Alain Prost has urged Ferrari to be calmer as it heads into the 2017 season.
Early last year, the great Maranello team made bold predictions of race wins and the title, only to get to the end of the season without a single victory.
Former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone said Ferrari’s problem is relying on too many Italians.
"What Bernie said was harsh," F1 legend Prost told the Italian newspaper La Repubblica.
"I was there for two years: one was beautiful, the other terrible. What I can say is that winning in such a competitive environment as F1 requires more linear behaviour, with less mood swings," he added.
"Words should be used more carefully. It is clear that if you promise to win the championship, then it becomes difficult to remain calm when things go wrong."