4-time World Champion Vs 2-time World Champion.
Replacement Ferrari driver Vs Former Ferrari driver.
SEBASTIAN VETTEL
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| Source: Huffington Post |
Even the most cynical of us were convinced of the 27-year old Vettels' talents by the time he won his Forth consecutive Formula One World Championship. But, not just among fans, there were always whispers on the grid that Alonso was the most talented driver amongst them.
The domination of the Renault powered Red Bull had not only played a massive role in Vettel winning these Championships but, it had also cheated the German of the natural respect that is earned by winning the titles in many ways.
After all, to win Four Championships by the age of 27 is a huge feat, picking up accolades on the way like:
Youngest World Champion of all time - 23 years 135 days
Most consecutive wins - 9 (2013)
Most wins in a season - 13 (2013)
This, just to name a few.
2014 was a year to forget for Vettel, though. With the new rules and regulations he failed to adjust to the new car and was consistently beaten in both qualifying and race position by his new Aussie team mate Daniel Ricciardo.
His attention may have switched to 2015 early and he will certainly be looking to hit the ground running for the 2015 campaign with the Scuderia.
FERNANDO ALONSO
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| Source: Daily Record |
Widely regarded as one of the most talented drivers on the grid, the Spaniard is now entering his 9th season since winning his last Championship. Despite three 2nd place finishes in the Drivers Championship he is yet to secure his elusive third title.
His five year stint with the Prancing Horse has flown by and he will be more disappointed than anyone that they were unable to really provide him with the necessary tools to increase his trophy haul.
When rumours started swirling that Alonso was considering his future, it was surprising to say the least that Ferrari would be willing to lose a driver that had been such a huge asset to the team both on the track and commercially.
From the two World Championships he won at Renault, Alonso has continued to improve his driving yet been largely unlucky in not managing to gain a third title. The domination Red Bull enjoyed between 2009 - 2013 couldn't have been predicted by anyone.
Now switching to McLaren for a second spell, he also will be looking to gain momentum through the 2015 season.
Who will have the better 2015 season?
This is a difficult one to answer, Fernando Alonso has been driving the wheels of the Ferrari for the past few year, out performing the output of the car on a regular basis. Whereas the dominance of Vettel came in a Red Bull car that was far superior to every other car on the grid. Granted he still had to race team mate Webber and did so in spectacular fashion. Last years' decline and comparison to Daniel Ricciardo have left the jury out on him.
In terms of outright talent, arguments could be made for either driver, Alonso has an enormous respect from his peers and Vettel has accomplished enough in his F1 career already to be placed among the greats of the sport.
The cars will surely have an impact on what is achievable for both drivers this year, with McLaren returning to a Honda engine they look sure to struggle through the early stages of the season as they aim to find their feet with the new power units.
Ferrari have clocked up good miles over pre season testing and look to have evolved their 2014 challenger into a tidy set up. The fact that they are already used to the new regulations means they will have an advantage during the early stages of 2015 but will a late start to development of this years challenger prove to limit their overall progress.
After all, Mercedes will take some beating once again and we could really be talking about a battle for 2nd place.
