In the uncertainty brought by the biggest suite of rule changes to hit Formula One in a generation – perhaps ever – one thing is certain: Ferrari is hungrier than ever.

Five years without a constructors title and longer without a champion driver, Ferrari chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo declared the prancing horse was “sick of coming second”.

This year, Ferrari has returned its last winner, Kimi Raikonnen, to the stable, pairing him with Fernando Alonso in the hope of securing success.

Ferrari’s first combination of F1 champions since 1953 has ramped up expectations that their spell of “suffering” – as the chairman puts it – could end.

Melbourne’s Albert Park street circuit is notorious for DNF – “did not finish” – results as the first race of the year, which could rise in 2014 after a raft of off-season changes and a wet weather forecast.

Speaking for the first time since touching down in Melbourne, Raikonnen and Alonso were guarded with their predictions, saying just finishing will be an achievement.

A change in engines from a V8 to a turbocharged V6 “power unit”, along with changes to fuel loadings and aerodynamic designs are amongst the challenges confronting drivers.

So far, the Ferrari engine has been reliable without setting the Spanish and Bahraini testing circuits alight.

In winter testing, Ferrari clocked behind two teams with Mercedes engines – Williams and Mercedes – but with an overall performance well above the all-conquering Red Bull Racing.

But could the combination of technical changes, poor weather and race one mean the Australian GP ends up with only a handful of finishers?

“There is probably that impression after winter testing with everybody having some kind of problem,” Alonso said.

“This year everyone is a bit more cautious about the possibility of finishing the race.”

“I’m feeling good. It’s a good challenge this year… I’m ready and optimistic.”

In all this uncertainty, perhaps the only certainty is slower lap times, with Alonso saying predictions of Red Bull’s demise were greatly exaggerated.

“We need to see how they’ll perform in a race weekend, where it counts,” he said.

“I still think they will be strong this year.”