Ferrari F1 team sure it could've won Chinese GP in a straight fight

Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen came together at the first corner, with Vettel blaming his Red Bull successor Daniil Kvyat for pushing wide into his team-mate.

Vettel continued but dropped to eighth while Raikkonen lost his front wing and was forced to pit.

They recovered to second and fifth respectively in a race dominated by Mercedes' Nico Rosberg.

Although Rosberg was able to extend his lead throughout the grand prix, Arrivabene remained adamant Ferrari could have threatened him in a straight fight.

"Under normal circumstances we would be able to have a very good chance to win," he insisted.

"We've had a lot of bad luck and of course it's frustrating when these things happen.

"But we need to continue to persist and sooner or later - I hope sooner - the first step on the podium will come because the car is good actually.

"We demonstrated that the car was strong and the strategy was perfect.

"We turn the page and we look forward to the future, being a bit more positive but we are not there. We need to be there."

Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne was in attendance at a race for the first time this season in China and Arrivabene admitted the Ferrari chairman was disappointed with the result.

"He knows motor racing so of course he was not happy as I was not happy," said Arrivabene.

"He saw the race and the circumstances. You can say many things but there's nothing you can do.

"When things happen like this you have to accept it, but of course he was not happy.

"If he was happy I would ask myself 'is this a real president or what?'"