Charles Leclerc: In Imola the most important thing is not to overdo it

After three Grands Prix, Charles Leclerc leads the championship by 34 points more than second-placed George Russell – and already beats Max Verstappen by 46 points.

Ahead is the podium in Imola, where the tifozi will carry their idols in their arms – Leclerc believes that in this situation the most important thing is not to overdo it …

Charles Leclerc: “I think everyone in Montreal was surprised by our pace. Remotely the Medium tires worked perfectly for us, there wasn’t quite as much granulation as the rivals. We were sure that after the switch to Hard the advantage would diminish, but we were still faster. In the race we had a bigger advantage over rivals than in qualifying. It was a pleasant surprise!

I tried my best to prepare for the restart after the safety car and kept to the left where I got a lot of dirt on the tires and lost so much time in the last corner. In the first corner Max and I were side by side, but I managed to hold the lead, and then the tires leaked and I was able to pull away.

The team is leading in the constructors’ championship, I am in the individual standings. Imagine what the atmosphere will be like in Imola in two weeks! But I don’t want to think about it. The season has just started. Yes, a 34-point lead is not bad for any stage of the season, but I don’t want to think about the situation in the championship right now.

In Italy we are waiting for an incredible weekend, but you have to treat it exactly the same as all the others, like the first three stages. It is important to avoid unnecessary pressure, not to overdo it. This year, our team has been working very effectively since the start of the season. You just have to keep going.”