Abu Dhabi Test: 123 laps for Robert Shwartzman to correlate track-simulator work. Ferrari junior Robert Shwartzman completed 123 laps in the Abu Dhabi Test.

Two Grand Prix races in a single day. Robert Shwartzman concluded the Yas Marina test day with the eighth-best time and an impressive 123 laps completed. The Ferrari tester executed a highly intensive work program, encountering only a red flag and a slower car that prevented him from fully capitalizing on the two sets of C5 tires during the qualifying simulation.

“I was completing a good lap – explained Robert Shwartzman – with the two best sectors overall, then I found Bearman ahead in the third sector, and I lost downforce (engineers estimated a loss of four tenths in the final sector). It was a good lap, honestly, I don’t think it would have taken the lead from Esteban Ocon, but possibly the second position. A bit disappointed… but it’s a test session, the lap time is not the team’s goal. The target was to understand the car as much as possible; tomorrow, I’ll be in Maranello at the simulator to convey the insights I gained today on the track.” – the Ferrari junior explained.

Before completing today’s test day, Robert Shwartzman had already taken to the track last Friday in the first free practice session at the Yas Marina track, not without concerns about his physical condition. “After the weekend in Las Vegas, I arrived in Abu Dhabi with a severe flu – explained Robert – at the beginning of the week, I was in the hotel with a fever of 39, then I recovered for FP1, and I was glad I made it. I had a few more days before this test, but even though I wasn’t a hundred percent fit, everything went well. I’m happy; it was a long day; we tried race and qualifying simulations and performed various setup tests.” – the Ferrari junior added.

Throughout the 2023 Formula One season, Robert Shwartzman took to the track with many different cars, a factor that had him somewhat concerned on the eve of Formula 1 activity resuming. “Before the Zandvoort FP1 session, I had some doubts – he admitted – I didn’t know how long it would take me to get everything in focus, considering that in the previous months, I had been mainly involved in the GT program. It wasn’t easy to dive back into the fray at the wheel of a Formula 1 car, but I must say it didn’t go badly. Here in Yas Marina, I had a bit more certainty. The future? We’ll see; my goal is to be as ready as possible in case the team needs my contribution. In this perspective, every kilometer is valuable to understand more and more.” – the Ferrari Driver Academy member concluded.

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