"Try not to believe too much in the hype" - Ferrari drivers downplay claims of them being favorites at the 2022 F1 Bahrain Grand Prix

Ferrari drivers are keeping themselves grounded before the start of the season and are not getting carried away with pre-season testing performances.

The two drivers, Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, have tried to keep their expectations grounded before the season officially begins. When questioned on whether he believes he can win a race this season, Carlos Sainz said:

"Not really. You don't want to believe it completely. In your mind, you come here with a chance of winning because you want to be ready as a driver. But you also try not to believe the hype too much. I'm ready for whatever comes. And maybe after the first, second, third training session I,'ll adjust my expectations a little more up or down,"

Charles Leclerc added that there was a sense of positivity within the team but that had more to do with how the team fared in the pre-season tests. The team stood out when it came to reliability as it topped most of the charts during pre-season. That should be an indication of how well oiled the Ferrari machine looks before the circus kicks off in Bahrain.

Reflecting on the positive mood within the camp, Leclerc said:

"We are very well prepared. We have completed all the tests that we had planned for the test drives. And that is the main reason why we have a smile on our faces after the tests, purely in terms of reliability ."

Ferrari aiming to get back to winning ways

Ferrari is coming off one of the leanest phases in its history as it has not won a race for two consecutive seasons for the first time since 1993. The team has not been in contention for a title since 2018 and ever since Mattia Binotto took over, the Italian squad has been in a phase of rebuilding. The team finished second in 2019 but then dropped down to a disappointing sixth in 2020 only to bounce back to third in 2021.

The new regulations is being looked at as an opportunity for the Italian squad to jump to the front. Early indications do point at Ferrari having a reliable machinery at its disposal backed up by a strong underlying performance. The team has ticked all the boxes until now and it remains to be seen how it fares during the season.