Former world champion Niki Lauda claims Juan Pablo Montoya is the man to end Michael Schumacher's dominance of Formula One.
The Austrian, who won the title three times driving for Ferrari and McLaren, believes Schumacher and Ferrari are "hardly going to stand a chance" of hanging on to their drivers' and constructors' crowns in the final four races of the season.
Montoya is just six points adrift of Schumacher in the race for the drivers' title while his Williams-BMW team are a mere two points down on Ferrari in the constructors' championship.
The Colombian has scored six consecutive podium finishes - including two wins - to fight his way back into the title hint and Lauda is confident that kind of consistency will give him his first championship.
He said: "Montoya can become world champion by himself. To do so he must win two points more than Michael Schumacher in each of the remaining four races.
"In Montoya's current situation, this is not only possible, but even probable. If the BMW Williams team can maintain their form, Ferrari are hardly going to stand a chance."
Montoya's team-mate Ralf Schumacher, meanwhile, has refused to concede defeat in the title race and believes he is owed a change of luck.
The German is 28 points behind his brother after failing to score points in the last two races but he believes the ill luck which hurt him in Germany and Great Britain will turn and give him a chance to bounce back into contention.
He said: "I'm sure I can do it. I certainly haven't given up on the world championship. After all the bad luck I've had lately, I should be on the sunny side again this time. I'm still hoping, no doubt."