Mat Coch writes:

Ferrari faces a long and difficult season if the opening qualifying session is anything to go by. Felipe Massa scarcely survived the first phase of the session before both he and teammate Fernando Alonso failed to make it into the top ten.

"We are not quick enough," Alonso admitted after qualifying. "We are not competitive to fight for the top places at the moment."

It had been widely speculated that Ferrari would find itself someway off the pace, though the team's true potential never became apparent once a spin by Alonso ended his qualifying session early. "I touched the grass," the Spaniard explained. "I didn't realise when I was driving, but looking at the TV the left tyres were on the grass so I spun putting the tyres there. Unfortunately qualifying finished in the gravel."

The team has made progress, insists the two-time champion, who suggests the team is closer to the leaders now than at the same time last year. Nevertheless the Maranello outfit has fallen short of its goals, which were to arrive in Australia with a competitive package capable of challenging for victory. "We arrived in Australia without a winning car," Alonso agreed. "It's something that maybe we knew, or expected, after winter testing.

"Today we confirmed that we are not competitive."