Although disappointed to see Aldo Costa pay the price for his team's lacklustre start to the season, Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali is confident the decision will pay off.

Less than a week ago, Fernando Alonso led the first 16 laps of the Spanish Grand Prix, though by race end he was a lap down on the leaders. Unsurprisingly, as the Maranello outfit continues to lose ground to Red Bull and McLaren, someone had to pay the price and that someone was technical director Costa who had been with Ferrari since leaving Minardi in 1995.

Though sorry to lose his colleague to 'other duties', Domenicali insists it was the right move.

"It was a very difficult decision from an emotional point of view," he told reporters in Monaco. "You can imagine when you have worked with a person for many, many years, you grow up together, it's not easy. But sometimes you have to take care to be as rational as possible to do the things for the benefit of the team.

"Such an important decision for our organisation, you don't do it because you've had a very bad race in Spain," he continued. "The decision came from a different perspective, and it was a situation where it occurred basically in the same period."

However, when it was pointed out that at some stage his neck also will be on the line he replied: "I'm not worried about it to be honest, it's very straightforward. I know the rules, if things are not going well it's normal that the leader has to, let's say, pay for it."

Costa's role is effectively filled by Pat Fry, who moved to Maranello from McLaren in 2010 after 17 years with the Woking outfit. Domenicali is hoping that Fry will produce a more innovative car for his team in 2012.

"I said last year in Turkey 2010 that I wanted to see innovation on the car," said the Italian. "If you are being innovative but not performing then it does not look good. It is something that I want for sure."