“For sure the engine is a crucial point in the performance of the car, and the Ferrari engine was way better integrated into the [STR] chassis because of its dimensions. Red Bull Racing suffered from this fact with the Renault engine. As a result, the drivers from Red Bull Racing had problems getting to the front in qualifying, and were involved in accidents at the back of the grid too many times. Sebastian [Vettel] was able to get the most out of the car, so he could concentrate on not making mistakes and bringing points – and a win – home.”

As to those teams largely bringing up the order in 2008, finally, Lauda suggested that Williams has the 'winning ability' to be able to bounce back, Honda 'still have a long way to go' and Force India is in for another learning campaign in 2009.

“[Williams] must have gone down a wrong road in the development phase of their car, which they were not able to correct during the season,” the 25-time grand prix winner contended. “They have very experienced people that have proved their winning ability in the past, though, and the team's facilities are state-of-the-art. For them it is now very important not to suffer from the same mistakes next season.

“They have taken the decision to run a combination of young, promising drivers over a more experienced line-up, so there was a relatively high risk that driver mistakes could also affect their results at the end of the season – and this is what happened.

“[Honda] just couldn't get their car to the front in qualifying, and couldn't keep up with the race pace of their competitors. In my eyes they still have a long way to go, and now the question is how long will it take Ross Brawn and the team to do it?

“[Force India] had to overcome a lot of changes during the last couple of years. So far the team does not seem to have a clear structure, as the latest reshuffle shows. Now it is very important to get the best development out of their budget and find a way to show that they are able to create a stable package of driver qualities, reliability and speed. Next year they will again start with a completely new package, with which the team will have to familiarise itself, so another learning phase will start and this will also take some time.”