Bernie Ecclestone was full of praise for Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber © Getty Images Enlarge Related Links Drivers:

Bernie Ecclestone

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Sebastian Vettel

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Mark Webber Teams:

Red Bull

Bernie Ecclestone said that it was inevitable that Sebastian Vettel would become Formula One world champion, if not this season then at some point in the future.

Speaking in the foreword to the Official Formula 1 Season Review 2010, the F1 supremo added that he thought Mark Webber could already have been world champion given the right machinery in the past and that he perfectly fitted the mould of a Ferrari driver, as 'Old Man' Enzo Ferrari would have approved of him.

"Vettel was always going to be World Champion one day, wasn't he, if not this year then next? He's very good," said Ecclestone. "Had Webber been in a good car five years ago, maybe he would have been World Champion five years ago. I think he's a Ferrari driver as he's got the sort of character the Old Man would have liked."

Ecclestone added that he was slightly bemused to see Michael Schumacher return to the sport, although he would have liked to see him win again and that his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg is potentially the best driver on the grid.

"You'd have to look at it and ask did Michael Schumacher need to come back? What was the purpose? He wanted to come back because he knows he can win, but unfortunately the car didn't allow that to happen. I'd love to see him winning. Put him in one of the Red Bulls and then see what happens. But then we don't know how good Rosberg is. Maybe Rosberg in a Red Bull would beat all of them ..."

Having openly criticized the new teams for their lack of pace in 2010, Ecclestone seemed to backtrack somewhat, laying the blame on Max Mosley's door.

"As for the new teams, their problems weren't their fault in all fairness. It was really Max Mosley's fault, telling them they could come in and be contenders for 30 million [pounds sterling]. But they're here now and, provided they don't walk around with begging bowls, it's good to have them."