Jean Todt has urged his Ferrari successor to buck the criticism and keep pushing Ferrari to the front in formula one.
Before Todt - currently the FIA president - handed over Maranello’s reigns to Stefano Domenicali, he guided the Italian team to six drivers’ titles; five with Michael Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen’s in 2007.
Since then, in Domenicali’s reign, Ferrari has failed to win a title and the new turbo V6 era has got off to a shaky start with a mere fourth for Fernando Alonso in Melbourne.
But Todt urged Domenicali, 48, to ignore the criticism.
"I was always criticised," Frenchman Todt said, "even when we won a lot.
"They criticised us for winning too much and making the championship boring," he reportedly told the Italian broadcaster Rai.
Todt said Ferrari has usually been competitive during the Domenicali years.
"In the past years Ferrari was always one of the protagonists even if they did not win a championship, but I am sure they will again.
"All I would say to Domenicali is that he should keep his feet on the ground and his focus on the real problems, not on what others are saying," he added.