SHANGHAI - Lewis Hamilton has enough discipline to handle the pressure of the Formula One title showdown in Brazil, according to Britain's last world champion Damon Hill.

Hamilton has a seven-point lead over Ferrari's Felipe Massa going into the final race of the season on November 2, conscious that he was in a similar position last year but blew his title hopes with a seventh-place finish.

Hill, who won the world title in 1996, said the 23-year-old had matured since then.

"The last race is a mountain to climb but he has understood the discipline he needs to see him through," Hill told BBC Sport.

"You have to remind yourself that this is only his second season in F1, and it takes a while to get the hang of it."

If he wins in Brazil, Hamilton will become the youngest and the first black world champion.

"Lewis learns through his mistakes," added Hill.

"The race before (Japan), he showed an impetuosity, (but) he corrected that and drove an impeccable race (in China).

"It was something he needed to fix and he showed that he had fixed it. He is very good at fixing the problem if there is one."

After coming in for some criticism for his driving in Japan, where he collided with Massa and eventually finished 12th, there were some murmurings about Hamilton's cavalier attitude.

But Hill said it was overblown. "It's nonsense. It's the game that gets played, as long as you realise that it is a game and it's going to get a little bit tetchy at times."