Lewis Hamilton hailed his former F1 rival Sebastian Vettel, calling him a “best world champion I know”.
Hamilton and Vettel clashed for several years at the forefront of F1, resulting in some memorable battles.
Vettel emerged victorious in their early title duels, notably in 2010, when both were still in contention heading into the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with Fernando Alonso and Mark Webber also involved.
Their rivalry intensified in 2017 and 2018, with Hamilton and Vettel edging out Mercedes and Ferrari respectively.
Hamilton won in both seasons, denying Vettel the opportunity to emulate his idol, Michael Schumacher, in bringing the title to the Scuderia.
Speaking to a group of fans as part of his Mercedes F1 farewell tour, Hamilton explained why Vettel stands out.
“Seb is the best world champion I know because he is much more than a driver.”
“He's a really passionate person, he's empathetic and he cares about people. He's actually the only other one who's tried to use his platform for something good.”
“I've met so many celebrities and so many people. There are a lot of people who don't make time for others.”
“I think for me that's what makes me… No matter how good he drives, he's very fast anyway. We've had some great races together.”
“But, for me, we had the best races together.”
