Vettel has competed against several of the sport's finest drivers throughout his career, including Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso, Max Verstappen, Nico Rosberg, and Jenson Button.
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There is no question that Sebastian Vettel is in the pantheon of Formula One greats that have graced the track with their presence. The German driver was hailed as the next Michael Schumacher when he won four consecutive world championship titles from 2010 to 2013 with Red Bull Racing. The 2022 Formula One season will be Vettel’s last. After two years of endless struggles with Aston Martin, the 35-year-old has decided to hang up his boots, leaving a legacy that will inspire generations of drivers to come.
Vettel has competed against several of the sport’s finest drivers throughout his career, including Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso, Max Verstappen, Nico Rosberg, and Jenson Button. He has also competed against a number of challenging teammates over the years, including Kimi Raikkonen, Charles Leclerc, Daniel Ricciardo, and Mark Webber.
However, when asked who his greatest rival was, Vettel acknowledged Lewis Hamilton, the man who broke his dominance in the sport and went on to equal Schumacher’s record of seven world championship titles. As per a report published in Metro, the German said, “Lewis, especially when I was at Ferrari. Lewis has always been right up there. Before that, it was probably Fernando when he was at Ferrari.”
Since their debuts in 2007, Vettel and Hamilton’s careers have been inextricably linked, with the duo winning 11 of the last 15 titles. Though they had raced against each other since their debuts, it wasn’t until 2017 and 2018 that the two finally competed for the championship, with Hamilton and Mercedes triumphing over Vettel and Ferrari.
The two had fought for the championship in 2010 and 2012, when Hamilton was with McLaren and Vettel was with Red Bull, but Vettel’s main challenger in both seasons was Alonso, whom he twice pipped in dramatic manner. The German’s place at Aston Martin will be taken by Alonso who signed a multi-year deal with the team earlier this season. “Fernando doesn’t need any advice,” Vettel said of the Spaniard.
“I’m not sure he’s taking any advice, but he doesn’t need it anyway. He’s been around for so long and seen so much – he’ll be fine,” he added. The 35-year-old has only four races left in his F1 career, beginning with next weekend’s US Grand Prix in Austin, which will bring him to the impressive 300-race mark.
