Leclerc: Too early to tell if current form enough to win 2022 title

©Ferrari

Charles Leclerc is quite satisfied with the start of his 2022 campaign, but the Ferrari driver says it's too early to speculate on whether his current form would be enough for him to win the title.

After winning Formula 1's opening round in Bahrain, Leclerc finished runner-up to Red Bull's Max Verstappen in Saudi Arabia.

Leclerc will therefore line up on the grid next weekend in Australia as the clear leader of the F1 world championship, heading the field by 12 points from his Scuderia teammate Carlos Sainz.

©Ferrari

"I’m quite happy with this start of the season for sure, working well with the team and the preparation for the first race was very good," he said, quoted by Motorsport Week.

"I feel good in general but there’s definitely more to come.

"The thing I’m happy about is not really the performance, but I know exactly where I still need to work and where/what I need to improve to unlock more performance."

Read also: Leclerc downplays Ferrari engine gains for 2022

The combination of Leclerc's talent with Ferrari's strong F1-75 package undeniably positions the duo as a force to be reckoned.

But the 24-year-old isn't talking up his chances of winning the world tile this season, at least not yet as Leclerc is all too aware that sustaining his momentum for the duration of this year's campaign will also depend on the success of Ferrari's development program.

"I’m happy," repeated the three-time Grand Prix winner. "Whether it [my form] will be enough or not to win the world championship I have no idea.

"It's still very early in the season, but let’s say that it is a very good start of the season.

"As I said many times, I think development will be key and we as drivers need to help the team in the best way possible to keep this competitiveness."

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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.