Ferrari 'must react immediately'

In the 800th Formula 1 GP for the Maranello outfit, Felipe Massa qualified in eighth position, with team-mate Fernando Alonso completing a disappointing day for team with the 12th fastest time.

Domenicali admitted the Italian squad has to react quickly if it is to stand a chance in the championship.

"These are certainly not the positions from which we would have liked to start the 800th grand prix in the history of the Scuderia, but we have to be honest and admit that today, our performance did not live up to our expectations," Domenicali said.

"We have to react immediately, starting from tomorrow's race, when we will try to bring home as many points as possible. Then we must accelerate the development of our car to be competitive at every type of circuit.

"Today, Felipe did the maximum, using all the potential available from his car and the tyres. Fernando did not have a perfect Q2 and missed the cut for the final part of qualifying: when the gaps are so close, it takes very little to be in or out."

Massa, winner in Istanbul three times, agreed that the team needed to raise its game quickly.

"We were slower than our main rivals, so we will have to work very hard to get back to fighting for the top places and there can be no doubt about that," he said. "Even if this is a track I like very much, today I could not do any better than eighth place.

"The team and I cannot be pleased about it, but we have to react calmly and analyse the reasons that have led to this situation. Now we will concentrate on tomorrow's race: it will be tough but we will try and do our very best."