Murray Walker: Vettel's one of the greatest of all time © Getty Images Enlarge

Formula One commentary legend Murray Walker believes Sebastian Vettel is one of the greatest drivers of all time and does not believe he is getting the credit he deserves from some F1 fans.

Vettel has received boos on the podium after some of his victories this year, a response that Walker believes is entirely undeserved.

"Oh I feel sorry for Vettel," he told the Times. "He's not getting the credit he deserves on account that he is in the best car. The less intelligent observers say anyone could do it in that car, but Mark Webber has not and he's very good. Vettel's one of the greatest of all time."

One of the reasons put forward for the backlash from fans was Sebastian Vettel's disregard for team orders at the Malaysian Grand Prix, when he barged past team-mate Webber to take victory. But Walker, who has commentated on the sport from 1948 to 2001, says he understands Vettel's motives in Malaysia and believes they were a mark of a true superstar.

"I thought that was extremely bad form but understandable," he said. "It's one thing to adopt an attitude of right and wrong when watching TV, but another when you're sitting in a car with adrenalin pouring out of you by the bucketful. The real superstars have a ruthlessness that leads them to do things that ordinary people do not approve of."

Walker turned 90 last week and is fighting off lymphatic cancer after avoiding the need for chemotherapy.