Formula One news

Piquet backs Massa for title

Three-time world champion Nelson Piquet has tipped Felipe Massa to win the championship this season. Massa is on fewer points than his team-mate Kimi Raikkonen and was publicly criticised for racing mistakes he made in Malaysia but Piquet believes his fellow countryman should dominate this season for one simple reason - he has the edge in qualifying.

"Before the start of the season I didn't know who would be faster out of Felipe Massa or Kimi Raikkonen," Piquet told Autosprint magazine.

"Now there is no doubt: despite having fewer points, Felipe Massa is the favourite for a very logical reason.

"It's simply that Massa is always faster in qualifying than Raikkonen, and these days GPs are won at the first corner. The tyres are the same, you don't have times when the Michelins will be better anymore, cars will not break down, and overtaking is almost impossible.

"So, when does a driver secure a win and already have 90% of the job done? It's at the start and at the first corner. Because Massa is more efficient in qualifying, I don't see how Raikkonen can beat him. If Ferrari maintains the current technical advantage, obviously the battle will be between Massa and Raikkonen.

"The GPs and the championship will be won on Saturdays and Raikkonen at the moment has proven incapable of achieving Massa's levels of speed. It looks to me like a rather simple situation," Piquet added.

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