F1 News
Leclerc feels no added pressure: 'Ferrari is not the same team as then'
- GPblog.com
Ferrari has been on a losing streak when it comes to winning the World Drivers' Championship for fifteen years now. In 2007, Kimi Raikkonen won the title on behalf of the team, and since then the Italian team has failed to do so. In 2008 they won their last constructors' title to date. Charles Leclerc denies that this knowledge puts extra pressure on him in his battle with Max Verstappen for the world title in 2022.
Leclerc feels no added pressure from Ferrari's title drought
The Scuderia's longest drought came after Jody Scheckter's title in 1979. After that, the team had to wait 21 years before Michael Schumacher managed to end the titleless streak. It is not yet a record, but Ferrari nevertheless had to wait a long time before it could try to win the world title again. In 2022, the opportunity presented itself somewhat unexpectedly, and the Italians themselves seemed surprised by the highly competitive car they had delivered.
Many are convinced that F1-75 is even the fastest car on the grid, but reliability issues and their own mistakes have prevented Ferrari from maximising its performance. As a result, the gap to Red Bull Racing has grown considerably and the title-less run threatens to continue.
For Leclerc, in his own words, it means no extra pressure on his shoulders. "I don't think about this," he is quoted by Motorsportweek.com. "I just think even though Ferrari remains Ferrari of the 2000s, the team is very different. We are in a different place."
The Monegasque stressed that the past few years have been very difficult for his team, but that it has made an "incredible step" from last year to this year. "Obviously the goal remains to be World Champion, it remains the same goal for me. Even though it’s now going to be more difficult, it doesn’t add pressure that it’s been so many years that we haven’t won the championship," the Ferrari driver said.