Felipe Massa has announced that he would like Max Verstappen to beat Lewis Hamilton in this year’s battle for driver championship glory to maintain Michael Schumacher’s joint record of seven world titles. Hamilton are currently 17 points behind their Red Bull rivals ahead of the last three races of the season in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi.
The Mercedes man closed the gap to Verstappen with a remarkable win at the Brazilian Grand Prix last time.
He had to start from 10th place on the grid after receiving a five-place penalty at the beginning of the weekend for changing the engine.
Hamilton also started the sprint from the very back on Saturday after his rear wing was considered illegal in qualifying on Friday.
However, the 36-year-old was not deterred and probably delivered the performance of his career so far in Interlagos to defend himself and help Verstappen to an unlikely victory.
The result could be a pivotal turning point in this year’s battle for glory as Hamilton swings the momentum in his favor after his rival won the previous two races.
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The defending champions will believe that they have every chance of regaining their lead before the checkered flag falls on the last day of the season in Abu Dhabi.
However, Massa has revealed that he has been a supporter of Verstappen all the way, with the Brazilian remaining loyal to his former Ferrari team-mate Schumacher.
When asked which driver he would like to win this year’s drivers’ title with, Massa told Speedweek: “Max Verstappen, he deserves it.
“It would be great to have another world champion. Max would give anything to win, even if it landed him in the gravel.
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“I want Schumi to remain the record holder with his seven World Cup titles.”
Massa went on to state that Verstappen has finally reached the maturity and mental strength required to earn this year’s honor.
The 23-year-old has been widely recognized as one of the best Formula 1 drivers since his debut in 2015, but often lacked the all-important discipline that Hamilton has shown in abundance in recent years.
“He was always quick, but mentally not ready,” continued Massa, who was beaten for the title by Hamilton in the last race of the 2008 season.
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“Now he’s much more mature and makes almost no mistakes. Max is a different driver now, he deserves it. Max is a born champion.”
In the meantime, it remains to be seen whether Verstappen can keep Hamilton at bay during the last three races of the year.
The Dutchman has already won nine times since the start of the season and will be hoping for his chances at the Qatar Grand Prix on Sunday.
The Losail circuit is widely expected to suit the Red Bull cars as it requires a downforce setup to tackle the tricky high-speed corners.
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