Don’t compare Lew with Schu says Webber

Schumacher has no equal, and certainly not Hamilton

(GMM) Mark Webber says it is premature to start comparing Lewis Hamilton with Michael Schumacher.

Webber, Australia's only current grand prix driver, lives in England, where the hype surrounding Hamilton's debut season for McLaren last year saturates the F1 media.

Red Bull racer Webber insists he does not resent Hamilton, but he told the Independent: "Let's just say that nobody is talking about him anywhere else in the world."

Webber said that because 23-year-old Hamilton has been on the grid for "five minutes", it is therefore ridiculous to compare him with F1's record-beating seven time world champion.

"When he wins the championship, then he's got six more to win before he can be compared to Schumacher," Webber added.

"Yeah, he had a great first year. It was extraordinary what he did. But great sports stars are measured by longevity. Pele, Steffi Graf, whoever.

"Also, his career has gone off like a rocket ship, but it won't always be like that."

Webber also thinks the press is still fixated on that fact that Hamilton is F1's first black driver.

"That's got a shelf life. He won't stop being black but it will stop being a novelty," he said.

Similarly, Force India's technical boss Mike Gascoyne is reserved when he assesses Hamilton's 2007.

"He did have a double world champion alongside him," the Briton told Racer magazine, referring to Fernando Alonso.

"Would he have won as many races with another rookie alongside? I don't think he would," Gascoyne added.