De la Rosa: Ferrari Need to Win at Imola

The McLaren driver, however, believes the World Champions are likely to be very competitive at their home race.

"I'm sure at Imola they will be very strong, but I'm also sure that if they don't win the alarm bells will start ringing," de la Rosa told Spanish daily Marca. "Up until now they used the tyres and the temperatures as the excuse.

"At Imola the temperatures and the circuit will suit them, so if they don't win there's going to be a crisis."

Ferrari have struggled so far in the first three races of the year, failing to score at the Bahrain Grand Prix despite the introduction of their new F2005 car.

Brazilian Rubens Barrichello has scored eight points from a second place in Australia, while World Champion Michael Schumacher has just two points and is 24 behind Championship leader Fernando Alonso, of Renault.

De la Rosa, however, believes it would be a big mistake to write Schumacher off.

"I would respect him a lot, because Schumacher is not done," said de la Rosa. "I was talking to him after the race in Bahrain and I saw he's more motivated than ever before.

"When he is like that you have to fear him."