Ferrari’s struggles this season are due to their inability to deal with pressure. That is the view of former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa.

Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton is on the brink of a fifth F1 title after winning last weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix and moving 67 points clear of Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel.

Hamilton can win the title at next weekend’s US Grand Prix if he wins in Austin and Vettel finishes lower than second.

Vettel has been guilty of unforced errors on the track while Ferrari’s strategy team have also made mistakes this season which look set to cost them.

And Massa, who drove for Ferrari between 2006 and 2013, believes the ‘Prancing Horse’ haven’t coped with the pressure to win well enough.

“We won the title in 2007,” he told Motorsport-Total.com.

“The team has had some problems since the 2008 season and they have never won again.

“When I left Ferrari in 2013, it felt the same way as it did today.

“They have pressure to win and therefore problems.

“You need to be able to prepare for the tasks in peace.

“They have to be very focused. The team lacks only small things.”

Last week, Hamilton said Vettel deserves “more respect” despite his recent struggles.

Hamilton wrote on Instagram: “I feel the media need to show a little more respect for Sebastian.

”You simply cannot imagine how hard it is to do what we do at our level.

“It is to be expected that being humans we will make mistakes but it is how we come through them that counts.”

Now, Massa is preparing for his maiden Formula E season with the Venturi team. Meanwhile, the 2018 Formula One season is beginning to wind down and come to a conclusion.