F1 Drivers vs WRC Drivers

Poll Poll Who has more skill, an F1 driver or a WRC driver?

  • F1 driver

    Votes: 2 9.1%
  • WRC driver

    Votes: 20 90.9%

  • Total voters
    22

R60BBA

Senior member
 London, United Kingdom
This has been a topic that I have debated with my dad on many occasions, however I don’t think it has been covered on this forum.

It’s pretty simple, who has more skill? An F1 driver or a Rally driver?

Take your pick and if you wish, post your thoughts in a comment.

:driving:
 
Both ultra high skill levels to be elite in either discipline, but not necessarily tansferrable to be as good at the same level. Kubica and Raikkonen both tried rallying but without being elite in the opposite sport. Likewise, in rallying, there are different surfaces at which different drivers excel, so even rallying requires different skills/abiities for different surfaces, so which surface requires the greatest skill? As such, I don't think it is possible to say rally drivers are better than F1 drivers and vice versa.

However, I think it's possible to see which drivers reach very high level across different motorsport disciplnes and if you watch Valentino Rossi in various videos of him in karts and cars as well as on bikes, I would suggest he is probably the finest all-rounder by some way and a shame he didn't try F1.
 
Comparing oranges with apples
Rally driver wouldn't stand a chance in F1, F1 driver wouldn't stand a chance in WRC
 
philbo909 said:
Comparing oranges with apples
Rally driver wouldn't stand a chance in F1, F1 driver wouldn't stand a chance in WRC

I accept that they’re different sports and thus require different skills, however I wouldn’t say one driver ‘wouldn’t stand a chance’ in the other.

Raikkonen successfully moved from rallying to F1 and as mentioned by Exdos, Valentino Rossi had stints in WRC and lapped faster than the likes of Webber and Coulthard at an F1 test track.

Nevertheless spur the debate!
 
Old saying... f1 drivers do 1 corner hundreds of times, rally drivers do hundreds of corners once.
Admittedly f1 drivers have considerably more power to deal with, but how rally drivers arent constantly having massive accidents i just dont know!
 
philbo909 said:
Comparing oranges with apples
Rally driver wouldn't stand a chance in F1, F1 driver wouldn't stand a chance in WRC

Remember watching Colin Mcrae and an F1 driver (might have been Coulthard or Hill) a few years ago on TV driving each others cars and circuits/stages. From what I recall the skills were very (surprising in the case of Mcrae) transferable and the time margins very small - particularly since they had only limited time in the other discipline.
 
This might be it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PL6QySEfK0Q

Mcrae and Brundell - I just need to watch it now and see if I remembered correctly!
 
Knew I'd read something!

"In 1996 British American Tobacco were sponsoring Subaru in the World Rally Championship along with Jordan in F1. They arranged a publicity stunt with Jordan’s Martin Brundle, who would swap machinery for a day with Colin McRae. It was nothing more than an opportunity to get a bit of exposure for Bensons and 555, but McRae was revelling in the chance to get behind the wheel of a Grand Prix car.

He drove 25 laps around Silverstone and set a time that would have seen him comfortably on the grid for that year’s Grand Prix. He was just two seconds off Martin Brundle’s pace which is amazing after only his first short attempt in the car."

Complete article here

https://www.enterf1.com/blog/018-the-bite-point
 
Crazy Harry said:
Knew I'd read something!

"In 1996 British American Tobacco were sponsoring Subaru in the World Rally Championship along with Jordan in F1. They arranged a publicity stunt with Jordan’s Martin Brundle, who would swap machinery for a day with Colin McRae. It was nothing more than an opportunity to get a bit of exposure for Bensons and 555, but McRae was revelling in the chance to get behind the wheel of a Grand Prix car.

He drove 25 laps around Silverstone and set a time that would have seen him comfortably on the grid for that year’s Grand Prix. He was just two seconds off Martin Brundle’s pace which is amazing after only his first short attempt in the car."

Complete article here

https://www.enterf1.com/blog/018-the-bite-point

Interesting read and video (the body roll of the Peugeot road car was classic) :thumbsup:

Seems like the difference is not so large for the elite drivers within their respective sports.
 
I didn't vote as I don't see either as better.

It shouldn't be a big surprise to find the best WRC drivers are quick in an F1 car, and the best F1 drivers are quick in a WRC car.

Best ever has to be the late John Surtees as he won a world title on 2 wheels and 4 - I can't see anyone repeating that. Unless maybe Marc Marquez gives car racing a go! :lol: (I can't see Valentino doing it now).
 
buzyg said:
WRC all day long.

OK, but why do they want to do that for limited remuneration?

Lewis reportedly signed a 3 year deal for £130M - if I had any talent I know where I would be going!

Carlos Sainz Jr seems to think the same! :lol:
 
Mr Tidy said:
ed: Wed Jul 02, 2014 11:18 am
Location: Berkshire
Contact: Contact Mr Tidy
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Unread post by Mr Tidy » Sat Jul 07, 2018 9:54 pm

buzyg wrote: ↑Sat Jul 07, 2018 1:08 am
WRC all day long.
OK, but why do they want to do that for limited remuneration?

Lewis reportedly signed a 3 year deal for £130M - if I had any talent I know where I would be going!

Carlos Sainz Jr seems to think the same!
Z4 3.0Si Sport - Coupe for added stiffness!
Current
My timing may be off here, but a similar situation to football vs rugby. Rugby is far more entertaining to watch and requires a little more talent. IMHO. :wink: :wink: Football,s where the money is though. So if the opportunities fall your way of course you would take up football or F1. :)
 
buzyg said:
Mr Tidy said:
ed: Wed Jul 02, 2014 11:18 am
Location: Berkshire
Contact: Contact Mr Tidy
Report this post Quote
Unread post by Mr Tidy » Sat Jul 07, 2018 9:54 pm

buzyg wrote: ↑Sat Jul 07, 2018 1:08 am
WRC all day long.
OK, but why do they want to do that for limited remuneration?

Lewis reportedly signed a 3 year deal for £130M - if I had any talent I know where I would be going!

Carlos Sainz Jr seems to think the same!
Z4 3.0Si Sport - Coupe for added stiffness!
Current
My timing may be off here, but a similar situation to football vs rugby. Rugby is far more entertaining to watch and requires a little more talent. IMHO. :wink: :wink: Football,s where the money is though. So if the opportunities fall your way of course you would take up football or F1. :)

You're joking right? Rugby is a far less skilful sport than football in almost every way.
 
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