The Italian boasts a long and distinguished spell at Ferrari, having joined the team in 1991 before rising through the ranks to become team principal in 2008. He eventually left Maranello in 2014, bringing to an end a career that spanned more than two decades.

Despite lofty expectations, Ferrari endured one of the poorest seasons of its recent history this year, finishing only fourth in the Constructors’ Championship with a car that was never truly capable of fighting for race wins.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Stefano Domenicali insisted that the situation is not nearly as bleak as it may appear, stressing that his former team Ferrari has all the tools required to bounce back: “I'm a positive guy. I think that there's no need to cry. There's no need to always be negative.

He then added: “We want a strong Ferrari, and they deserve to be in a stronger position. So that's what they should take home for the winter break to make sure that there is the right energy and the right thing to follow up because next year everyone is talking, but no one knows where we are."

Jacques Villeneuve has previously been among those to voice his frustration with Ferrari, following a campaign that failed to live up to the hype and left the Scuderia outside the title fight and empty-handed.

This time, however, the former world champion struck a very different tone. Speaking to a betting site, Villeneuve made it clear he was deliberately steering clear of further criticism, choosing not to reopen the debate or expose himself to renewed scrutiny.