Ferrari boss demands improvement

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Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has warned his team against becoming the laughing stock of Formula 1.

The Italian team have suffered their worst start to a season since 1992, finishing out of the points in both the Australian and Malaysian Grands Prix.

Di Montezemolo presided over a two-and-a-half-hour crisis meeting at Ferrari's headquarters in Maranello on Tuesday.

"I don't want to find us on some sort of TV comedy video programme after each race," he said.

The Italian giants have won eight of the last 10 constructors' championships, but have endured a miserable start to the 2009 season.

Felipe Massa finished ninth in Sepang following a mistake in qualification, while 2007 champion Kimi Raikkonen was five places further adrift in 14th place.

"It would be a euphemism to say people here were very angry, but these same people are also very determined to react," said Di Montezemolo.I know that this group is known for its strong sense of pride and that will help us get out of this situation.

"The team remains united and I have every confidence in it."

Ferrari are one of the teams protesting against the controversial rear diffuser used by Brawn GP - winners of first two Grands Prix of the season - and Toyota, which they feel is illegal.

"There is an awareness of a need to react to close the performance gap, even if part of it is down to the presence of an interpretation of the regulations which many teams feel is incorrect," said a team statement.

"Therefore the next few days will see the team working energetically to anticipate as much as possible the aerodynamic development of the F60 (car)."