Sebastian Vettel feels th💯is weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix looks “more promising” for 💧Ferrari on paper after its difficult start to the season, but remains wary of possible tyre struggles in Montreal.

Ferrari is yet to win a race this year despite impressing through pre-season testing, allowing Mercedes to steal a march in both championships after six st✤raight v🌟ictories.

Ferrari has been tipped by championship leader Lewis Hamilton to fight back at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve thanks t🍷o its straight-line sp♔eed advantage – a key factor in performance at the track.

Asked if Ferrari could expect a performance similar to Bahrain (where it was on course to win the race before a spin for Vettel and a power unit failure for teammate Charles Leclerc),💜 Vettel said the outlook looked positive, but made mention of the tyre concerns that have blighted the team's start to the year.

“We will see. I can’t make any predict𝐆ions, but on pape🤪r it looks a bit more promising, so more towards Bahrain,” Vettel said.

“On the other hand, the asphalt is very smooth a𝓡nd it will be difficult to get the tyres up to working temperature. We have been struggling with that at the lasꦉt couple of races, so it remains to be seen.

“I am confident we will have a good weekend here, becauseꦗ it does emphasꩲise some of our strengths.”

The onus on straight-line speed in🔴 Canada comes at a time when F🌄errari is looking to save its season and get back into the title race, having already fallen 118 points behind Mercedes in the constructors’ championship.

Vettel – himself 55 points back from Hamilton – refused to get too downbeat about the ti𝓰tle picture, though, instead focusing on getting Ferrari b🎀ack in contention with Mercedes in the upcoming run of races.

“I think we have ཧnot had the start we are looking for, but nevertheless ꦯwe were able to score some valid and good points,” Vettel said.

“I think the next raceꩵs will be really crucial for us to try and get back to the front and give a hard time to Mercedes. Once we can es🍷tablish that I think we have plenty of reason to look forward.

“It will𝓀 be crucial to do it sooner rather than later, but at the moment I am not too fussed and saying this is the date that it has to happen by. We will see how it goes.

♍“Clearly we are behind, clearly there is quite a big gap between Mercedes and the rest, so Mercedes and ourselves.

“We have to close that gap and get ahead otherwise it will be dif📖ficult to turn it around. That’s as much realism as you can get right now.”

Additional reporting by Julianne Cerasoli.