Ferrari to focus on solving tyre problems

The F2008 has struggled to get its tyres into their operating window as well as the McLaren does, and that has left Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen facing difficulties in cooler and wet races.

And after being unable to capitalise on McLaren's troubles in the rain-hit Italian Grand Prix because of the tyre issue, Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali thinks it is important they don't stumble again if there is rain in any of the final four races.

"Unfortunately there is a characteristic of the car that it is maybe not able to generate in certain conditions the right temperature for the tyres to be able to work," said Domenicali. "And that's the main issue that we have.

"We have seen it, both with grooved tyres in Germany and here in Monza with this temperature and with these conditions. Unfortunately there is only one more test that we can do in order to see what we can do in order to improve the situation for the last four races of the season.

"Then the other and most important thing that we have to think is really how we want to attack this problem for the future, that means for next year's car which is a completely different project.

"We need to make something that will help the tyre to work in these conditions, because we will have them, for sure."

When asked if he felt Ferrari's wet weather struggles meant Lewis Hamilton was now favourite for the championship if there is rain in the final events, Domenicali said: "I don't know.

"For sure Hamilton did a very good race, a fantastic race. He was very, very fast and above all very, very consistent.

"I don't know (the answer) because in rainy conditions you have not only the technical side to control, you may have different situations that you have to handle.

"So for sure it's not really the atmosphere that we would like to race with. The rain and cold. we cannot do anything about that, so the only thing we have to do is work very hard and see what we can do to improve our situation in these conditions."