Alfa Romeo boss Frederic Vasseur says the team is lacking performance in “different areas” as it tries to make progress with its C39.
Alfa Romeo has had the slowest one-lap package at five of this year’s seven grands prix and has scored points only once.
Those two points came at the attrition-filled opening round of the campaign in Austria, when Antonio Giovinazzi classified ninth, albeit ahead of only two other finishers.
“I’m not sure that we have a big problem with the car,” said Vasseur.
“If you have a look, I’m sure we have a lack of performance compared to last year but it’s never coming from one single thing, it’s coming from different areas and step by step we are improving, we are trying to sort it out and we are doing good steps.
“If you have a look, in Barcelona we were P13, we are one position in front compared to the year before in Barcelona.
“We have to stop fantasising about things like this. The most important is to stay focused and to try to catch up tenth after tenth in every single area with the performance and I think the team is dedicated too.”
Alfa Romeo has fielded Kimi Raikkonen and Giovinazzi since 2019 but the Finn has yet to decide whether he wishes to continue into 2021.
Vasseur suggested motivation would be a key aspect for the 2007 World Champion – but quickly emphasised that it is a similar trait for the remainder of the team.
“I think the most important thing is the motivation, the motivation on the driver’s side first, because I think it’s difficult for Kimi to struggle with the pace when we are at the back,” he said.
“[But] the main motivation in a racing team is coming from the results and nothing else, from the drivers to the mechanics, to the engineers, to myself and we need to get results.”
