Leclerc downplays Ferrari engine gains for 2022

Charles Leclerc believes Ferrari's big step forward this season is due mainly to the Scuderia's F1-75 chassis and aerodynamics, insisting the Italian outfit does not have an engine advantage over its rivals.

Leclerc's win in Bahrain ahead of teammate Carlos Sainz and his runner-up spot in Jeddah has put the Monegasque at the top of the Drivers' standings while Ferrari is 40 points clear of Mercedes in the Constructors' championship.

The good results attest to the Scuderia's strength which many believe is rooted in the team's all-new power unit which features a completely redesigned internal combustion engine.

Although gains have been achieved by Ferrari's engine department since last year, Leclerc says the Scuderia's unit is on a par with its rivals but doesn't hold an edge.

"Well, first of all, I can feel the difference from the car, the progress that’s been made from last year to this year and this is nice," he said.

"It’s the result of all the work of the guys back in Maranello and it’s also a reason why we are much more competitive this year so it’s great to see that.

"On the other hand, I don’t think we have any advantage. I think we are very similar to where Red Bull is at the moment which they seem to be very strong, power unit-wise.

"We need to keep pushing but yeah, it is definitely a big step from last year."

• Read also: Ferrari 'much better prepared' for F1 development push – Binotto

Ferrari has undeniably put together a strong overall package capable of winning races.

Some have pointed to the Scuderia's extra wind tunnel runs in 2021 as having provided the team with a big development advantage, while it also switched it focus to its 2022 car very early last year.

But Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto pushed back on that assessment.

"No, that's completely wrong," he told Germany's Bild.

"According to the rules, everyone was only allowed to start working in the wind tunnel and simulations on 1 January, 2021.

"We may have put more focus on 2022, but we all started from the same point, and [we] just did a good job."

While Ferrari has started its 2022 campaign in "a very solid position" according to Binotto, the Swiss engineer doesn't believe his team currently has a clear edge over its main rivals.

"I don't think we have an advantage over the others. Who has [the advantage] only becomes apparent after the first five races," he said.

"The fact is that we got that double win in Bahrain and the podiums in Saudi Arabia as a team: drivers, mechanics, engineers and many more.

"We are in a very solid position at the moment."

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