Why Ayrton Senna will always beat Michael Schumacher to Formula 1's best-ever pole

So absolutely true! Will always remember Senna as the all time greatest..!

I agree with this article and would add a further point. When Senna was racing there was great competition with other drivers - even with his own team mate. Something that never happened with Schumacher. He didn't have any real rivals and his teammate always had to follow orders and was not allowed to race with Schumacher. When Senna died, a bit of be died too. I had the great fortune to meet him once - I'll never forget his smile .... just as I will never forget Schumacher dancing on the podium with glee at Imola the day that Senna was killed. I can never forgive Schumacher for his gross insensitivity on that day.

I'll agree the Ayrton Senna was one of the greatest but his reign at the Number 1 driver in Formula One was on the decline and he knew it. Was he great yes, but better than Michael, I don't think so, at least in my opinion.

Having followed f1 for over 40+years, I always felt Senna was a very special and gifted driver, and definately one of the all time greats. However I am sure having watched his entire career, that other people may agree with me, that I saw him make some very unsporting, dirty, manoeuvres, that today, would have the stewards docking him constantly! just an opinion observed upon anotherwise great driver.

Anyone who even remotely compares anyone to Schumacher is doing nothing but attempting to start an arguement. I was a big fan of Senna, loved his desire and ability and love of the sport and what he did for F1. With that being said the German is in a class by himself and will probably remain there as long as F1 is run. Jeff

My friend, you have it right. Of all F1 drivers, Senna has been the greatest driver and the greatest personality. My fondest memory is of seeing him pour champagne from the podium down Jo Ramirez's throat on the pit apron below after the 1993 Australian GP in Adelaide - Ayrton's last victory and a race in which - driving a car with a Ford Cosworth engine in which he should not even have been competitive - he annihilated Alain Prost, another brilliant driver but who simply circulated into retirement that day. It was the end of a couple of bitter weeks between the two men and, thankfully, they were able to be friends from that point for the few months that Ayrton lived. Senna won five GPs that year in that car. Nobody else would have won one.

I really liked Senna and I utterly loathed Schumacher, but I still feel the German has an edge over the Brazilian Ace. Schumi combined Senna's competitiveness and win at all costs mentality with the calm precision of the Poffessor (Prost). He learned from watching two of the best drivers go at it for years...

I can't see the logic. It's already proven that in the year that Senna died (1994), he had been beaten by Michael Schumacher several times. Senna was driving the reigning champion car (Williams) and Schumacher was just driving the Benneton. I just can't believe there's people claiming that Senna would beat Schumacher. I suppose you should just look at the history.

Ayrton is the greatest driver ever, no question about it. One thing I keep clearly in my mind is how close to the concrete wall he turned in every lap at the Anthony Noghes virage, Monaco. His rear right tire was always a few centimeters from the wall and never hit it. Schumacher was a very succesful driver but cannot be compared to Ayrton as a driver nor as a person.

If you want history, see the 1993 statistics, the only year they both Senna and Schumacher competed in "similar" conditions. Senna drove the worst McLaren ever with a weak Ford engine, while Schumacher used a much improved Benetton chassis with the same Ford engine. Even so, Senna finished the championship 2nd and Schumacher 4th. Senna won 5 races (3 of them under the rain), Schumacher only won 1 race. Even when Williams was the 1993 champion car (Prost), in 1994 Benetton was quite superior and showed along the year. Schumacher was a great achiever but not as great as Senna, from my point of view.

I quite disagree with Romeo's argument. If Benetton is a superior car to Williams, then how could Damon Hill fought with Schumacher so tightly? Everybody knows that Damon Hill is just an average driver. It proves that Williams car was still superior to Benetton. Regarding the racing in 1993, we need to bear in mind that at the time Senna was a far more experienced driver (3 time champion) and Schumacher was just starting to get the grip. That's why 1994 championship is a fairer season to compare.

I know at least 16 drivers in the F1 field today who would love to be just as "average" as Damon Hill. Even if they had raced together for a more extensive period simple results could not deem one better than the other as the differences in car performance could be blamed. What is telling, is that both were proven winners, Schumi dominated in his era like no other racer ever has. Is it because he had worse rivals than Senna (I simply wish not to believe that). Schumi took a dreadful Ferrari team and made them relevant again... Check history just how "well" Ferrari did before Schumi signed there, they were sulking it up for the better of 20 years.

I see Greg made a valid point. Schumacher brought Benetton and Ferrari from truck like cars to championship winning cars. Whilst Senna could only be world champion when he's got a good car (i.e. McLaren). Then when the car performance was deteriorating, he can't do anything apart from jumping out to another winning car.

i agree with jose .. schumacher departed from a c'ship dominating benetton in 95 and joined a tool ferrari which was struggling in the mid-field.. he spent 2 years trying to make it the best o the rest .. in 98 he came so close to winning the c'ship had it not for coulthard blocking the track . in 99 he suffered from an injury still gathering 44 points even though he did not compete in 6 races ( leader had 74 odd points ) .. then in 2000 luck smiled and he won .. now he sent every1 else back to looking average .. that wasnt his fault .. ferrari was the best car but he helped develop it .. blame him for building the fastest car ? blame him for winnning ? blame him for making everyone else looking average ? this says .. he HAD competition but he was so better than them that he made them look pretty average

Few if any will be remembered in sporting history with as much admiration as is held by the fans of Ayrton Senna. This is because Senna was by far the most brilliant and daring race car driver of his time. Furthermore, and perhaps more importantly, the intensity of his personality, his strength of character, and his goodwill and kindness toward others, as he displayed both on and off the race track, has had a powerfully endearing effect on his fans both old and new. Let’s pay respect to the great champion by remembering the values for which he stood. To many, Senna is the greatest F1 driver ever. To many others it’s the legendary Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher. All agree these drivers where the greatest of their era. Both drivers showed an uncompromising will to win which propelled them, along with their immense talent, to the top of one of the most extreme sports on earth. Their will to win also left both drivers at times open to criticism and misunderstanding. I hope that the fans of these great men protect the memory of their heroes for along time to come.

I can't see the logic. It's already proven that in the year that Senna died (1994), he had been beaten by Michael Schumacher several times. Senna was driving the reigning champion car (Williams) and Schumacher was just driving the Benneton. I just can't believe there's people claiming that Senna would beat Schumacher. I suppose you should just look at the history.

Look, what we can say with certainty is that in the early races of 1994, Schumacher in the Benetton was faster than Senna in the Williams. Schumacher overtook Senna in the pits at Brazil because of LOWER FUEL CONSUMPTION due to his V8 engine, compared to Senna's V10. This was the compromise everyone knew about. Why do you think the Williams team did not complain immediately after the first race? Because they had been done, that's why. The fuel filter which Benetton got in trouble for removing was not even made compulsory until after the Brazil race. FUEL CONSUMPTION, PEOPLE. It PISSES ME OFF when people make unfounded accusations, like Benetton using illegal electronics, all they were found to have is an automated start system, and does anyone think that Schumacher used that at Imola, given that he failed to even gain ground on Senna off the line despite having a much lighter fuel load?

Senna had had his day and was on his way down. He was a great driver but better than schumacher i dont think so. Look at his stats. modern F1 drivers have so much more to do than past F1 with all the modern on board controls. I dont think Senna would have had the technical knowlage like Schumacher. Senna was more like James Hunt. He had won the world championship and didnt have the drive like schumacher had year after year. Schumacher also took Ferrari a second rate team at the time and put them on top as well as himself, And for that reason i think schumacher will be the beast of the best for a long long time.