At Ferrari's traditional pre-season meeting for all the members of the team, Stefano Domenicali Aldo Costa and Gilles Simon paid tribute the workforce's efforts thus far and also to Jean Todt, who this week resigned all his posts with the Maranello outfit.

Domenicali thanked everybody for their work over the last few months and urged everyone to remain focussed. "It will be a very demanding season, as usual," he said. "We've got a new single-seater, which we've prepared with less miles of tests, due to the rules. But you've been really brave and we're leaving for Melbourne convinced that we can fight for the top positions as usual."

"It won't be easy," he continued, "and we've got to remain concentrated. Our strength is the team, this is what distinguishes us from the other teams. We know about our responsibilities, but we know about being a the team Ferrari more than anything else."

After Aldo Costa and Gilles Simon, had spoken about technical details relating to the forthcoming campaign, Stefano Domenicali invited Jean Todt on stage for his last speech to "his boys".

Todt thanked everybody for the magnificent experience of his 16 years at Ferrari, for the commitment and for the team spirit.

"Life at Ferrari is unique, always intense," he said. "As our President Luca di Montezemolo says, the people are important and it's you who make the difference. No driver or technician can make it alone."

Domenicali presented Jean Todt with a steering wheel from an F1 car mounted with with a plaque reading "To Jean Todt, who steered us for many years. With affection, Scuderia Ferrari."

Todt was honoured with rousing applause from the assembled team members, who all received hand-written letters from the Frenchman in which he wrote: "Ferrari is unique company, which will always stay in my heart. At the beginning of the Formula 1 Championship, my best wishes for the success you deserve."

Todt's special evening continued at the Industrial Department, where he met the management and received an aluminium Prancing Horse to mark his years at Ferrari.