Ecclestone - "Lewis is super but I think this kid ... time will tell."

As Sebastian Vettel clocked up his second Grand Prix win, reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton openly admitted Shanghai had been one of his ‘worst performances’ in Formula One.

It was therefore an opportune time for quotes attributed to Bernie Ecclestone to hit the British press, as he outlines his belief that the German is better than his British rival.

"I think he is," the 78-year-old is quoted as saying by the Telegraph. "Lewis is super but I think this kid ... time will tell."

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner didn't want to be drawn on the comparison, but he agrees that Vettel's rise is unlikely to flatten in the wake of his Chinese win.

"It's difficult for me to say as Lewis doesn't sit in our car," Horner said. "But for sure, in coming years, Seb is going to be one of the dominant drivers in F1."

While the British media currently questions its former affection for Hamilton amid the 'lie-gate' scandal, Sunday's spotlight fell squarely on Vettel, who names his cars.

"My original car was called ‘Kate’. But then it got smashed at the opening race in Australia. So we called this one ‘Kate's Dirty Sister’ because it is more aggressive and faster," Vettel said.