Amid rising pressure, Ferrari are still upbeat about 2016.

President Sergio Marchionne is piling on the expectations of victory, and rumours are swirling around the future of team boss Maurizio Arrivabene.

However, Sebastian Vettel actually thinks that Ferrari, already looking fast in Barcelona, has a real chance this weekend.

"On paper yes but unfortunately we don't drive on paper, we drive on asphalt," he told German television RTL.

Vettel said that the last three results - Bahrain, China and Russia - should not be interpreted as a sure sign of how the rest of the season will go.

"They were Mercedes tracks," he said. "The tracks that are coming now will be better."

Championship leader Nico Rosberg does not disagree, telling Salzburger Nachrichten newspaper that while Mercedes's car is good at every circuit, "the Red Bull Ring could be difficult for us".

Former Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso, however, is not so sure that Ferrari are ready for their breakthrough, even though the red cars looked fast on Friday.

"Let's see," he told Marca. "Ferrari are usually fast on a Friday."

Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo also thinks Mercedes is strolling to the 2016 title.

"I'm afraid it's true," he told Italy's Corriere dello Sport. "It will be between Nico and Lewis, as it was in 2014 and 2015."

Ferrari currently trail Mercedes by 81 points.