Speaking to reporters at his team's annual media event, Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali gave praise to his two drivers, Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa.

"Fernando showed, especially in the second half of the season, that he is an extraordinary talent, but that was hardly a surprise and we start from that baseline again this year," said the Italian. "What was very pleasing was seeing how quickly he integrated himself with our team and the added value this brought was exceptional."

Referring to Felipe Massa, Domenicali continued: "Felipe had a difficult season, but I am totally convinced that he will know how to react in just the right way, as he capable of doing. In fact, he has often been under pressure and in these situations, he has delivered in a way that surprised many people.

"He is a total professional, who has grown here with us and we can count on him: I expect him to be motivated to the maximum. We want to have two strong drivers capable of winning: that is what you need if you aspire to winning both titles. As usual there is no hierarchy at the start of the season as that is determined by what happens on track."

One journalist, keen not to miss the opportunity of bringing up the subject of team orders again asked Domenicali if, with hindsight, the decision taken at Hockenheim had been the right one.

"It has to be said that I don't like this line of reasoning," replied the Italian, "because it is one thing to make a decision on the spur of the moment and another to do so with hindsight, having taken stock of the situation. Having said that, I think that in Germany, the team - which means the management, the engineers and the drivers - made the best choice. I am pleased to see that, in the end, the ban on team orders was repealed: they have always existed and there has just been a clarification aimed at providing greater transparency. If something prejudicial should happen, there is article 151 of the Sporting Regulations to right any wrongs, as there has always been."