Is Sebastian Vettel amongst the greatest ever Formula 1 drivers?

ALAIN PROST - F1 career 1980-1993. If Ayrton Senna was the greatest racing driver of all time, as many believe, Prost got closer to him than any other of his contemporaries. The curly haired Frenchman scored 51 grand prix wins, 108 podium finishes and four world championships in 1985, 1986, 1989 and 1993

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER - F1 career 1991-2006 & 2010-2012. On paper Schumacher is by far the most successful F1 driver in history. The German took his first two titles while driving for Benetton in 1994 and 1995, before winning 72 grands prix and five consecutive drivers titles from 2000-2004 at Ferrari

NIKI LAUDA - F1 career 1971-1985. Lauda won 25 grands prix and three world titles in a career split by retirement. Notably in 1976 he was almost killed at the Nurburgring when his Ferrari burst into flames after a crash. After retiring in 1979, his return with McLaren resulted in the 1984 world championship

JUAN MANUEL FANGIO - F1 career 1950-1958. The Argentine competed in 51 Formula 1 grands prix, of which he won 24, set 28 pole positions and 23 fastest laps. In seven full F1 seasons, he won five world championships. He drove for Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Mercedes-Benz and Ferrari and won titles with all of them

SIR STIRLING MOSS - F1 career 1951-1962. Having learned his craft alongside Fangio at Mercedes-Benz, Moss became the Argentinian's main rival. Despite never winning the drivers' title, his 16 wins in 66 starts set a benchmark for his contemporaries. Following an accident at Goodwood in 1962, he announced his retirement

JIM CLARK - F1 career 1960-1968. Clark's tally of 25 victories in 72 starts was a record during his era. His 33 poles record was recently passed by Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel, with only Schumacher and Senna ahead. After winning the drivers' title in 1963 and 1965, he was killed in a Formula 2 race at Hockenheim in 1968

SIR JACKIE STEWART - F1 driving career 1965-1973. The Scotsman scored 27 grands prix wins in 99 races and three world championships in 1969, 1971 and 1973. From mid-1968 until his retirement in 1973, he was the "unquestioned number one and everyone knew it," says BBC Sport's veteran F1 commentator Murray Walker

FERNANDO ALONSO - F1 career 2001-present. The Spaniard has won two world titles - in 2005 and 2006 - and 32 grand prix victories. He remains fifth in the all-time winners' list. The 32-year-old is contracted to Ferrari until 2016 and is currently second in the 2013 drivers' championship behind Vettel

SEBASTIAN VETTEL - F1 career 2006-present. The Red Bull driver has won four consecutive world titles from 2010-13, clinching his latest crown at the Indian Grand Prix on 27 October.