Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo praised his team for an "amazing" season at the constructor's traditional Christmas lunch at their Maranello base on Tuesday.
Ferrari finished third in the constructors' race last season with Fernando Alonso pipped to the individual title at the last race of the season by Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel.
But despite being used to winning, Montezemolo was a satisfied man.
"It has been an amazing year, split into three stages: a brilliant start in Bahrain, which made it seem we could win a lot; a big disappointment in the run up to the mid-point of the season, when our car could not match the pace of the best; great satisfaction in a fightback that took us into the lead going into the final race," he said.
"We know how it ended and there is no point in denying it was very disappointing.
"But we were aware, indeed we still are, that we gave it our best shot and also that all year long, one car was quicker than ours, sometimes emphatically so."
And the team boss called on the mechanics to provide drivers Alonso and Felipe Massa with a more competitive car next season.
"From 1997 up until now, there have been only two years, 2005 and 2009, when we were not in the fight for the title," he added.
"In the other years, we won one or both titles, or we lost at the last round.
"We are well aware of what we must now do in preparation for next year.
"Immediately, from the very first race, we have to have a car capable of winning: these are critical weeks, in which so much is in the balance and so it needs determination, creativity, a desire to innovate, for everyone to improve in their own jobs so that they set their own personal pole positions."
But Montezemolo gave his backing to both drivers, even though Massa was a long way off the pace last season and finished down in sixth.
While the top five were separated by just 42 points, he was a further 70 points below fifth placed Jensen Button and over 100 behind team-mate Alonso.
"Fernando had an amazing season, fitting in really well to our family. He showed incredible character, especially when there were those who reckoned he was mad to say he would be in the running for the title right up to Abu Dhabi, when he was a very long way off the leader," said Montezemolo.
"Felipe had a complicated season, but he will be able to get back to the level that saw him back in 2008 which is not exactly a long time ago, become world champion, albeit for just a few seconds."
For one driver, though, it was the end of the road as Montezemolo announced that test driver Luca Badoer was stepping down after 13 years with the Italians.
"Luca has been a key element in so much of our success, thanks to a job that is so vital, even if carried out far from the limelight, consisting of thousands of kilometres, suggestions and ideas," said Montezemolo.
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