Leclerc: Ferrari resurgence partly rooted in 'mentality reset'

Charles Leclerc says Ferrari owes its strong start to 2022 to its massive efforts to produce a front-running car, but also to the team's "mentality reset".

After a productive six days of pre-season testing, the Scuderia hit the ground running in Bahrain last weekend, with Leclerc and teammate Carlos Sainz offering the Italian outfit its first 1-2 since Singapour in 2019.

Over the course of the 2021 season, during which Ferrari improved its fortunes relative to a dismal 2020 campaign, the House of Maranello's engineers spared no effort to design and develop a new-generation F1 car and power unit capable of carrying the Scuderia back to the top of the field.

But that crucial work was supported by an equally important transformation under the guidance of Scuderia boss Mattia Binotto of the Italian outfit's mindset, and both those effort have borne fruit.

"It's been a long time since we first started work on this car," said Leclerc who conquered in Bahrain his third career win in F1.

"There's been a massive amount of work and also quite a mentality reset.

"After 2019 we had two very difficult years and the team at the factory have been working extremely well, I think.

"We've also been very good at identifying the weaknesses of the previous cars and came with these new cars, a very strong car, and [that] made it possible for us to be fighting for better positions."

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Only time will tell if Ferrari can sustain its position at the front alongside its current most direct rival, Red Bull Racing.

Leclerc believes the answer to that question may lie with how well Ferrari will develop its F1-75.

"I really hope it will be the case," said Leclerc on Ferrari holding its own at the top of running order.

"I think this year, development will be very important, so we need to stay on it.

"The way we have worked in the past few years is impressive, and now we need to keep up that amount of work."

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