David Coulthard believes Lewis Hamilton is the benchmark against whom everyone else is measured.
Scot compares young world champion to Schumacher
David Coulthard believes Lewis Hamilton is the benchmark against whom everyone else is measured.
McClaren driver Hamilton burst onto the F1 scene in 2007, finishing second in the Championship race after throwing away a seven-point lead at the final race of the season.
However, he came back the following year to win the title by one point over Ferrari's Felipe Massa and praise for his achievements continues to flood in.
"He is two years in Formula One and an amazing first two seasons, just dripping in world class performance," former F1 driver Coulthard said.
"With the benefit of hindsight it was great he didn't win the title in the first year because it just made the second year all that more special.
"I think he's just a class act and he will handle it in his own way. I think he will always manage to be quite controlled and is the Michael Schumacher of the modern era, he is now the benchmark against which everyone has to be measured."
Coulthard also gave his backing to Force India, who recently signed a technical agreement with McLaren-Mercedes that will see the Championship-winning outfit supply the backmarker outfit with engines, gearboxes and Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems (KERS).
"Force India could be the shock of the season," said the Scot, who retired from F1 at the end of last year.
