Fernando Alonso has backed Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenic🍌ali and team-mate F♌elipe Massa despite a difficult start to the 2012 season.

With the new F2012 failing to perform as expected, Massa has struggled f♐or any kind of form; failing to make it into Q3 in any of the four races and picking up just twꦓo points or a ninth place finish in Bahrain.

That has led to more speculation suggesting that the Brazilian could be replaced by Ferrari, but Alonso insisted that🧸 his team-mate was still up to 🌳the job.

"He's one of the best drivers in the world, and he has shown it during his whole career," Alonso replied in answer to a question on his official website. "It'🌳s easy to praise when you have a good car but also to critici💎se when you have a bad one.

"I lived similar situations during my last stint at Renault, when some of my teammates were unfairly crit🦹icised and now, they are being praised once again."

Domenicali has also come under fire for Ferrari's difficult start to 2012, but Alonso again showed his support for the team boss when the suggestion was made that Ferrari would benefit from having someone like his former Renault🌞 chief Flavio Briatore in charge.

"Stefano's work is fantastic in every sense and I ca♏n't think of anyone better than him," he said.

"As I explained before, it only takes one race to pas♉s from criticism to praise. I'm very good friends with Flavio and we ta♛lk frequently. He's one of the most intelligent people I've ever met."