Sao Paulo - Local hero Felipe Massa had a perfect start into the Brazilian Formula One Grand Prix weekend when he beat world championship rival Lewis Hamilton for first place in the opening practice session on Friday.

Massa clocked 1 minute 12.305 seconds in his Ferrari for the 4.309-kilometres lap on the Sao Paulo course.

The Briton Hamilton had 1:20.495 minutes in a McLaren-Mercedes and dethroned 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen of Finland recorded 1:12.507 for third place in the second Ferrari.

Hamilton takes a seven-point lead over Massa into the season-ending race as he bids to become the youngest world champion in F1 history at age 23. He requires fifth place to secure the title if Massa wins the race.

Hamburg - Felipe Massa has finally stepped out of the shadows at Ferrari and goes into Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix in his native city with the chance of claiming the Formula One drivers' championship.

Born in Sao Paulo on April 25, 1981, Massa has managed 10 wins, 26 podium placings and 14 pole positions in an F1 career spanning six years and 105 races. He married Anna Rafaela Bassi on November 30, 2007.

Massa's driving career began with karting at the age of eight before moving up the ranks and signing for the Sauber F1 team in 2002, partnering Nick Heidfeld.

Hamburg  - Ferrari's Felipe Massa believes all the pressure is on title rival Lewis Hamilton ahead of the final Formula One race of the season, Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos.

The McLaren-Mercedes driver Hamilton holds a seven-point lead over Massa following his victory in Shanghai on October 19 and will be crowned the youngest F1 world champion ever at the age of 23 if he finishes in fifth place or higher.

Even if Hamilton finishes outside the points, he will still clinch the drivers' title, if Massa finishes third or lower.

But despite the destination of the championship being out of his hands, the Brazilian feels confident that he could still snatch the title from Hamilton.

Sakhir, Bahrain - Felipe Massa of Brazil led a Ferrari one- two on Sunday as he won the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix from world champion team-mate Kimi Raikkonen.