On the occasion of the Singapore Grand Prix, Vanity Fair’s “Man in Saigon,” Brian McNally, took his Fear and Loathing approach into the pits to talk to some of the wealthiest sportsmen in the world—F1 drivers. To put his impressions of this present-day crop of daredevils into historical context we asked McNally to give us his five favorite racers of all time.


Juan Manuel Fangio

Because he had a great name and managed to be incredibly bald and incredibly suave at the same time. Was once kidnapped by Cuban rebels.

Mike Hawthorn

Because he was the last of the dashing RAF WWII pilot types and because he reminds me of the great Mr Basham, my primary school teacher who was the only person in the east end at the time driving a sky blue MG convertible. He smoked three packs of Bachelor cigarettes a day and, like Hawthorn, died at the age of 30, only a few miles away in Surrey, England.

James Hunt

Because he was the anti-Schumacher: charming, charismatic and unconventional. Hunt refused to sign a contract obliging him to wear a suit when representing the team or the sponsors, and wore a T-shirt underneath his racing overalls that said “Sex––the breakfast of champions.” He was so cool that even when his wife left him it was for Richard Burton. I wish my wife had left me for Richard Burton.

Ayrton Senna

Just because he was the best.
 
Stirling Moss

The best driver never to have won the world championship and the first person to become a brand name in England before there was such a thing. And begetter of the phrase “Who do you think you are––Stirling Moss?” (a question asked of anyone in England moving faster than a sloth). He is also the only Jewish F1 driver I can think of.