Mercedes chief Hubert Haupt wants Max Verstappen to beat Lewis Hamilton to the F1 title.
The German, who owns and drives for a team in the DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters) championship with three Mercedes cars, bizarrely wants a fellow silver arrows racer to lose.
The 52-year-old is keen to see a new driver become champion of the sport and should Verstappen triumph, it would be the first time a Red Bull driver has won the prestigious trophy since 2013.
He told Sport1 : "I think it’s time for someone other than (Lewis) Hamilton to become world champion.
"In terms of Formula 1, it would be huge for Red Bull to win the title, so I hope Verstappen manages it.
“There are still a few more circuits that suit Mercedes, but if Max scores well in the next two races, he will have the nerve to hang onto it.”
Haupt hailed the pair’s abilities on the track as they gear up for the final five races of the season.
“Lewis is used to dealing with such tight situations, it's something new for Verstappen. But the two are on a top level, that is absolutely world class,” he added.
The pair are embroiled in a scintillating title race, with Verstappen currently 12 points ahead of the seven-time champion.
Hamilton is aiming to secure the outright record for the most championships won by one man – and he currently shares it with Michael Schumacher.
Meanwhile, Verstappen is gunning for his first F1 crown, and it will be some achievement if he manages to do so considering he is up against one of the best of all time.
The next two Grands Prix take place in Mexico and Brazil, at two tracks which have historically suited the Red Bull cars better than their Mercedes counterparts.
Having won the most races this season with eight, Verstappen can go a minimum of nineteen points clear if he wins in Mexico this coming Sunday.
