SHANGHAI - Ferrari's Felipe Massa has played down the pressure of a Formula One title duel that could see him crowned Brazil's first champion since the late Ayrton Senna in 1991.

Massa is five points behind McLaren's Lewis Hamilton, who can clinch the title in Sunday's penultimate race of the season in China to prevent Massa making the most of home advantage in Sao Paulo two weeks later.

"When you become a Ferrari driver you have pressure at the beginning of the season, the middle of the season and the end of the season," Massa told reporters in Shanghai on Thursday.

"It doesn't matter the position you are (in). You have a pressure but it is a different pressure, but you have always the pressure on your side."

Massa, who started the season by failing to score points in the first two races, said there was a constant pressure to perform and 23-year-old Briton Hamilton would be feeling it as much as him.

Both men have failed to make the most of their opportunities this season in a championship that has been led by four different drivers from three teams.

"I would prefer to be leading but I am not, so I think we both have the pressure, we both have the difficult time to think about how the race is going to be and what you need to do to succeed in the race," said Massa of his position compared to Hamilton's.

"It doesn't matter if you are fighting for the points, or if you are fighting to keep the points. I think both (situations) are quite difficult."

Massa finished third in China last year, while Hamilton skidded out without a point, and then anchored championship-winning team mate Kimi Raikkonen to a one-two in Brazil after taking pole position at Interlagos.

"For the moment I have no feelings. I prefer to put all my feelings on this race, because this race is very important now," he said of the prospect of Brazil being the decider.

"If we can get maybe more points and if we can recover a little bit more the championship it will be even better for the last race.

"I think it will be very nice to fight for the championship in my home race. I think, for me, for the Brazilians, it is definitely a great feeling."