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Even with porpoising the modern cars look much easier to drive.
Quick one on this, I'm sure folks like James Hunt or Nigel Mansell would have struggled to last more than a few laps in modern cars at full pelt. Easy is a pretty general term and while H-pattern gear shifters and foot operated clutches might make the older ones more tricky to drive. The stamina and reaction times required to drive modern cars is on another level I'm sure.
mmccarthy-
Given that both of your examples had the drive and determination to win a title I'm confident that they would have been able to develop the stamina and reaction times. Both of these things can be coached much more effectively than the single minded levels of determination required to succeed at that level, in any era of the sport.
Whether Hunt especially could have reigned in his natural exuberance and personality enough to not have sponsors running for the hills is another question though. I don't think any modern team would give someone like that a drive.
Bobbo
I think that was Giles Villeneuve's 312T.
But yeah kind of highlights the difference between 2 different eras of ground effect car. Even with porpoising the modern cars look much easier to drive.