Ferrari bemoan tyre error as rain ruins chances

Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali described the British Grand Prix as a "Sunday to forget" after the team's tyre strategy backfired spectacularly in the summer rain of Silverstone.

Kimi Raikkonen finished fourth, hopelessly adrift of winner Lewis Hamilton, while Felipe Massa was lucky to finish at all as he crossed the line 13th after spinning off the track five times.

Raikkonen was almost neck and neck with Hamilton after 21 laps but after his team opted not to change tyres at the first stop they were mortified to see another downpour that ensured that Hamilton, who had changed to a fresh set of intermediates, suddenly developed a massive advantage.

"We could have won this race with Kimi but we made a key mistake at the first pit stop," said Domenicali.

"With hindsight it's easy to say we should have changed tyres but Formula One is not an exact science.

"Sometimes strategic choices pay off and sometimes they don't. All the same, we have to admit that last weekend we did not operate to our usual standard. We made mistakes at every level."

Massa set the tone for his day when he spun off the track on the first lap and he spent much of the rest of his afternoon getting reacquainted with the grass and gravel surrounding the circuit.

"It is a weekend to be wiped out," said the Brazilian. "On Friday I had an accident, on Saturday there was a problem in qualifying and today a series of mistakes at all levels.

"I could hardly keep the car in a straight line and it was always difficult to drive."

Despite the disappointments, however, Ferrari remain clear leaders in the defence of their constructors' championship, 14 points ahead of BMW Sauber, while both their drivers are in a three-way tie at the top with Hamilton on 48 points.

"I'm disappointed but equally aware it could have been much worse," said Raikkonen.

"Things are not going too well for me at the moment but I am still leading the championship."

Domenicali added: "We have reached the mid-point of the season, both our drivers are on equal points with one other driver in the lead and we head the constructors' championship.

"We have lost a few opportunities to pick up more points. Now we will concentrate on the coming rounds and will try to do better."