Leclerc: Ferrari looking good but not running flat out

©Ferrari

Charles Leclerc blitzed the field on Thursday morning in Barcelona, but the Ferrari driver insisted that he was nowhere near running flat out at the wheel of the Scuderia's SF90.

Leclerc laid down a 1m16.231 benchmark that represented the best performance to date in pre-season testing and was nearly one second faster than team mate Sebastian Vettel's best effort so far at the Circuit de Catalunya.

Yet, the Monegasque insisted that there was more potential to unleash under the skin of Ferrari's 2019 prancing horse and from himself.

Leclerc restores Ferrari's shine in Day 7 morning session!

"Obviously like every team we are not flat out," he told the media during today's lunch break.

"There is still some margin. There is a bit in myself, I still have to learn. I get more comfortable with the car lap after lap, and also the car itself. So it is looking good for now."

Leclerc has had no specific complaints to formulate about the overall behavior of Ferrari's 2019 contender since testing kicked off.

"The car feels comfortable, from day one the balance is pretty nice, and it hasn't changed today," he added.

"It is a positive day, especially after the lack of running yesterday. It was a good morning for us and it is good for us to be on top, but it doesn't mean anything."

©Ferrari

The 21-year-old, on whom big expectations have been placed, pushed back on the notion that Ferrari will be heading to Melbourne with a significant edge over Mercedes or Red Bull.

"It is difficult to say again. It is testing," he said.

"We are looking strong at the moment. But whether they are sandbagging more or less, we don't know and we will only know in qualifying.

"For now, we are pretty happy with the job we are doing."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.