Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali called for calm yesterday after the Formula One champions made their worst start to a season since 1992.

"The results speak for themselves. Unfortunately it was really a dreadful weekend," Domenicali told reporters at the Australian Grand Prix, his first race as principal since taking over from Frenchman Jean Todt last year.

"Nothing went as planned in all respects. It was tough."

Neither world champion Kimi Raikkonen nor his team-mate Felipe Massa reached the chequered flag, both cars pulling over with engine problems.

While they struggled, McLaren's Lewis Hamilton was triumphant. For the first time since Canada last June, when Hamilton also won, there was no Ferrari driver on the podium.

Despite the disappointment, Ferrari have suffered similar setbacks in Australia and recovered to fight for the title.

In 2006, when Melbourne was the third round of the championship, they drew a blank when Michael Schumacher and Massa both retired but recovered to fight Renault for the title down to the final race.

"We need to analyse all the details of what has happened and, of course, the main concern we have is to understand the problems of reliability," said Domenicali.

"We have two engines that failed so this is the main issue we have to understand."