Fernando Alonso has tipped his departed Ferrari teammate Felipe Massa to be a “strong rival” in 2014.<\/p>\n
After eight years in red, Brazilian Massa’s move to the once-great British team Williams was seen as a clearly backwards step for the 11-time grand prix winner.<\/p>\n
But after pre-season testing, Mercedes-powered Williams has emerged as one of the strongest forces for 2014, with Massa tipped as an outside chance for outright victory in Melbourne.<\/p>\n
“I’ve talked with Felipe several times this year already,” Spaniard Alonso is quoted by Brazil’s Globo.<\/p>\n
“He is happy, Williams has so much history in formula one and is not just any team, and they have had a very strong pre-season,” he admitted.<\/p>\n
“It is very positive because now they can be fighting.\u00a0 Felipe will definitely be a strong rival this year,” added Alonso.<\/p>\n
Alonso also played down the constant suggestions that both he and Ferrari will struggle to cope with his rivalry with Massa’s 2014 replacement, fellow champion Kimi Raikkonen.<\/p>\n
“We are trying to work together, working for Ferrari and arriving in Australia to fight for the race,” Alonso said.<\/p>\n
“So let’s have this internal competition – normal in every team – because we all want to be ahead of the other one, and hopefully this can help Ferrari,” he added.<\/p>\n
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