Although Fernando Alonso can clinch the world title in Brazil, team-mate Felipe Massa says their first aim is to finish the race.
Brazilian says preparations for Interlagos will be like any other race
Although Ferrari's Fernando Alonso can clinch the world championship in Brazil this weekend, the team are keeping their build-up to the race low key with team-mate Felipe Massa saying the first aim is to finish.
Alonso heads to Interlagos with an 11-point lead in the drivers' championship after scoring three wins in four races while Massa backed up the Spaniard with a third-place finish last time out in Korea.
The Scuderia will be hoping the Brazilian can produce another strong performance at his home race - which he won in 2006 and 2008 - to take vital championship points off Alonso's title rivals.
However, team principal Stefano Domenicali has stressed the need for a careful approach in the penultimate race of the season and Massa has now echoed his comments, saying reliability will be key.
Local boy
"In terms of both championships, this is a very important race, but everyone at Ferrari will go about preparing for it just like any other grand prix, as you cannot change your approach," he wrote on his Ferrari blog.
"The important element will be reliability, so that we can get all our Friday work completed, before tackling the crucial qualifying, which will be very close, given how short the lap is here. As for the race, the first aim will be to make sure we finish and then we can see where we are at the flag."
As for their big rivals in Brazil, Massa believes Red Bull, whose drivers Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel respectively stand second and fourth in the standings, will once again be there or thereabouts.
"In general, in the last few races in Asia, our car has worked well which is encouraging, but it is also true that Red Bull won here last year and they are bound to be strong again," he added.
"As the local boy, I can tell you there are no particular changes at the Interlagos circuit this year, which means it has it will have it's own very special character as usual."
