[!Steer From The Rear!]

Any ideas on who is the best rally driver ever in the Irish scene or in the World, past and present?

 

[Art McCarrick]

Best World Driver(s) would be Carlos Sainz, Hannu Mikkola, Bjorn Waldergard, not in any particular order!

Best Irish Driver(s) would be Billy Colemen, Bertie Fisher, Austin McHale and Frank Meagher/Eugene Donnelly and they ear in order

 

[rallyretro]

This thread will be full of inevitable and repetitive answers, which will only start a slagging match. However my Irish list would include Nesbitt and Lyons.

[Edited on 4-11-2005 by rallyretro]

 

[GKnight]

Not in Order

World - Henri Toivonen, Ari Vatenen, Walter Rhorl, Hannu Mikkola, Tommi Makinen

Irish - Cathal Curley, John Lyons, Billy Coleman, Andrew Nesbitt, Niall McShea (Meeke and Morrow will join them)

Agree with Gus. This will end up being a slanging match.


[Edited on 4-11-2005 by GKnight]

 

[davi]

nesbitt must be up there 2. he was unbeaten for a few yars there

 

[All okay here]

I hope i will be up der some day!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Edited on 4-11-2005 by All okay here]

 

[Gary Nolan]

World
1. Henri Toivonen - fastest man in a group B car
2. Ari Vatanen - best mk2 pilot ever
3. Colin McRae - would beat anyone in a one stage shoot out.
4. Walter Rhohl - Made the quattro talk.
5. Carlos Sainz - Could win in anycar

Hard to say if Loeb should be in there, he's had a team formed around him but his record is staggering and looks like being a true great.

Ireland
1. Billy Coleman
2. Bertie Fisher
3. Austin McHale
4. Stephen Finlay
5. Kenny McKinstry

 

[vatanen]

If the question was slightly different and you were asking for the most successful IRISH driver on the WORLD scene, well that would be Paddy Hopkirk. He won the '64 Monte Carlo Rally outright and finished 6th the year before in a car he'd never driven before! not to mention FIVE circiuit wins, 2nd in the '68 London to Sydney, 4th in the 1970 London to Mexico and 3rd on the '77 London to Sydney. Many would agree though that with regularity sections etc. this was not just pure flat-out rallying/driving like today but still impressive though!!

 

[rallyfan]

world= havent a clue

ireland=
1.nesbitt
2.mchale
3.finlay
4.fisher

 

[Tiger]

Folks , I'm afraid you juat have to look at the Coleman
video and you have to say that Billy was without the best ..... and the reason the amount and range of different rallys the man done was incredable ... and how many time did he go off ? I think you could count them in one hand ....

 

[Bones]

World == Loeb will be,

Ireland has to be Frank Meagher

 

[Johnny Baird]

World

Ari Vatanen
Hannu Mikkola
Marku Allen

Ireland

Billy Coleman
Bertie Fisher

 

[cole2]

I would rate Carlos Sainz as the greatest driver of all time in the world,just for being the ultimate all rounder Followed by Mcrae for his pure speed,because on his day he could be classed as the fastest and most spectacular driver of all time.The only thing letting him down was his crash record...... These two could win on any surface in any car.

In Ireland it would have to be 1.. Billy coleman and 2.. Stephen Finlay
the two most naturally talented drivers we have ever had, again they were fast on any surface... I would put Kris Meeke and Niall Mcshea next in line,ahead of all the Irish drivers out there today...... These 4 have that bit extra it takes to match the best in the world.

 

[tommi]

When did McShea or Meeke ever match the best in the world?McShea fluked th PWRC,he did'nt come close to winning any of the rounds and when Meeke does a rally you are just wondering what stage he will crash on.Phillip Morrow will be the best irish driver.

 

[Kenny Wilson]

does anyone remember davy evans?

He would have been the best driver Ireland would ever have seen.

 

[DavidN]

Originally posted by tommi
When did McShea or Meeke ever match the best in the world?McShea fluked th PWRC,he did'nt come close to winning any of the rounds .

Have you followed any of the WRC for the past couple of years???

Why is it that when anyone trys to say positive things about almost anyone on here a tosser like Tommi pops up?

[Edited on 4-11-2005 by DavidN]

 

[Ann Other]

Whatever about Meeke whos definately good, McShea only won PWRC cause of A McRae's rear diff giving up, if you remember he was being beat by 2 mins, not slating anyone just giving the facts

 

[cannyboy]

Lets not forget that Loeb would not have won the championship this year if Ann Other had been offered that Citroen contract that he deserved.

 

[DavidN]

Championships arent won in a single round, where did Alistar finish in Corsica or Germany?

 

[McS]

lads it doesnt matter how he won the rally, a win is a win! that could be said about so many wrc wins and other rally wins. wise up n stop making excuses. He won it fair n square.. Things like that happen in rallying n if you cant see that this is what goes on then your no proper rallying fan!