Brazilian GP No Added Pressure for Massa

Brazilian Felipe Massa is not feeling added pressure for having to compete for the first time at his home Grand Prix next weekend.

Sao Paulo-born Massa, 20, made his debut with Sauber in Australia this year, and admits now he was overawed by the whole experience.

Now he thinks of former hero Michael Schumacher as "just another driver", he is ready to win the hearts of the fanatical Interlagos crowd, but says that competing in front of his compratiots will not be different that doing it in any other race.

"Every new Brazilian driver that arrives in Formula One, of course, the people hope that maybe one day he will become World Champion," said Massa. "The pressure is big, but I think the pressure is from every country. All the races are the same."

Massa grew up admiring Brazilian greats Ayrton Senna and Nelson Piquet and the pressure is on to emulate his heroes but he is not buckling - and insists he is his own man.

"The new Ayrton Senna?" he asked. "Forget that! Before I started in Formula One Schumacher was my idol and it is very interesting to race together. Now I know him I don't sit (next to him) and think 'wow'. But he is the best driver in the world so if I do 50 percent of what he does I will be happy."

Massa has already impressed in his first two races in Formula One and is in line to follow in the footsteps of last year's Sauber sensation Kimi Raikkonen. Finn Raikkonen had done 23 races when he arrived in Formula One and after one season he shot to the top to become David Coulthard's teammate at McLaren.

Massa is ready to follow suit and added: "I have done more races than Kimi had done. For sure I was surprised to be able to drive a Formula One car. Maybe one day I will win the Championship."