While team boss Stefano Domenicali gave Ferrari a 6+ for its efforts in the first half of the season, Fernando Alonso is a little more generous, giving Ferrari a 7.

Attending the team's summer media event Wrooom, the Spaniard, when asked how he would rate Ferrari's performance thus far, said that initially he, like Domenicali, would have given it a 6+ but had now revised this to a 7.

"A 9 or a 10 can go to those who lead the championship, but this has not been such a bad a season for us so far," he said. "Sure, the beginning was very difficult: we had hoped for a better start but we did not manage it.

"In China we went through what was possibly the worst point, because not only were we not fighting for the win with McLaren and Red Bull, but we were also behind Mercedes and maybe Renault, who had already scored two podium finishes. However, after that, we reacted well.

"We still lack a little something in all areas," he continued, "including from the drivers, to be at the level of the best. However, I feel much more part of the team than I did a year ago. In terms of driving, I don't think I've ever been this strong."

Asked about the revised structure of the team, he replied: "I think what's been done has been very positive and, in any case, you don't just change things for the sake of change, but in order to improve.

"From my point of view, I feel there is a greater will to move forward, more speed and daring in taking some decisions. There is a greater feeling of optimism, more determination and I think the results of that are already evident in the first phase of the design of next year's car. We are working well, with a lot of creativity: we hope the car will be a surprise from this point of view, but most of all we hope it's quick. Already this year, we have seen cars that have been considered very interesting and extreme and then they haven't delivered the results."

Looking ahead to the second half of the season, the Spaniard was under no illusions. "We must try and win as many races as possible," he said. "We are realistic and the championship situation is what it is, but we have seen so often that there can be sudden reversals. And after all, we are Ferrari and we have a moral obligation, especially for the millions of fans spread around the world, to always think of the maximum goal. We can't ever say we will tackle eight races without having the championship in the back of our mind: we will always have an eye on the title, at least until there is no longer the slightest chance. Of course we must start winning and we have to hope that Vettel makes a few mistakes or has some problems.

"In Spa I have never won in Formula 1 and it would be nice to do that," he continued, "then comes Monza which is special and I would like to feel again the amazing feeling I got from it last year. As for Singapore, I have already won twice and I got on the podium a third time: a magic race for me. Winning at Suzuka is great because of the nature of the track and I've already managed it in Korea, so doing the double would be welcome, just as it would be to write my name on the first line of the winners' list for the Indian Grand Prix. Abu Dhabi? Well, you all know I would love to cancel out the horrible memories linked to that track... and Brazil is where I won both my world titles!"

When told that Domenicali believes that he has settled into the team more quickly than Michael Schumacher, who won five titles with the Maranello outfit, Alonso was lost for words. "I don't know what to say, except that I immediately felt comfortable at Ferrari. But it would be very difficult to repeat what Michael did, because things are very different now to what they were a decade ago. Having said that, I am currently experiencing the best years of my career and that makes me very optimistic for the future."

When some bright spark mentioned that both Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton have admitted that they would, at some stage, enjoy driving for the Italian team, was ready with an answer. "It seems a normal thing to say: all drivers want to race for Ferrari. Some might say it openly, others deny it even if they are thinking it," he said. "For my part, it makes me feel even more privileged, because I am at Ferrari now and I will be for many years to come, at least to the end of 2016. I am very happy to have Felipe as a team-mate and we work very well together. If the day arrives when someone else was to come here, that would not be a problem for me, even if it was Hamilton.

"Now I need to unwind a bit," he added, as the event came to an end, "the same goes for me as for the whole team, because July was really a very stressful month. We will need to have our batteries fully charged, because from Spa onwards, we can expect three months of doing everything in one go, with the last two races in Europe and then the final run, which will take us back and forth from one side of the world to the other."