Poland's Robert Kubica, tipped as a future Ferrari driver, backed the Italian team's Felipe Massa on Thursday as his favourite for this year's Formula One title.
"I said at the beginning of the year that if I have to put money [on someone], I would put it on Massa and I will stick to that," the BMW-Sauber driver told reporters at the Belgian Grand Prix circuit.
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"I think most of the people don't realise that he is really doing a very good job," added the 23-year-old, the only driver from a team other than Ferrari and McLaren to win a race so far this season.
Brazilian Massa has won four of the season's 12 races so far, the same number as McLaren's Lewis Hamilton, and is six points off his championship-leading rival.
The Sao Paulo driver, a loyal number two at Ferrari when now-retired seven-times world champion Michael Schumacher was dominant, is also seven points ahead of world champion team mate Kimi Raikkonen.
"I think in the past he [Massa] did quite a lot of mistakes, and also starting this season, but lately he is doing really a very good job," said Kubica.
"He is really consistent and very quick in both qualifying and the races so I think he has everything to fight for in the championship.
"I think as a driver Felipe has done massive progress and he's showing it.
"To put Kimi in trouble is not easy and he has done it. Okay, in some races Kimi is still quicker but lately Felipe has been more often in front of him and with quite big gaps."
Media reports last month suggested that BMW had taken up their option on Kubica for next year but the Pole would become a free agent from 2010, when there could be a vacancy at glamour team Ferrari.
"It's the first time I hear this," Kubica said, however.
Asked whether he expected to be at BMW next season, he replied: "I don't know. We will see. I don't see a need to hurry."
