Italian GP: Charles Leclerc says Ferrari must 'stay united' amid rumours over Mattia Binotto's future

Charles Leclerc says Ferrari must avoid being distracted and stay united amid rumours over team principal Mattia Binotto's future ahead of this weekend's Italian Grand Prix.

After a strong start to the season, Leclerc looked set to mount a world championship challenge, while Ferrari appeared to be in contention for a first constructors' title since 2008, but a series of problems for the Italian team have allowed Max Verstappen and his Red Bull team to open dominant advantages.

A calamitous pit stop for Carlos Sainz at last weekend's Dutch Grand Prix was the latest in a series of blunders from Ferrari, after which Binotto rejected former world champion Nico Rosberg's suggestion that the team needed to make personnel changes.

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With the spotlight on Ferrari at its brightest - as the Tifosi flock to Monza this weekend - Leclerc was asked in Thursday's press conference to address rumours that the team boss's position could be under threat.

"There are always rumours around a Formula 1 team and especially with Ferrari but I think what is important in those moments is not to get distracted with whatever is being said," Leclerc said.

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"We are very united as a team and I think we need to keep on going like this. We've shown that we've been great from last year to this year with this kind of performance and we need to keep going in that direction.

"I didn't hear that rumour in particular but obviously we have to focus on our own job."

'It's going to be a difficult weekend'

Leclerc's third-place finish in Zandvoort secured just his second podium in the last 10 races, but the Monegasque is bracing himself for a "difficult weekend" at Monza.

The characteristics of the Monza circuit are similar to those of Spa, where Verstappen was untouchable as he won with ease from 14th on the grid, having taken an engine penalty.

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"I think it's going to be a bit of a difficult weekend," Leclerc said. "On paper, at least, it's going to be a difficult weekend.

"We expect Red Bull to be stronger. The track characteristics don't exactly fit our car.

"But again, we've had some good and bad surprises this year, so hopefully this one is one of the good ones and that we overperform compared to what we expect."

'Monza expectation is pure pleasure'

Despite the pressure on Ferrari, with their constructors' championship advantage over third-place Mercedes having shrunk to 30 points with seven races remaining, Leclerc insists that driving at the team's home Grand Prix only has a positive impact on him.

"For me, it's pure pleasure," he said.

"Of course, you can feel the expectations, whenever you are doing the events in Milan, especially, you can see that everybody in the city is behind you, behind Ferrari and have high expectations.

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"But it's part of it - and I take it more as motivation more than an added pressure.

"It's incredible. Even to get out of the hotel it's pretty difficult to come to the track. I guess it's similar for the other drivers, but when you are Ferrari, there's a little bit more and that just feels really nice."

Both Leclerc and Sainz are sporting a new yellow look throughout the weekend, with a special-one off livery having been designed to celebrate Ferrari's 75th anniversary.

"I like it," Leclerc said. "It's a bit strange to see me wear yellow this morning with the Ferrari logo, but it's cool, I think for one race it's really good."