Vettel wishes to have battled 'hero' Schumacher

Sebastian Vettel says his "hero" Michael Schumacher is the one champion from Formula 1 past that he would relish a battle with. At Red Bull, Vettel competed against Schumacher when his compatriot returned to F1 with Mercedes, although the embryonic Silver Arrows team were not the championship-winning force of today.

Schumacher competed in the 2010, 2011 and 2012 seasons - all won by Vettel - but he only managed one podium in that time, at the 2012 European Grand Prix in Valencia.

Vettel's four straight titles saw one man dominate F1 for the first time since Schumacher's Ferrari-powered rule over the sport in the early 2000s, taking his tally to a record seven titles.

And Vettel says he would have relished going head to head with Schuamcher when he was in his prime.

"He was the best," Vettel told Corriere della Sera of Schumacher. "He would probably be the most difficult to beat because he has always been my hero."

Vettel also spoke glowingly of another legend from an entirely different era of F1.

"Stirling Moss, I read his story and was amazed," Vettel added.

"They did crazy things with those cars.

Every era has its heroes, but if I have to choose one I would pick the mid-90s. Michael's era."

Vettel joined Schumacher, Alain Prost and Lewis Hamilton to have reached three figures for podium finishes with victory in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.