(CNN) -- Ferrari have said they are "astonished and saddened" by criticism from Italian politician Roberto Calderoli, after he called for the resignation of their chairman in the wake of Fernando Alonso's failure to secure the Formula One title on Sunday.
Calderoli branded the team's strategy as "demented" at the season-ending Abu-Dhabi Grand Prix -- as an early pit stop eventually cost Alonso a third world crown -- and put pressure on Luca di Montezemolo to leave the team.
"I'm astonished and saddened by certain statements some politicians and a minister of the Italian Republic made after Sunday's race," said the company's vice president Piero Ferrari -- son of the carmakers' founder Enzo -- on Ferrari's official website.
"It has never happened in my entire life at Ferrari that politicians intervened during good and bad moments in our life in motorsport, and I want it to stay like this.
"But if we want to have a look at how much Ferrari has done for Italy's image around the world, then I can only say that it is definitely much more than certain politics have done."
Calderoli accused the legendary team of making a tactical error when they called their Spanish driver in for a pit stop after 15 laps of the race, in an attempt to respond to a similar move from his title-rival Mark Webber.
The Italian outfit -- who are a national institution in their homeland -- watched on as Webber's Red Bull-teammate Sebastian Vettel took the crown, despite being 15 points behind Alonso at the start of the race.
"Ferrari has managed to lose a championship already won," Calderoli was reported as saying in British newspaper The Daily Mail.
"We are ashamed of this insane strategy and Di Montezemolo is guilty. He should get out of Maranello [the Italian town which is home to the Ferrari factory] immediately so he does no further harm to Ferrari. By the evening, we expect his resignation."
Di Montezemolo was in defiant mood when he responded to the politician's comments and joined his colleague in highlighting the "Scuderia's" contribution to Italy's reputation all over the world.
"When the statesman Calderoli will achieve in his life 1% of what Ferrari has done for this country in terms of industry and sports, then he'll deserve an answer," di Montezemolo said.
Elsewhere in Formula One, manufacturing giant Toyota announced on Tuesday they have ended their planned association with the Hispania Racing Team (HRT).
"Toyota Motorsport GmbH (TMG) confirms that all cooperation with Hispania Racing Formula One team has been terminated and will not resume," a statement from the Japanese manufacturer said.
There had been speculation HRT were looking to use a car Toyota were set to race in this season's championship, before they were forced to withdraw their team from the sport.
The Spanish team -- who have just finished their first season in the elite motorsport and are suffering financial difficulties -- have said they are "surprised" by the announcement.
