Current active F1 world champions compared after 150 races - Sebastian Vettel deserves respect

Across recent years, Sebastian Vettel has been victim of something of a steady decline, coming fifth in the 2019 Formula One Drivers’ Championship after successive silver medals.

Since then, in his final campaign with Scuderia Ferrari, Vettel suffered an embarrassing swansong with the racing juggernauts and finished 13th, before signing with Aston Martin last year and pipping his previous term by one place.

With the 2022 season firmly underway, Vettel resides in 14th place with just 13 points after seven races, albeit with 10 more than team partner Lance Stroll.

Yet, recent statistics issue a reminder to racing fans just how dominant the four-time world champion was back at the height of his illustrious career.

Vettel started with Scuderia Toro Rosso before signing with Red Bull Racing, where he won four consecutive world titles, before spending the bulk of his career with Ferrari, failing to live up to the dominating standards set at Red Bull and never added to his four titles.

Current world champion Max Verstappen recently completed his 150th race in the sport and is considered the premier driver at present, leading the standings once again, but comparative figures show Vettel bests his rival across the board after his first 150 contests.

Vettel holds greater statistics in world titles, race wins, podiums, pole positions and fastest laps, with Verstappen only coming close with podiums, holding 67 top-three finishes to Vettel’s 73.

In fact, Vettel can maintain his early-career dominance and trump a host of other iconic racing figures, with former world champions Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso failing to match any of the 34-year-old’s stats.

The remarkable numbers are a testament to the brilliance of the Red