ROME, April 2, 2008 (AFP) - Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher has backed former Ferrari team-mate Felipe Massa to come good this season.

Massa has had a difficult beginning to the campaign having failed to finish in the first two races of the season in Australia and Malaysia, leaving him 14 points adrift of championship leader Lewis Hamilton of McLaren.

But the German, currently trying his hand at motorcycle racing, believes Massa will silence his critics, despite his gung-ho racing.

"I don´t think Massa can change his approach. In Malaysia he went for the victory and he also ran well in Australia," said Schumacher at a publicity campaign on Wednesday.

"Last year in Bahrain he had a wonderful race and won and I don´t see why he can´t repeat that this year.

"If you look at qualifying in Malaysia, Massa was simply irresistable. Hence there´s no need to talk about a mountain to climb after two races and if at the end of the season he´s victorious, no-one will talk about his difficult start."