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There's a difference between being not good enough and no good at all. He's clearly a fast driver and a proven race winner; he's just too inconsistent and unable to compete satisfactorily with Vettel on track in the long term. The point is he has an equal chance to Vettel to get his car on the podium but doesn't always make the most of the opportunities he has. It has nothing to do with Vettel being number one in the team and everything to do with Mark's performances.

The best driver currently on the grid is Lewis Hamilton
Why? It's because he never had #1 status which Alonso and Vettel enjoy( no matter what Webber is made to believe, when push come to shove, he doesn't have a chance) in their teams, beat 2time world champion in his rookie year.

Unbelievably quick qualifier, Alonso isn't, Vettel is, but Webber beat him many times even though he is 35 average driver.

Hamilton is just so exciting to watch, whether he's in the lead or in the midfield, there is something about his driving that just commands your attention, Alonso is close, Vettel is boring, and always in the best car no matter what some people say, that car is fundamentally good, since 2009 always has been, those comeback drives, anyone could have done them, the other cars don't compare, they are slow.

So for me Hamilton is the best, then Alonso.

Let me see the others team up with other WDCs, then we can talk.

It's Sebastian Vettel, WDC and WCC 2010-2012.
Anything else is pure opinions, F1 is a points game.

I think Lewis is the fastest and probably the most naturally gifted.

But that doesn't mean the best.

In a spec series, Lewis hands down. In F1, Alonso.

To that I respond with the Villeneuve conundrum - both of them. Your line of thinking suggests that during 1996 and 1997 Jacques Villeneuve was the best driver on the grid, as he scored the most points on aggregate over those two seasons. Does this sound foolish?

It also suggests that Gilles Villeneuve, a man that so many announce as one of the greatest of all time, was as much a great as Felipe Massa. He was beaten to the title by his team-mate in 1979 and was being beaten by Pironi when he died. This is surely not the showing of a great driver.

This whole topic is based on opinion, as most topics are, but some opinions carry more strength than those that look only at the figures and determine the outcome. This is a sport with an infinite number of variables and not a standardised test.

Fair, but there's so much more going on with Vettel than those you mention, when asked if he is the best his answer was that he can be compared to the best and that he still is learning. I like his attitude, his professionalism, and hi no nonsese. Compared to Lewis and Alonso who are followed by different xGates and attitude problems I would easily picked Sebastian right now over them.

How they come across out of the car or how there fans are or what music they like etc etc has nothing to do with who is the best driver.

To that I respond with the Villeneuve conundrum - both of them. Your line of thinking suggests that during 1996 and 1997 Jacques Villeneuve was the best driver on the grid, as he scored the most points on aggregate over those two seasons. Does this sound foolish?

It also suggests that Gilles Villeneuve, a man that so many announce as one of the greatest of all time, was as much a great as Felipe Massa. He was beaten to the title by his team-mate in 1979 and was being beaten by Pironi when he died. This is surely not the showing of a great driver.

This whole topic is based on opinion, as most topics are, but some opinions carry more strength than those that look only at the figures and determine the outcome. This is a sport with an infinite number of variables and not a standardised test.

Scott Speed also writes really sweet notes to his wife.

People who die tend to have the James Dean effect.

I would probably rank Gilles alongside Massa and Jacques Villeneuve tbh. Nowhere near Senna or someone like that.