How does Vettel compare to other drivers?

[Mandrake]

When has vettel been sitting in a race winning car and had to overtake people in the race? He certainly didn't need to overtake people as often because he was flying in the races. Then people jump on the spa incident with button and claim he can't pass.....that was by No means a sign of inability to overtake..... maybe he'll get the chance to show that he can pull out spectacular overtakings, but until now he just didn't have to.

As for the wet races: count in the mechanical dnfs which benefited other drivers, then we might see different results.

As mentioned before, vettel showed his quality with changing cars/conditions in the RoC races....only to be beaten by matthias ekstroem, a guy I rate pretty high concerning racecraft and speed.

[PlatinumZealot]

The car is simply making him look good. All the evidence is there to show it. For all we know he is only better than Webber and Bourdais. He wasn't better than Paul di Resta though!! I think Paul as a team mate would give Vettel something to think about.

[Giblet]

Then people jump on the spa incident with button and claim he can't passby matthias ekstroem, a guy I rate pretty high concerning racecraft and speed.

Not just the Spa incident. The Turkey incident as well and the others where wings and carbon and tires all went boom. The Button crash could have happened to anyone and doesn't enter my mind in my grading of him. He also chopped off a couple other front wings last year that were simply because of not leaving enough room for two cars. It's almost like some kind of spatial awareness issue, or he thinks people should get out of his way and assumes they will. This is also evidenced on starts, where he seems too interested in cutting off other drivers, or squeezing them ala Schumi.

My view of his racing vs driving skill is rooted in far more than one incident.

I think the kid has a lot to learn still, and that speaks volumes to his potential.

[ell66]

i do find it amusing that most of you assume vettel has god like speed in qualy and would there for beat hamilton in that regard.
hes in a monster of a car and teamed up with a journeyman driver, lewis on the other hand had out quallified every team mate he's been with and fairly easily i may add, including 2 former world champions.
you may say, "oh he makes a few errors here and there that seb dosnt in qually" but when your in a car that's over half a second slower common sense would tell you maybe he's pushing extra hard, harder than he'd like to.

on another note im very frustrated with how poor mark webbers been this year, h's putting zero preasure on vettel, and letting him run away it.

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Ell66

I think you are being very harsh on Webber.

Not to mention saying that Vettel has access to a "monster of a car" forgoing the fact Hamilton also has access to some pretty cracking machinery himself in his 5 years at Mclaren.

[HampusA]

The gap between Ferrari and Mclaren was extremely close.

Now it´s RBR lonely at the top without a doubt. The car is superior.

[beelsebob]

Ell66

I think you are being very harsh on Webber.

Not to mention saying that Vettel has access to a "monster of a car" forgoing the fact Hamilton also has access to some pretty cracking machinery himself in his 5 years at Mclaren.

'07 – First year in F1, nearly won the championship.
'08 – Did win it.
'09 – Didn't have "cracking machinery" by any stretch of the imagination.
'10 – Had a decidedly subpar car but still came within 16 points of the title.

Basically, Hamilton has had a "monster of a car" twice, and won the championship (or come very very close in his rookie year)... But still been extremely close to the title even when he hasn't had the best car under him. I'm not sure you can say the same for Vettel.

[jwielage]

But at least with Hamilton we can directly compare his speed to Alonso and Button. That gives us a pretty good bench mark. Vettle on the other hand, either way we cannot say with a high degree of certainty how he stacks up. Personally I think he is very fast, but one has to wonder. Time will tell though

[andrew]

I don't see how you can compare him with Alonso. Button possible but no way with Alonso.

[beelsebob]

But at least with Hamilton we can directly compare his speed to Alonso and Button. That gives us a pretty good bench mark. Vettle on the other hand, either way we cannot say with a high degree of certainty how he stacks up. Personally I think he is very fast, but one has to wonder. Time will tell though

Agreed, I think we probably have a 3 way tie for greatest F1 driver atm, each with their good points:

• Vettel – Driving all out perfect laps
• Hamilton – Ability to push an overtake further than most would and make it stick
• Alonso – Ability to strategise

My suspicion is that Alonso is at, or past the top of his game; Hamilton is fast approaching it, but seems to be learning new things still; Vettel meanwhile seems to be only just beginning.

If Vettel can sort out his ability to race other people he'll become unstoppable, even outside an RB7.

[beelsebob]

I don't see how you can compare him with Alonso. Button possible but no way with Alonso.

I think that's a bit of a stretch too... They did spend a year in the same team, but Hamilton was a rookie.

[jwielage]

I don't see how you can compare him with Alonso. Button possible but no way with Alonso.

I don't understand? They did race in the same machinery in 2007, how do we not have a basis to compare Alonso and Hamilton?

[jwielage]

I don't see how you can compare him with Alonso. Button possible but no way with Alonso.

I think that's a bit of a stretch too... They did spend a year in the same team, but Hamilton was a rookie.

Fair point. But I just have a hard time definatively saying Hamilton is better than Alonso. They each have their strong points. I think Hamilton is a better qualifier while Alonso is better at strategy and has a cooler head on track.

[andrew]

I don't see how you can compare him with Alonso. Button possible but no way with Alonso.

I don't understand? They did race in the same machinery in 2007, how do we not have a basis to compare Alonso and Hamilton?

No rookie will beat or nearly beat a team mate of Alonso's calibre in equal machinery. Also consider the amount of time and money invested in Hamilton by McLaren, Ron Dennis couldn't afford to have Hamilton fail (just a theory but it makes perfect sense).

Alonso was short changed at McLaren in 2007, there is no doubt about that. I don't like they guy but he does not strike me as the sort of person to turn his back on a challenge.

[PlatinumZealot]

Alonso is very good. A real racer. Very complete racer. Cooler head?... Yeah, does Hamilton have a cool head too? Yes.

The thing about Hamilton it is not that he is hot headed, it is that his philosophy is different. A cool Head to Hamilton is "I must pass at the next opportunity and I must do it as clean and as calm as possible." So His decisions are risky and people make that out as him being hot headed. He is quite calm behind the wheel and ALL of his moves are thought out.

Vettel now... his strength, like most Germans, is technical excellence in his execution. It is too early to say whether he is hot headed or not, because he has never been in a do or die situation when he doesn't have the best car.