Originally Posted by dj_bytedisaster
That is the point where I disagree. Red Bull 2012 is the best example. Mark was on par if not slightly better than Vettel in the first half of the season, because the car's twitchyness suited Marks style and really hurt Vettel's. Once they had recovered back-end stability, Vettel beat the pants off Mark. That's the thing, even the best drivers in the world need a car that fits their preferred driving style. IIRC from seasons past, both Alonso and Hamilton prefer a slightly oversteering car - so one with more glue on the front. Which in theory means, they would make Vettel look like Deletraz in a car, which prefers their style, while Vettel would probably trounce them if the car was tailored to his style, so saying Alonso or Hamilton would automatically beat Vettel in the same machinery is academic and more likely wishful thinking.
Vettel has shown that he's quick regardless of the car in spec machinery. He cleaned out the German Formula BMW by winning each and every race (18 out of 20) except two, where he finished 2nd and third. You don't trounce a complete championship like that by having to rely on the best machinery. He also bowed out of the Renault World series as the leader, when he was called up to drive for BMW and then STR.
People also tend to forget that he's the only one, who ever finished a STR higher than 7. If we would be still running the old point scheme, he would be the only person ever to score points in a STR and he did that several times and one of that times was a win. I think he's better than given credit for, but I think he'll be able to silence his critics when he leaves RB, which will probably be at the end of his current contract after 2014.