"My job is to drive the car"- Charles Leclerc not concerned with Ferrari's no-preference approach ahead of 2022 F1 French GP

Charles Leclerc claims he is not concerned by Ferrari's no-driver-preference approach ahead of the 2022 French GP. The Monegasque driver is considered by many to be the Italian team's title contender, but the team itself has denied any such preference over Carlos Sainz.

Before the 2022 Austrian GP, the point difference between the two Ferrari drivers was negligible, especially after Carlos Sainz's epic win at Silverstone. However, after the Spaniard's engine failed in the closing stages of the race in Austria, Charles Leclerc now holds a 37-point lead over his teammate.

Many in the F1 world have speculated that perhaps it is time for the Scuderia to pick its 'No.1 driver,' giving him all the resources needed to win against Red Bull. However, Ferrari's team principal Mattia Binotto has denied any kind of favoritism, letting the two drivers battle it out weekend after weekend.

Charles Leclerc claimed that he did not want to think about it and that his job in the team is to drive the car as fast as is possible. The 24-year-old told Sky Sports F1:

“I mean, I don’t want to think about this. I mean, my job is to drive the car and I will try to drive the car the fastest way possible, and then these choices are not made by me. It’s more Mattia who will take care of these choices.’’

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Former F1 driver Gerhard Berger doubts Charles Leclerc's 'seriousness' in 2022 title bid

Former F1 driver Gerhard Berger doubts Charles Leclerc's 'seriousness' in becoming world champion in 2022. The Austrian believes Leclerc is prone to making mistakes, a quality that will benefit Max Verstappen and Red Bull in their hunt to win the sport's top prize.

The Monegasque has proven that when given the machinery to fight the best, he can step up and deliver (mostly) without faltering. Former Ferrari driver Gerhard Berger, however, thinks the 24-year-old is prone to making mistakes, giving Verstappen the edge in the world championship rounds to follow.

Berger harped on Leclerc's infamous spin at Imola, claiming that mistakes of this sort cannot be made if the driver wants to win in 2022. Berger explained on the F1 Nation podcast, saying:

“He [Leclerc] made one or two mistakes this year that shouldn’t happen when you’re serious for the championship. In Imola the chicane, he should finish taking the points. This is where Lewis impresses me so much, Lewis is always there. Whenever the door is open, he is on the podium to take the points. Leclerc needs a bit of this experience in these areas.”

Charles Leclerc topped the time sheets in Friday's FP1, showing once again that he has the pace to take on Max Verstappen and Red Bull. However, with the main events yet to come, only time will tell if the Monegasque is able to deal with the immense championship pressure.