Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher, and Fernando Alonso are all well-known Formula One drivers.
While Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton were the best F1 drivers he raced against, Sebastian Vettel named Fernando Alonso as his “hardest” competitor.
Vettel, who made his Formula 1 debut back in 2007, grew to become a veteran figure of the grid alongside Hamilton and Alonso, the trio all multi-time World Champions. He also got to share the Formula 1 track with his childhood hero Michael Schumacher, who returned for a three-season spell with Mercedes between 2010-12.
Lewis Hamilton the ‘G.O.A.T’ but Fernando Alonso ‘hardest’
During a quickfire interview for talkSPORT, Vettel would initially share a word that instantly came to his mind when thinking about different drivers from the past and present.
Hamilton was labeled as the greatest of all time, while Vettel was associated with being a hero alongside Schumacher. Alonso was known for his hunger, and Verstappen was recognized for his skill as the reigning three-time World Champion who is aiming for his fourth consecutive title in F1 2024.
When it comes to Charles Leclerc and Kimi Raikkonen, Vettel described Leclerc as a “talent” and Raikkonen as a master of “badminton”. Raikkonen is known for his versatile abilities.
After completing the one-word section, Vettel found himself with the liberty to delve deeper. He was prompted to identify the finest driver he had ever competed against and provide reasoning behind his choice.
He responded, “I believe Michael and Lewis would be the best choices. The numbers don’t lie.”
Michael was my hero, and when it comes to statistics, Lewis is the absolute best.
Although the statistics clearly demonstrate the dominance of the seven-time World Champions, Vettel considers Alonso as his fiercest rival. This acknowledgment stems from their intense competition in the 2010 and 2012 championships, which saw Vettel narrowly triumph over Alonso by four and three points respectively.
Vettel acknowledged Fernando as his most challenging rival, highlighting their closely contested championships and encounters over the course of his career. He described Fernando as a consistently present and highly competitive driver.
“Yeah, I believe he was the most challenging opponent I encountered.”
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Verstappen was the driver who “surprised” Vettel the most, mainly because of his exceptional skills showcased when he made his debut in F1 at the age of 17. Since then, Verstappen has evolved into the dominant force in the sport that he is today.
“It’s difficult to recall all of them, but I believe Max,” stated Vettel, “just the astonishing talent he displayed when he arrived and how he managed to refine it, reaching the exceptional driving level he possesses today.”
Verstappen was anticipated to effortlessly secure his fourth consecutive title in F1 2024, matching Vettel’s Red Bull record from 2010-2013. However, the recent triumphs of McLaren’s Lando Norris and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc pose a potential challenge in Verstappen’s pursuit.
However, when questioned about the next World Champion among drivers other than Max Verstappen or Lewis Hamilton, Vettel did not choose Leclerc or Norris.
The Vettel verdict deemed George Russell as the chosen one, offering him a remarkable chance to steer the Mercedes team towards the future. This opportunity arises as Hamilton readies himself to embark on a new journey with Ferrari in 2025.
Read next: Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes struggles? Let’s hear it for George Russell instead
