Ferrari spurred on by performance in the Australian Grand Prix

After a disastrous qualifying, with neither of its drivers making it through to Q3, the Italian outfit enjoyed improved fortunes in the race as Fernando Alonso fought hard to take fifth place.

Although that result was better than Ferrari had expected after Saturday, team principal Stefano Domenicali has urged his squad to do even more now so it does not lose too much ground in the world championship chase.

"Considering the level of performance, to be fifth is something important," he explained. "Considering the situation of the championship that I am expecting to see this year, it is vital that, while we have so many problems, we score these points.

"I would say it is a step forward, but we do not have to hide behind that, because we are not happy with the performance of the car. What I am really asking from my engineers is to push as much as possible to try to fix the things that, in their view, are now much clearer."

Domenicali said that Ferrari was aware of exactly the areas that are the problem points on the F2012 - which means that the team should now be able to make some good progress.

"We have understood the problem with the car," he said. "What we have to see after the understanding is the fixing, and not only the fixing - but to fix it as soon as possible."

There have been suggestions that Ferrari could need a dramatic rethink of its car plans - with a new chassis or revised suspension concept - if it was to recover.

However, Domenicali has dismissed such an idea - and said that the focus is on more normal development updates.

"No, in terms of the chassis there is nothing going ahead," he said. "In terms of developments: yes, there are a lot of things that have to be improved because as qualifying showed, we have fundamental issues - one is the speed, and the other thing is the traction. They are the two fundamental things that we need to work hard to fix."

Ferrari is not planning on bringing any upgrades to this weekend's Malaysian Grand Prix, but Alonso says hopes are high of new items coming for the races in China and Bahrain.

"Obviously the car will be nearly identical [in Malaysia] because it's next weekend, but we will try to improve something in the set-ups, so the set-up is right for that circuit," he said.

"And then for China, Bahrain etcetera, they will bring some updates. Hopefully it will get better."