Leclerc: Ferrari can't allow pressure to influence F1 2022 approach
Charles Leclerc has cautioned that Ferrari shouldn't allow the increased spotlight on the team to cause extra pressure now it is leading both Formula 1 championships by a decent margin.
Last weekend in Australia Leclerc took his second win from the first three grands prix of 2022, as nearest rival Max Verstappen suffered a second retirement in the Red Bull.
That opened up a gap of 34 points for Leclerc on Mercedes' George Russell, with Verstappen in sixth on 25 points. In the constructors' championship Ferrari leads the way with a 39-point advantage over Mercedes, as Red Bull fell a further 10 points in arrears.
While it is still very early in the season with another 20 grands prix to go, Ferrari's resurgence has caused a lot of excitement in Italy among the tifosi and the media as F1 now heads to Imola for the first of two races on the Scuderia's home soil.
But Leclerc has warned that the Maranello squad cannot get too caught up in the hype caused by its strong start to 2022 and shouldn't "overdo things" as it tries to secure a first constructors' title since 2008.
When asked about the excitement in Italy going into the Imola weekend, Leclerc said: "Oh yeah, I can imagine it, but I don't want to think about it too much because it's still very early in the season.
"Obviously, it's good to be in the lead of the championship. Thirty-four points is always good to take wherever you are in the calendar but I don't want to focus too much on the championship for now.
PLUS: The Verstappen path Leclerc seems to be following in F1 2022
"Italy will be incredible, but we need to approach the race weekend just like we approached the first three weekends. I think it's extremely important not to put on ourselves extra pressure and not try to overdo things.
"We are working as a team extremely well since the beginning of the season and we just need to keep doing our job, just like we did in the first three weekends."
Race winner Charles Leclerc, Ferrari F1-75, 1st position, drives in to Parc Ferme
Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images
Leclerc has the advantage of already having experienced soaking up the pressure of the tifosi, winning a "tense" 2019 Italian Grand Prix at Monza after being hounded by Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas all race.
"Italy for us, it's always incredible, so I can't wait to be there," Leclerc continued.
"Obviously, Monza was a very tense race with Lewis behind but again, I just tried to not to think too much about where we are.
"Even though the grandstands will look particularly different there - there will be probably a bit more red - we will just try and focus on our job and not to focus too much on where we are in the championship and in location."
Related video
How the Australian GP gave F1 a much needed tonic
Alfa Romeo: Qualifying setback hid pace in F1 Australian GP
Williams: Costly F1 crashes masking Sargeant's "steady improvement"
Williams: Costly F1 crashes masking Sargeant's "steady improvement" Williams: Costly F1 crashes masking Sargeant's "steady improvement"
Horner: "Fired up" Verstappen told me he would win F1 Japanese GP by 20 seconds
Horner: "Fired up" Verstappen told me he would win F1 Japanese GP by 20 seconds Horner: "Fired up" Verstappen told me he would win F1 Japanese GP by 20 seconds
The art of compromise behind an "emotionally draining" F1 job
The art of compromise behind an "emotionally draining" F1 job The art of compromise behind an "emotionally draining" F1 job
Leclerc thought Japan F1 podium was on after mistaking Perez for Verstappen
Leclerc thought Japan F1 podium was on after mistaking Perez for Verstappen Leclerc thought Japan F1 podium was on after mistaking Perez for Verstappen
Leclerc stunned by "crazy" gap to Verstappen in Japan F1 qualifying
Leclerc stunned by "crazy" gap to Verstappen in Japan F1 qualifying Leclerc stunned by "crazy" gap to Verstappen in Japan F1 qualifying
Why Leclerc getting biggest Dutch GP call right is important for Ferrari's F1 future
Why Leclerc getting biggest Dutch GP call right is important for Ferrari's F1 future Why Leclerc getting biggest Dutch GP call right is important for Ferrari's F1 future
Why Ferrari doesn’t agree with McLaren F1 fairytale revival
Why Ferrari doesn’t agree with McLaren F1 fairytale revival Why Ferrari doesn’t agree with McLaren F1 fairytale revival
Sainz "laughing in the car" as Mercedes repeated DRS trick in F1 Japanese GP
Sainz "laughing in the car" as Mercedes repeated DRS trick in F1 Japanese GP Sainz "laughing in the car" as Mercedes repeated DRS trick in F1 Japanese GP
Why Sainz’s Singapore F1 success was not just about DRS genius
Why Sainz’s Singapore F1 success was not just about DRS genius Why Sainz’s Singapore F1 success was not just about DRS genius
Discover how LEGO® Technic™ can reveal the secrets behind F1 engineering
Discover how LEGO® Technic™ can reveal the secrets behind F1 engineering Discover how LEGO® Technic™ can reveal the secrets behind F1 engineering
IndyCar race winner Kirkwood signs extension with Andretti Global
IndyCar race winner Kirkwood signs extension with Andretti Global IndyCar race winner Kirkwood signs extension with Andretti Global
Why Ferrari doesn’t agree with McLaren F1 fairytale revival
Why Ferrari doesn’t agree with McLaren F1 fairytale revival Why Ferrari doesn’t agree with McLaren F1 fairytale revival
Why Honda MotoGP team wouldn't block Marc Marquez's exit
Why Honda MotoGP team wouldn't block Marc Marquez's exit Why Honda MotoGP team wouldn't block Marc Marquez's exit
How football has posed difficult questions for F1
How football has posed difficult questions for F1 How football has posed difficult questions for F1
The fans that offer a ray of light in an increasingly partisan F1
The fans that offer a ray of light in an increasingly partisan F1 The fans that offer a ray of light in an increasingly partisan F1
Japanese Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2023
Japanese Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2023 Japanese Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2023
How Verstappen’s crushing Japanese GP win showed Singapore was a blip
How Verstappen’s crushing Japanese GP win showed Singapore was a blip How Verstappen’s crushing Japanese GP win showed Singapore was a blip
Why the reality of F1 engineering debriefs isn't what Drive to Survive makes out
Why the reality of F1 engineering debriefs isn't what Drive to Survive makes out Why the reality of F1 engineering debriefs isn't what Drive to Survive makes out
How Tsunoda has eliminated a crucial F1 limitation
How Tsunoda has eliminated a crucial F1 limitation How Tsunoda has eliminated a crucial F1 limitation
How McLaren has revamped its F1 team to become a contender again
How McLaren has revamped its F1 team to become a contender again How McLaren has revamped its F1 team to become a contender again
Why precedent doesn’t favour Massa’s F1 legal challenge
Why precedent doesn’t favour Massa’s F1 legal challenge Why precedent doesn’t favour Massa’s F1 legal challenge
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.