Felipe Massa believes that neither Lewis Hamilton nor Fernando Alonso would be able to beat Max Verstappen if they teamed up with the Dutchman at Red Bull. The Brazilian believes that the three-time champion is in such fine form that it is unlikely even the best of drivers on the grid will be able to match the 26-year-old.
As quoted by FormulaPassion, Massa said, “Even if you put Lewis Hamilton or Fernando Alonso in the other car, I’m not sure it would change much. Maybe a little, but believe me, even they wouldn’t beat Max.”
Let’s go!!! What a great performance! This is another amazing day for us as a team @redbullracing 👏 and a pretty nice way to celebrate the win 👀🎤
Racing at Interlagos is always very special! Thank you for all the support 🇧🇷🙌#BrazilGP pic.twitter.com/WooCInrvz0
— Max Verstappen (@Max33Verstappen) November 5, 2023
Admittedly, Verstappen has been extremely dominant recently. Since the Dutchman has obliterated most of his Red Bull teammates, Massa believes that Perez is doing the best he can.
Felipe Massa has been a rare supporter of Sergio Perez
Sergio Perez has come under immense criticism this season due to his massive underperformance. The Mexican driver started off his season brilliantly as he and Max Verstappen had two wins each after the first four races. However, ever since the Miami GP in May, Perez’s performances have dipped drastically.
So much so that many experts began speculating about Perez’s future. At such a time, Felipe Massa showcased rare support for the Mexican driver. The Brazilian believes that Red Bull should not change their winning formula and that Perez has done enough to help the team secure both championships in the past two campaigns.
17 WINS IN A SINGLE SEASON!
With two races to go, Max Verstappen now holds the record for highest win percentage in an F1 season (77%).
PURE DOMINANCE 🌟🌟🌟#F1 #BrazilGP pic.twitter.com/L13Pdip2gB
— RBR News 🇳🇱🇲🇽 (@redbulletin) November 5, 2023
Nevertheless, Red Bull still has multiple drivers who can replace Perez if they choose to do so. AlphaTauri drivers Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo are both competing against each other to impress the senior team for that second seat alongside Verstappen.
Another driver who Red Bull has in their wings is the highly impressive Liam Lawson. However, it is pertinent to note that Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has already suggested that his side are unlikely to replace Perez despite all the speculations.
