SHANGHAI - Ferrari returned to Europe licking their wounds on Monday after Lewis Hamilton's triumph in China left them facing serious self-analysis before next month's championship showdown in Brazil.
Team chief Stefano Domenicali said his scuderia were left stunned by the Briton dominance as he sped to a victory that lifted him seven points clear of Ferrari's Felipe Massa.
"McLaren were simply much faster than us and this is the reason why I have to say that if you consider what we could achieve in these conditions we achieved the maximum," he said.
"Honestly, Lewis was in another league. He was driving perfectly, fast, consistent and we couldn't even think of attacking him.
"The thing that we need to understand, going to Brazil, is why and how this is possible, considering that in Singapore and in Fuji we were really fast, both in the fast laps and in the race.
"And so we need to work and understand because we cannot be in Brazil fighting for the titles in the condition where our car is less competitive in these conditions, with such a big gap to our main competitors, to McLaren. "I don't expect that in one week all the others have made a step which we haven't, so it's something connected to our performance.
Hamilton finished more than 14 seconds clear of second-placed Massa, who owed his runners-up spot as much to team-mate Finn Kimi Raikkonen's unselfish decision to slow down and swap places as to his own efforts.
The Brazilian looked set for third before Raikkonen let him pass. Now, he has to outscore Hamilton by eight points in his home race in two weeks' time to win the title.
Massa said he was on the limit all weekend but couldn't catch Hamilton. "I didn't have a good start, I had a little bit of wheelspin, even though there was not high grip on our side of the grid," said Massa.
"Then we just stayed in the same position. We saw Lewis was a bit stronger in the beginning of the race, I mean he was stronger the whole weekend."
Domenicali believes Massa will feel less pressure in Brazil than in China. "I think that this was the most tense race for Felipe because, you know that there was the possibility for Lewis to be the champion at this Grand Prix," Domenicali added.
"Considering the fact that he has seen that he was not competitive enough to beat Lewis, and the fact that you never know about the reliability, you have to really arrive at the point where you say 'listen, OK, we've done what we could have done, as a maximum.'
"So I am expecting Felipe to be more ? I don't think it's correct to say relaxed - but more tranquil in Brazil rather than here and I'm pretty sure that he will handle the pressure in a positive way."
The team boss also rejected talk of controversy surrounding Raikkonen's move to allow Massa to take second.
"You don't remember what happened in Germany and no-one has complained. between Kovalainen and Hamilton? Today was pretty normal, I would say.
"The drivers know the team's interest without saying anything so ... I respect what Lewis has said in the press conference. Lewis said it's a team game and we did a good job."
The Brazilian Grand Prix takes place in Sao Paulo on November 2.
