Massa: I can handle F1 title pressure

LONDON, England (CNN) -- Felipe Massa does not think the pressure of being involved in the sharp end of a Formula One championship fight will get to him.

The Brazilian has fought all season to overcome the perceptions that he is not a deserving title contender and finds himself just five points behind Lewis Hamilton at the top of the standings.

Massa puts his serene state down to coming to terms with being a Ferrari driver after driving for the team since 2006.

"I think the pressure is there all the time, especially when you are a Ferrari driver, you are used to pressure at the start, the middle and the end of the season, irrespective of where you are in the championship," said Massa.

"You therefore learn how to cope with it and get on with your job, whatever is going on around you. At the moment I feel good and capable of doing my job as well as possible and hopefully we will get it right and achieve what we want.

"My attitude has not really changed now from what it was much earlier in the season and I think it will be the same at the last race." Read more about F1 at The Circuit.

Hamilton has spoken of a change in attitude from his rookie year in 2007 when he threw away a golden opportunity to win the title by not finishing in China.

But he seemed to lose his head at the start of the last round in Japan and the title rivals collided on lap two in Fuji as the tension built.

"I think in the current situation I would say both Lewis and me are under similar pressures, although of course I would prefer to be leading the championship at this stage," Massa explained.

"We both have time to think about what lies ahead, how the race will go and what we have to do to win.

"I think both fighting to keep the lead, which is he doing, or fighting to make up the difference like I am, are similar in terms of what we feel."

Massa was unable to get on terms with Hamilton during Friday practice for the Chinese Grand Prix, with the McLaren driver fastest in both sessions in Shanghai.

But Massa was, as expected, among the front runners as he looked to get his car set up to his liking for the penultimate weekend of the season.

"We did a good job and I think we will be competitive at the track," he said.

"In the first session, the car was a bit twitchy but then, especially in the second part of the afternoon session, its handling improved. I think we are working in the right direction in terms of car set-up.

"My aim for the weekend? Obviously I'll be trying to win or at least to get as many points as possible."