BERLIN, November 19- Newly-crowned Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel says he still has a long road to travel to be mentioned in the same breath as seven-time titleholder Michael Schumacher.
Vettel last Sunday became at 23 the youngest ever driver to claim the F1 crown to add further weight to the claims by his fans that he is the next Schumacher.
But ‘Baby-Schumi’ as Vettel is known, told Friday’s Bild newspaper: "I don’t compare his career and his life with mine, he’s a legend and I’m only at the start."
The Red Bull driver added that he was now intent on defending his title with his team in 2011.
"We have in this team something decisive for success in F1 – good people in the right jobs."
While a Red Bull man through and through for now Vettel spoke about the lure of an eventual move to Ferrari or Mercedes.
"Ferrari and Mercedes represent the history, the present and certainly the future of Formula One. Each driver dreams of Ferrari or Mercedes. But to drive for these teams depends on a number of factors, everything has to fall into place, to be a myth isn’t sufficient. But all that is a long way off for me…"
Vettel won Sunday’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to clinch the 2012 world championship by four points from Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso.
