Vasseur says Ferrari need to improve in every area

Ferrari must take their chances and improve in all areas when the Formula One season resumes at Zandvoort this weekend, according to team boss Fred Vasseur.

Speaking to reporters ahead of a Dutch Grand Prix likely to bring Red Bull a 14th win in a row, 13 this season, the Frenchman said Ferrari lacked two or three tenths of performance.

The most successful team of all time are fourth in the championship after 12 of 22 races, five points behind Aston Martin and 56 adrift of second-placed Mercedes who have 247.

Red Bull (503) are in a league of their own and championship leader Max Verstappen, chasing a record-equalling ninth successive win, has scored more points (314) alone than any other team.

"There is a huge gap with Mercedes in terms of points but also when I look at the first part of the season we missed too many opportunities," said Vasseur, who took over at Maranello in January and has drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.

"We have to be much more opportunistic in the second part of the season.

"We need something a bit special if we want to catch up with Mercedes (in the championship) but the most important for me is to catch up with Mercedes in terms of pace."

Vasseur felt Ferrari, who have no major upgrades planned this weekend, were faster than the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell on average in qualifying but not race pace.

He emphasised, however, that there was no single area of weakness and did not believe something needed to be 'unlocked' on the car.

"I’m more convinced that we have to improve everywhere than just on one topic. We are speaking about tenths, not about seconds, and we show on some occasions that we are able to fight with Red Bull at least in quali," he said.

"It means the potential