"The championship is still very long" - Ferrari not considering team orders between Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz yet

Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto has confirmed that the team does not have any plans to introduce team orders between Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.

Leclerc has galloped into the lead of the World Drivers' Championship with 71 points from two wins and a P2 finish in the first three races of the season. In contrast, Sainz has two podiums and a DNF in the same amount of time.

Speaking in an interview ahead of the forthcoming 2022 F1 Imola GP, Binotto was asked about the chances of team orders being put in place to prioritize Charles Leclerc. He said,

“It's only three races which have been done now. There are still 20 races left, hopefully 19 or 20. So the championship is still very long. Our drivers are free to fight, and I am really looking forward and enjoying that they are battling for a good place, and first place, if possible.”

The Scuderia have been known to shoot themselves in the foot with team orders in years past. Not to mention, Leclerc is known for having voiced his displeasure at going along with them during the start of his Ferrari career.

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"It will be later on in the season" - Ferrari will not bring any major update for 2022 F1 Imola GP

Ferrari will not be bringing any updates to the F1-75 for the fourth race of the 2022 season. The Imola GP will feature the first sprint race of the weekend and, as a result, limit the amount of testing for cars before going into parc-ferme conditions for Friday's qualifying.

During an interview with autosport.com, Binotto was asked about the chances of major developments being made to the car for the race. He said,

"I think it will be a difficult weekend in respect of bringing updates and trying to evaluate them in the Friday practice, because you need obviously to focus yourself on the quali of the afternoon.If we will look at ourselves, there will not be much in Imola because again, we believe it will not be the right place."

The Italian went on to add,

"But we will try to mitigate the issues we have got still so far. I'm thinking of the porpoising and the bouncing that has affected our performance over the weekend. So we again try to work on that specific point. But, for the upgrades and more, let me say significant ones, it will be for later on in the season."

Ferrari have looked dominant in the opening three rounds of the season with a car that seems suited to all track types. With Red Bull and Mercedes also opting out of any major upgrade packages, it would come as no surprise if the Scuderia were once again among those fighting for the win.