London: Lewis Hamilton could crack under the pressure of fighting to win his second Formula One championship, his former rival Felipe Massa has warned.
Hamilton has been cast 29 points adrift of his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg ahead of this weekend’s British Grand Prix.
The British star, who robbed Massa of the championship in the most dramatic of circumstances at the season finale in Brazil six years ago, has been hit with two mechanical retirements this year, while Rosberg has finished either first or second at all eight races to date.
But Massa, speaking on the eve of his 200th Formula One start, believes Hamilton has been outsmarted by his teammate so far this season. “Lewis is one of the greatest drivers in terms of speed and he has incredible talent,” Massa told Sportsmail. “I would say Nico is losing a little bit in terms of speed compared to Lewis, but maybe he is using a bit more of his brain.
“From now until the last race we might see that Lewis is back to his top form, winning races and starting from pole, but maybe not. Maybe he is under pressure because he is behind in the championship, so Nico can use that to his favour.”
Hamilton came within one race of making grand prix history and being crowned champion in his first year in the sport in 2007. But he blew a 12-point lead with just two races remaining, spinning into the gravel on his entrance to the pits and retiring from the penultimate race in China, before finishing only seventh at the final grand prix in Brazil.
A year later, Hamilton returned to Interlagos to win the title but only after he passed the Toyota of Timo Glock on the last corner of the last lap in torrid conditions to stop Massa, who won the race, from claiming the title.
“When you are at a team where the worst situation is you finish second, a driver who has lost all the points because he did not finish has a big, big impact and that is what has happened with Lewis,” added Massa in reference to Hamilton’s retirements in Australia and Canada.
“It makes his pressure higher, and his work higher, but he cannot be so nervous about it, otherwise he could lose even more.”
Asked whether he thought Rosberg was due for some bad luck, Hamilton said he would rely on his talent to haul himself back into the title race. “That would mean in the next 11 races Nico would need two in which he does not finish and I do not think that is going to happen,” Hamilton said.
“I cannot rely on that, I just have to focus on doing better than him, which I am capable of. The edge I have is in my ability. That is the gift I have and I have to utilise it this year more than ever.
“I had a lot of pace in Austria and although I didn’t capitalise on it, I’ll take it into the British Grand Prix and make sure I do,” he said.
“I’m excited about our pace. I’m going to Silverstone with the best package I’ve ever had.”
Massa arrives at Silverstone in good form after he stunned the paddock by claiming the first non-Mercedes pole of the year in Austria last month. It was his first in almost six years and comes after he moved to Williams over the winter, frustrated by playing second fiddle to Fernando Alonso at Ferrari.
“I am at a team which really respects me 100 per cent and want to do everything they can to make me competitive again — to fight for podiums but also for victories, too,” he said.
Massa admitted he was disappointed to finish only fourth after starting from pole but the Brazilian was fortunate to even be on the grid at the Red Bull Ring following his spectacular 190mph crash with Sergio Perez in Canada a fortnight earlier. “I was sure it was going to hurt because it was so quick,” Massa said as he recalled the last-lap horror smash, which saw him and Perez admitted to hospital. “But thank God I am here and nothing happened to me.”
Meanwhile, Tony Fernandes has sold Formula One marque Caterham to a consortium of Swiss and Middle Eastern investors.
His decision comes after more than four years on the F1 grid without a point to the team’s name despite spending more than £250 million (Dh1.57 billion).
Former Dutch F1 driver Christijan Albers, who will now be in charge of the team, said: “We are aware of the huge challenge ahead given the fight at the bottom end of the championship.
“Our target now is to aim for 10th place in the 2014 championship.
“We are very committed to the future of the team and will ensure it has the necessary resources to develop, grow and achieve everything it is capable of.”
