Kimi Raikkonen says he knows where he needs to improve in order to unlock the potential of his Ferrari this season.

Despite having a car widely regarded to be the second fastest behind Mercedes, Raikkonen has scored one podium this year compared to team-mate Sebastian Vettel's five. His main problem has been qualifying, in which he has only once managed to qualify on the front two rows of the grid this season.

"Obviously, I know where we have to improve, nobody has to tell me, it is an easy thing to know," he said. "We put ourselves in difficult positions on many Saturdays, so if we improve that we have good speed in the race. But I am starting where I shouldn't, so it makes it a difficult race for us."

Asked where he is losing out specifically, Raikkonen said: "I don't think there is one... obviously tyres is a big key to get them working a proper way and that makes a difference. We just have to make a better job of it, drive better and go for a good lap. I am sure we will get there, but it seems to be a bit tricky."

Asked whether he felt a challenge for the title is still possible (Raikkonen is 66 points off championship leader Lewis Hamilton), the Ferrari driver said: "I don't think about the title. We try to go race by race and do the maximum, then obviously we can see at the end where we are. We know we still have work to do to be where we want to be, we have improved a lot if you look at where we started at the end of last year, but there is still work to be done still.

"There is a correct way of doing things and the direction is right, but we want better results as a team. It hasn't been an easy start to the year, but we just have to tidy up out some things and do better work overall and from that I'm sure we will get better results."