One of Ferrari’s immediate problems is that its all-new 2014 Formula 1 V6 turbo engine is “too heavy”, according to Auto Motor und Sport, who said that customers Sauber and Marussia are also struggling with a Power Unit design that is overweight by at least 13 kilograms, which is also slow in a straight line.

Correspondent Michael Schmidt reports that the overweight Ferrari caught even the Maranello based team by surprise, having successfully argued against a further increase in the minimum car-plus-driver weight of 691 kilos for 2014.

Fernando Alonso finished a lacklustre fifth in Melbourne, ”I have 12 points more than Vettel and Hamilton, which is a positive but I was missing 35 seconds to Rosberg. That must give us pause [for thought].”