It all depends on your definition of athelete, once you know what that is you think you could make your own opinion.
Drivers don't just come out of nowhere, they work their way up.Driving an F1 car is a "priviledge"...everyone doesn't get the oppurtunity.
Watch this video, it's well worth it:
Physical effects of driving a Formula 1 car
Where does Shumy not fall under this?Athlete-
a person trained or gifted in exercises or contests involving physical agility, stamina, or strength; a participant in a sport, exercise, or game requiring physical skill.
"Don't have phone sex, you could get hearing AIDS"
You can't compare Tiger Woods to Schumacher. The power given to the golf ball comes from Tiger...not a chemical reaction away from the "athlete". Tiger swings, Schumacher pushes a pedal. Yes, Schumacher must steer...in heat! But really, Schumacher can't propel a vehicle to go 150+ mph, the engine does.
Also, almost anyone can go play a round of golf. VERY FEW get the oppurtunity to drive an F1 car. VERY FEW. I'd be willing to bet my HEART that the Golf elite is more "elite" than the F1 elite...purely because there is a larger volume of competition that one must defeat in golf than in F1.
Like I said early, I can go play Golf tomorrow if I want. I'll never get the chance to drive an F1 car...so how do you know if I'm not an F1 Jesus? You don't...because I won't get the chance to drive an F1 car...EVER. You have to be born into F1.
BTW, no car I've ever driven have a way of cancelling the G forces one subjects to, I've driven an FSAE car for an entire day practicing for skidpad(figure of 8 style, timed), autoX and we are capable of hitting 2G in cornering and braking, you are pretty beat at the end of the day, and my neck and shoulders and arms were in pain for 2 weeks after(I am not in the best of shape, mind you). Racing involves dealing with that physical pain while keeping competitive, as you are trying to keep the good laptime, which requires you to maintain that level of g-forces, which in terms wearing yourself more....all the while keeping the concentration to coordinate all your inputs(gas, brake, steering, shifting) from going astray, I can't imagine in higher level of racing where you are also managing your other resources while keeping an eye of strategy and other cars on track.....
Easiest way to find out, is to drive Go-Kart for like 60 laps, not those kiddy cart or some shit cart you go to drive at your random local venue, but like an actual competitive event. Some cart track locally do have these arrive-and-drive races(not cheap), and I guarantee you you'll be in pain after......If you have not done the basic like that, it'll be hard for you to understand....
University of Toronto Formula SAE Alumni 2003-2007
Formula Student Championship 2003, 2005, 2006
www.fsae.utoronto.ca
If you are (hypothetically) good enough to be the next F1 "Jesus" then you should be good enough to work your way through all of the feeder series and win a championship in each one. Therefore giving you the chance to be in F1.Originally Posted by -What-
And drivers don't just come from EVERYWHERE. Most people don't have the FINANCIAL ABILITY to PLAY race car driving competitively enough to get noticed. Most of these drivers have rich backgrounds or have found a way to get SPONSORED.
Because everyone can't do it, the ELITE of F1 are not as elite as other "sports".
And did someone mention "agility"? What agility does a race car driver need?
What if I'm poor? How will I enter the races?
I'm going to be honest in that you are quite right here because I am in that situation, but, from what you have shown, you are not poor.Originally Posted by -What-
One of these guys is considered a world-dominating athlete. Pick....
Now pick the athlete, I only see one. Seriously.
Well, I'm considered "too old" now. It's too late for me to race...but I'm glad you see where I am coming from. If you were the next F1 "Baby-Jesus" you have no way of proving yourself. Athletes...not a very competitive "sport".
Last edited by -What-; 02-11-2008 at 06:44 PM.
How many F1 drivers are there? 20-22? How many Pro Golfers are on PGA tour, or smaller scale, a single PGA event?
F1 drivers don't just say, "hey I wanna drive an F1 car for Ferrari", and they just say "here you go". How many people makes it in top level of base ball? soccer? NBA? How many people are in top level of racing? Combining F1, Indycar, NASCAR Sprint Cup, Champ Car, you are struggling to meet 150 people in the world.....and most category of racing are as different as comparing soccer to football(american style for our european friends)....
Golf BTW is not cheap....one of my friend's friend is paying tens of thousands of dollars to send his son to golf school in Florida where they train pro golfers, not exactly a pick-up sports either if you wanna play at that level....
Last edited by RacingManiac; 02-11-2008 at 06:45 PM.
University of Toronto Formula SAE Alumni 2003-2007
Formula Student Championship 2003, 2005, 2006
www.fsae.utoronto.ca
Not "everyone" can do ANY sport for a living. Think people living in poverty can suddenly become basketball stars?
Hmm how do you get sponsored? Oh yeah, by having some ability. Drivers don't bribe their way into racing.
You've never heard any stories of people from moderate backgrounds making it big in racing?
You're not just blind to haters, you're blind to reality.
HELL YES
I don't know ANY rags-to-riches race car stories of modern day.
Ashley Force...SUCKS. But she still manages to win sometimes. You think she would be a PROFESSIONAL if her dad wasn't JOHN FORCE? You tellin' me that this girl has the athletic ability to compete with MEN? What type of "professional male athlete" loses to a GIRL in his respective sport?
My sister can beat me in UNO every now-and-then...but she'd NEVER beat me in a 100m foot race. NEVER.
Last edited by -What-; 02-11-2008 at 06:49 PM.
uh, I think Lewis Hamilton comes pretty close....not rags, but certainly not rich either....Juan Montoya also has a pretty humble beginning racing.....
University of Toronto Formula SAE Alumni 2003-2007
Formula Student Championship 2003, 2005, 2006
www.fsae.utoronto.ca
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