Former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa believes George Russell is a bigger threat to Max Verstappen than Lewis Hamilton. While the seven-time world champion can never be written off, Massa believes the younger Briton has the edge over his veteran teammate.
Speaking to Bild, the Brazilian driver said Russell could become a title contender in the next few years. The Brazilian also ruled out a few other potential drivers from the list before making his choice.
That fan forum feeling. 🖤 pic.twitter.com/lZXnItPA6Y
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) March 18, 2023
Firstly it was the 38-year-old driver. He said that it is never okay to write off Hamilton. As he belongs to the Michael Schumacher, Ayrton Senna league, but he is the best to have graced the sport, but the current scenario doesn’t support him.
The former Ferrari star then ruled out Red Bull and Ferrari drivers Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz, respectively. Citing their inconsistency, the 41-year-old said they can be no match for Verstappen.
However, the former Williams man also showed his faith in Charles Leclerc. Leclerc is the only driver who could threaten the Dutch pilot if things go his way in a given season. But for now, nobody seems to be a match for the Red Bull champion.
Why Russell was favored over Hamilton?
When it comes to race experience and accolades, there’s nobody next to the man from Stevenage. However, his recent performance has been everything but brilliant.
If put head to head comparison, Russell edges past Hamilton in recent times. The former Williams driver fared better last year which was his first year on the team.
Natural habitat. Ready to get back to it. 👊 pic.twitter.com/a1whRITo1J
— George Russell (@GeorgeRussell63) March 11, 2023
In his first stint, he managed to beat the 38-year-old and took the only win for the team. Moreover, the level of consistency from the 24-year-old is quite commendable as seen in recent qualifications.
Verstappen regards younger Mercedes man as a threat
While Massa already gave his call on the next driver who could be a threat to the defending champion, the Red Bull ace himself acknowledged it before.
As per Racingnews365, the Dutch pilot is believed to have favored the Englishman from Mercedes over anyone else as the next F1 title contender unless Hamilton moves to Ferrari.
He said, Russell is quick and doesn’t need a lot of laps to bring out a pacey lap time. Being fast is his instinct and he can start to battle right away, the two-time world champion believes.
