Could John Surtees' record be equalled?

[lebesset]

I doubt that anyone reading this is unaware of big john's unique record as being both FI WDC and GP1 world champion
and those who also follow GP1 will be aware that casey stoner has announced his retirement at age 26

those who watched him secure the GP1 championship on a ducato will know that he has a most extraordinary sensitive touch on these 250hp ,300kph machines , and personally I have no doubt he could make the switch to 4 wheels

what an addition he would be to F1

incidentally , enzo ferrari is on record as saying the biggest mistake he made in his career was losing surtees services

[flynfrog]

I dont think so any more. Despite the speed rossi has shown in an F1 and shu has shown on a bike. You need to basically start riding bikes or racing Karts from about the time you can walk to make it into either series let alone win.

[mx_tifoso]

GP1? Ducato? Is that a parallel universe?

But no, Stoner would never come here. He might race in other series but definitely not here.

[Red Schneider]

There is an outside chance... but I think the person would have to go from bikes to cars, not the other way around. I could certainly see it. A MotoGP champion signs a 2 year deal with a mid-major team like Lotus, who then go on to produce a front-running car not unlike this year... I wouldn't rule it out, but it's not likely.

[Shrieker]

I'm an avid MotoGP and WSB follower, and Casey just happens to be my fav. rider in MotoGP. Been following him ever since his 250cc days. I'd most definitely love to see him in F1 in case he leaves MotoGP (I hope he doesn't !!!). However, I have serious doubts whether he'd want that, one of the major reasons he's anounced his retirement is the politics in the sport, and you've got loads of it in F1.

[mrtk56]

Casey said during Bathurst last year he may try V8's in the future and did actually test Lowndes' Car last year. Who knows may like that and work his way up the car route to F1? Wishful thinking

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/18052012/ ... wndes.html

[tok-tokkie]

The press & PR obligations of F1 is exactly what he hates. Kimi is quite affable in comparison to what I would expect of Stoner in having to deal with it.

[Nando]

Back then the competition was weak compared to today.

That is why talented people could jump from different things and still be succesful.
Sure Rossi and Stoner knows how to probably be quick on other things then just bikes but they would not be world champions in today´s F1 for example.

Neither would Schumi be able to match Rossi or Stoner on a bike no matter his age.

But to comment the first post, yes that is impressive as hell. But totally unrealistic in todays world.

[Nealio]

It is an accomplishment rarely achieved. Pre-War a number of drivers won the equivalent of the F1 championship and World Championship in motorcycles, Nuvolari and Varsi come to mind. The world of motor racing has changed so much, everything is so much more specialized, that it may well be impossible to do it now. It would have to be a rider who then turns to racing, supremely gifted and with major financial backing to attempt it. It would be fascinating to witness though and I'm sure Surtees who be the first to congratulate the person to do it!

[Nando]

Nuvolari never won a world championship from what i remember? Only European championship.

[xpensive]

I'm still convinced that Mike Hailwood could have equaled that if it wasn't for his loyalty.

[Red Schneider]

What do you mean? I browsed Hailwood's Wikipedia page and it appears he never came close to winning an F1 championship.

[Websta]

Surtees' championships are incomparable to the current MotoGP and F1 championships. An F1 driver would be very hard pressed to make the move to motoGP, but getting into Formula One as a motorcyle racer would not be as difficult necessarily. Bruno Senna has shown that it is possible to start racing professionally at a late age (21 I think?) and still make it to F1, regardless of whether he got there with the aid of sponsorship. He managed to do so despite having a long drought of motorsport in his teenage years so it would arguably be a lot easier for a motoGP rider - they would just have to break a whole bunch of records to still be young enough to make the transition once they had won the motoGP crown. Perhaps Marc Marquez could be your man should he graduate to motoGP next year, although he would have to wait another year before he went to a championship material team.

The only other comparable thing I could see happening would be Andrea Dovizioso winning the World Rally Championship (to go with his 125CC world championship, or if he can somehow manage to win the big one before he retires from MotoGP). He is a very talented rally driver, I believe he beat Peter Solberg at a rally event in Italy last year so I wouldn't rule out a move to the WRC. It is still very unlikely of course that he could manage to win the WRC, especially if that Loeb thing is still competing, but some race wins would be very impressive as well.

[thearmofbarlow]

While I could easily see a racer move from MotoGP to F1 or the reverse... I couldn't see them competing at a championship level. It would take a championship caliber team with HUGE cajones to sign an unknown quantity. Imagine if McLaren, tomorrow, signed Casey Stoner and named him as one of their two drivers for next year.

THAT is why Surtees will forever stand alone.

[bdr529]

I could see someone from 2 wheels making the switch to cars and having a little success, it's a lot easier going from 2 to 4 wheels but winning the F1 world championship, I'd have to say No chance.
I think the last two F1 drivers that also raced on 2 wheels are Damon Hill, I think he won a race at the club level, then there's Johnny Cecotto who was the 1975 350cc and 1978 formula 750 world champion