Hulkenberg has shown good pace on his return to a full-time drive in 2023, regularly making Q3 and qualifying as high as second in Canada, before he took a penalty hit in Montreal.
However, the car has inevitably fallen off the pace in races and used its tyres too hard.
In the first half of the season his best result was seventh in Australia, although he also picked up a sixth in the Austrian GP sprint event.
Hulkenberg has said the team knows what it needs to do to improve the car, but stresses that it won’t happen in the short term.
“I think we understand the cause and what happens and why it happens,” said the German after finishing last in the Belgian GP.
“But fixing it and bringing loads of performance, it doesn't just lay on the street, it's a bit more complex.
“I think we can still improve the situation this year. To what extent, that's TBC, it's down to us, and we have to prove it. But yeah, it's a longer-term thing.”
Hulkenberg says the summer break will be useful for the team as it regroups.
“Yeah, we need it,” he said. “But what we really needed is some upgrades, some real performance, to help ourselves. That's what we need.
“Obviously, this track [Spa] again exposes the weaknesses of our car very much. That's why we’ve not been competitive on any session on any lap really, I feel. So, a lot of work to do."
Source: Autosport