David Coulthard has joked he had flashbacks of Michael Schumacher's dominance in the Ferrari when watching Charles Leclerc win the Australian Grand Prix last weekend.

The Monegasque driver has had a storming start to the 2022 season and looks as though he is at one with his Ferrari car.

Indeed, he is 34 points clear at the top of the Drivers' standings and is enjoying the sort of dominant start to a campaign that we used to see when Schumacher was at the wheel of his Ferrari in the early 00s.

Of course, it's still very early days and other teams will have plans to try and reel Leclerc in but such was the control he had during the race in Melbourne, Coulthard couldn't help but think back to a time when another Ferrari was streaking ahead of everyone else:

“I had a little bit of a shiver actually, a flashback to when Michael was dominant in the Ferrari,” Coulthard said to Channel 4.

"All my fears came back again!

“We’ve got to acknowledge that he is a quality driver, a great human being,” Coulthard continued.

“Ferrari has worked hard, and Mattia Binotto, what a cool character he’s been under all the pressure of the lack of performance over the last two years.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 07: Charles Leclerc of Monaco and Ferrari looks on in the Paddock during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Australia at Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit on April 07, 2022 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)

“That [Leclerc’s drive] was dominant. That really was an impressive display.”

Certainly, Leclerc looks to be having the time of his life out on track at the moment and it just remains to be seen how quickly, if at all, other drivers and teams can catch him in his Ferrari.

Right now, that is looking an unenviable task.