Sebastian Vettel's pick for the greatest F1 driver of all time? 'The numbers speak for themselves'

As Max Verstappen aims to clinch his fourth Formula 1 title in Las Vegas, the debate of the greatest F1 driver ever returns once again. Sebastian Vettel, who is one of the most prolific figures in motorsport, recently revealed who he believes is the best driver of all time

“I would say the best are Michael (Schumacher) and Lewis (Hamilton). Why? Because the numbers speak for themselves,” he responded when asked to choose the top drivers in an interview with talkSPORT back in April.

“Michael was my hero, and Lewis has the best statistics,” he explained. It’s worth noting that Vettel raced alongside both, making his F1 debut in 2007 with BMW Sauber. Vettel has also said that Schumacher was a key figure in his decision of becoming a F1 driver too.

Vettel, who retired two years ago, also left a significant mark on most of the sport’s individual records. The 37-year-old German is tied with Alan Prost as the drivers with fourth championship titles.

(L-R) Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and McLaren, Sebastian Vettel of Germany and Red Bull Racing, Michael Schumacher of Germany nd Mercedes, Fernando Alonso of Spain and Ferrari (Clive Mason/Getty Images)

Only Hamilton, Schumacher, and Juan Manuel Fangio have surpassed him in terms of championships, with the Europeans claiming seven titles each and the Argentinian five. Meanwhile, Vettel also became the youngest ever world champion at the age of 23 in 2010.

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Fernando Alonso: Vettel’s Toughest Rival

In the same interview, the German also responded about the most challenging driver he faced in Formula 1, taking a different approach and highlighting Fernando Alonso, who at 43 years old, is still competing.

“Fernando (Alonso). I had very close championships with him, and throughout my career, in general. He’s the kind of driver who’s always there. He’s very competitive. Yes, I think he was the toughest competitor I’ve faced,” he said.

It’s worth noting that Alonso was the runner-up in three of Vettel’s championship-winning seasons in F1. The Spaniard’s two titles came in 2005 and 2006, just before the German made his debut in the category.