Sepang showed equalisation calls premature - Lotus

Red Bull team boss Christan Horner said after an Australian Grand Prix dominated by Mercedes that the FIA should probably act to make sure the German squad's dominance does not make the sport too boring for the fans.

However, Mercedes' run came to an end at Sepang, where Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel took a comfortable victory over Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.

Gastaldi says Vettel's victory showed Mercedes is unlikely to have it too easy all year long.

"We heard these calls after the first race of the season which was maybe a little early to be making such noise," said Gastaldi.

"Now after two races there have been two different teams who have taken race wins, so the idea that Mercedes will have it all their own way this year was a little premature.

"Formula 1 is always very competitive and it doesn't matter which year you're in or the circumstances of a team in any given year: we all want to win and will do everything we can to become as competitive as possible.

"Of course, we have a promoter and a regulatory body which are both very attuned to the various needs of the sport, so every aspect is always very closely scrutinised."

Ferrari an inspiration

Lotus technical director Nick Chester said Ferrari's recovery after a dismal 2014 season is inspiring for his team, which is also seeking to bounce back from a poor campaign last year.

"It's a long season ahead and we're all trying to do exactly that," said Chester.

"We've seen in this year that Ferrari have improved significantly over the winter months and it seemed that the hot track in Sepang suited them well.

"They had an improving car, a good strategy and they put it all together to take the win. It shows that with enough development Mercedes can indeed be beaten which is good for the sport.

"Rest assured, we're doing everything we can at Lotus to challenge Mercedes, Ferrari and every other team as best we can over the course of the year."