drivers would give their souls to the devil to have the career he's had.

He has developed champions such as Truex, Keselowski, and Chase Elliott. Junebug also has not only the connection to the past of his father, but is as much a fan of the sport and it's history as he was a participant. He has little attitude or douchebaggery, just a down to earth, honest guy who wants whats best for the sport, and a proper ambassador to the fans, much more so than vanilla Jimmie or a**hole Kyle or JoLo will ever be, despite them being much better in terms of on track performance.

There is more to racing than just winning, and I consider offtrack attitude and actions as equally important as raw talent.

In Australia, Craig Lowndes is similar. I thought about him initially but he has over 100 wins (albeit he never quite translated that speed into championships in the post-2000 era), a great off track personality and he's played roles in development of other champs e.g. Jamie Whincup.

And then there's the Australian Danica: Richie Stanaway. He was rated well for his Sandown 500 win, and then he was overrated for his entire full time career.

 

[Rollo75]

In Australia, Craig Lowndes is similar.

Depends. What is the relative value of a Championship versus a Bathurst 1000 or Sandown 500? How about a 12 Hour?
Because on that front, neither Marcos Ambrose or Glenn Seton made good on the hype.

Lowndes was touted as Brock's protege and he proved to be about as good. Remember, Brock won Bathurst twice in backup cars after the first car died.

 

[ddrap14]

Depends. What is the relative value of a Championship versus a Bathurst 1000 or Sandown 500? How about a 12 Hour?
Because on that front, neither Marcos Ambrose or Glenn Seton made good on the hype.

I have no doubt that he's a good driver. But I've always grown up with the hype that Lowndes was as good or better than Brock (although my father is madly in love with Triple 8 so that may have influenced that). When you see that he had less championships and I believe the same amount of 1000s, it's clear that that level of hype isn't sustainable. But I think he's the second-greatest driver since 1990, behind Whincup, if we solely look at accomplishments in Supercars.

 

[Rollo75]

When you see that he had less championships and I believe the same amount of 1000s, it's clear that that level of hype isn't sustainable. But I think he's the second-greatest driver since 1990, behind Whincup, if we solely look at accomplishments in Supercars.

ATCC: Brock 3 - Lowdnes 3
Bath: Brock 9 (7) - Lowdnes 7

What is the index that Bathurst(and Sandown) v ATCC is worth?

 

[ddrap14]

What is the index that Bathurst(and Sandown) v ATCC is worth?

For some reason I thought he had seven... revoke my Australian card

 

[Rollo75]

Mark Webber.

Hold the phone... Mark Webber? But he won 9 races I hear you say.
Let me go on.

Australian media will loudly declare that Australians are the best at everything, including when they are demonstrably rubbish. Look at the Socceroos. We go into every World Cup and Asian Cup expecting to win everything and then wonder why it all blows up in out face.
So it was with Mark Webber.

The dude gets famous after he was in a flip at Le Mans. Then he rose to fame in Oz with a 5th place at Melbourne in a Minardi in 2002. He was adequately adequate. The best that he ever got in a WDC was third; which was about as expected.
However, the other side of the question "Who's the most overrated driver in the past 20 years?" is "who is doing the rating?". If it is the press in Australia, then both Mark Webber and Danny Ric are the biggest thing since the banana in Coffs Harbour. Overratedness also depends on the bandwagon that everyone has jumped on.

In the case of Mark Webber, I do not think that he overrated himself. He is a nice chap who is nice.

 

[ddrap14]

I think you're slightly underrating Mark Webber- if Red Bull didn't treat Sebastian Vettel as if he was Schumacher Prost or Senna, he'd have won a Driver's title.

 

[Rollo75]

Yeah, I'm not sure if that's true. Vettel arrived after already having won a GP at Toro Rosso. Vettel was actually pretty good.
You always have to beat your teammate and while Webber did do that against lesser opposition, he didn't even do it against Coulthard until the Scot's star faded.

 

[ddrap14]

Yeah, I'm not sure if that's true. Vettel arrived after already having won a GP at Toro Rosso. Vettel was actually pretty good.
You always have to beat your teammate and while Webber did do that against lesser opposition, he didn't even do it against Coulthard until the Scot's star faded.

Absolutely not doubting that as a driver he wasn't as good as Vettel, or as the Australian press believed. But in 2010 he was equal to Vettel right until that last race. Had more luck gone his way, or he'd been better in the late season, he'd have a drivers title. As things ended up happening, the best he got in F1 was a distant second and while he added the WEC and Le Mans later in his career, his reputation and skill don't really match.

 

[Rollo75]

added the WEC and Le Mans later in his career

WEC yes.

Le Mans win? 2014... the car limped home to nothingness. 2015 was Bamber, Tandy and Hulkenburg. 2016 was the year that Gazoo covered the most distance and still lost?
Um... am I going mad?

 

[ddrap14]

WEC yes.

Le Mans win? 2014... the car limped home to nothingness. 2015 was Bamber, Tandy and Hulkenburg. 2016 was the year that Gazoo covered the most distance and still lost?
Um... am I going mad?

No, I'm misremembering. I'm getting the white 919 that won that year (and that's on my bedroom wall) confused with the white 919 that he won the WEC in. Sory

 

[Rollo75]

Hello, my name is Juan Pablo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die.

Okay, let's add Juan Pablo Montoya but only as far as NASCAR is concerned.

Here we have an Indy/Champ car champion who has two Indy 500s to his name, five Formula One Grands Prix (which depending on definition makes him eligible for the Triple Crown of Motorsport if he gets a ride at Le Mans) but in NASCAR, he was gloriously mediocre.

255 starts for just 2 wins?

It could be that Chip Ganassi's NASCAR efforts have always been a bit pants but Montoya was always touted as being all that and a packet of crisps. In the end, he wasn't really the packet of crisps either.

 

[ddrap14]

It could be that Chip Ganassi's NASCAR efforts have always been a bit pants but Montoya was always touted as being all that and a packet of crisps. In the end, he wasn't really the packet of crisps either.

Don't be ridiculous. He holds a NASCAR record!

the most jet dryers crashed into, that is