Ferrari boss rages at team's Melbourne mishaps

Ferrari chief Stefano Domenicali has directed a barrage of criticism at his own team after the world constructors champions made the worst start to a season in 17 years.

Brazilian Felipe Massa, runner-up to Lewis Hamilton in last year's drivers' title chase, quit the Australian Grand Prix on lap 45 with a broken front wing while his team-mate Kimi Raikkonen lost a possible podium place when he spun and glanced a wall three laps from the end.

A furious Domenicali said: "This was definitely not a start worthy of Ferrari, from any point of view. Our performance was not up to the potential we had expected after our winter testing.

"We struggled to manage the tyres and our strategy choices did not work out, especially in the case of Felipe. To sum up, it was a day to forget from the result point of view.

"But it is one to remember as well, so that we can analyse everything we failed in and improve immediately. From that point of view, it's good we have a race coming up this Sunday in Malaysia. It will give us the opportunity to react, as long as we draw the right conclusions calmly but also decisively."

Raikkonen was desperate to prove he had not lost his touch following a series of poor performances last season but the former champion made a novice's error that cost him dearly.