Comments on: The Perfect Second http://www.formula1latest.com/2007/02/22/the-perfect-second/ Formula 1 Motor Racing News and Views Sat, 08 Dec 2007 16:50:25 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: Formula 1 news, comment and analysis from F1Fanatic » Blog Archive » F1 in the blogs 19 http://www.formula1latest.com/2007/02/22/the-perfect-second/comment-page-1/#comment-1490 Formula 1 news, comment and analysis from F1Fanatic » Blog Archive » F1 in the blogs 19 Sat, 24 Feb 2007 09:01:06 +0000 http://www.formula1latest.com/2007/02/22/the-perfect-second/#comment-1490 [...] The Perfect Second - A fine article on Formula 1 Latest about Riccardo Patrese - the man who started more Grands Prix than any other driver - 256. [...] [...] The Perfect Second – A fine article on Formula 1 Latest about Riccardo Patrese – the man who started more Grands Prix than any other driver – 256. [...]

]]> By: Clive http://www.formula1latest.com/2007/02/22/the-perfect-second/comment-page-1/#comment-1487 Clive Thu, 22 Feb 2007 22:55:45 +0000 http://www.formula1latest.com/2007/02/22/the-perfect-second/#comment-1487 To me, Damon always looked uncomfortable in F1 - a thoroughly decent bloke slightly out of his depth amongst all the over-inflated egos. Even when he won the championship, it didn't go to his head and he just carried on, doing his best and trying to ignore the media hype (and criticism). He looks to have found his metier now as boss of the BRDC, however - seems quite at home in the job. Graham was not a natural talent, just as your father said - he achieved everything through guts and determination (and proved that talent isn't everything). He won plenty of races but it was his attitude that made him a perfect number two to a star. Graham would just have shrugged and said, "I'll get you in the next race, boyo." To me, Damon always looked uncomfortable in F1 – a thoroughly decent bloke slightly out of his depth amongst all the over-inflated egos. Even when he won the championship, it didn’t go to his head and he just carried on, doing his best and trying to ignore the media hype (and criticism). He looks to have found his metier now as boss of the BRDC, however – seems quite at home in the job.

Graham was not a natural talent, just as your father said – he achieved everything through guts and determination (and proved that talent isn’t everything). He won plenty of races but it was his attitude that made him a perfect number two to a star. Graham would just have shrugged and said, “I’ll get you in the next race, boyo.”

]]> By: patrick http://www.formula1latest.com/2007/02/22/the-perfect-second/comment-page-1/#comment-1486 patrick Thu, 22 Feb 2007 22:42:00 +0000 http://www.formula1latest.com/2007/02/22/the-perfect-second/#comment-1486 Nearly suggested Graham myself, but then I thought, other than when he was teamed with Clark, he was a number 1 himself, really (although my father, who unlike me is old enough to have seem him, said that like his son, Graham was no natural racer). Damon was a good foil to Prost at Williams, and probably would have been with Senna too - I don't think it was public expectation that got in the way - more force of circumstance that left him unexpectedly number 1 at Williams. He's probably not too upset, he got a world championship out of it. Nearly suggested Graham myself, but then I thought, other than when he was teamed with Clark, he was a number 1 himself, really (although my father, who unlike me is old enough to have seem him, said that like his son, Graham was no natural racer).

Damon was a good foil to Prost at Williams, and probably would have been with Senna too – I don’t think it was public expectation that got in the way – more force of circumstance that left him unexpectedly number 1 at Williams. He’s probably not too upset, he got a world championship out of it.

]]> By: Clive http://www.formula1latest.com/2007/02/22/the-perfect-second/comment-page-1/#comment-1485 Clive Thu, 22 Feb 2007 22:36:10 +0000 http://www.formula1latest.com/2007/02/22/the-perfect-second/#comment-1485 I agree, Patrick. Berger was the ideal number two to Senna, accepting that he would finish behind him in most races but always there if the great man had a bad day. And Damon could have been good too if he hadn't had the expectations of the British public heaped on his shoulders. Funnily enough, I think Damon's father, Graham Hill, made a very good second to Jim Clark as well - if Jim's car broke, Graham was always in a good position to take his place. But apart from those few, who is there? As I said, they're like hen's teeth... I agree, Patrick. Berger was the ideal number two to Senna, accepting that he would finish behind him in most races but always there if the great man had a bad day. And Damon could have been good too if he hadn’t had the expectations of the British public heaped on his shoulders.

Funnily enough, I think Damon’s father, Graham Hill, made a very good second to Jim Clark as well – if Jim’s car broke, Graham was always in a good position to take his place.

But apart from those few, who is there? As I said, they’re like hen’s teeth…

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