Ferrari, Pirelli testing day for Carlos Sainz
Preparations for the 2024 Formula 1 season continue for Ferrari. Shortly after releasing the video of the SF-24 engine ignition, the Scuderia shared on their social media Carlos Sainz’s entry onto the track in today’s Fiorano afternoon tests.
The Spaniard, in his last year with the team, completed unrestricted kilometers in the F1-75 (the 2022 car) alongside Arthur Leclerc as part of the Pirelli tests.
*Carlos Sainz on the Track, the Video*
Here is the video recently shared by the Maranello team on its official social media channels.
.@Carlossainz55 putting in some pre-season laps in the F1-75 💪 pic.twitter.com/Lb4eFEwYzC
— Scuderia Ferrari HP (@ScuderiaFerrari) February 6, 2024
This isn’t Carlos Sainz’s debut on the track in 2024. The Spaniard had already driven the SF-23 and the F1-75 at Montmelo a week ago to contribute to the development of the new Pirelli compounds for 2025. A year in which #the Spanish driver will no longer drive for Ferrari, as the Maranello team has chosen Lewis Hamilton for its future in a stunning coup de théâtre.
Last week, Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc took to the track with the SF-23 in Barcelona for a testing session organized with Pirelli, aiming to assist the Milanese company in developing the 2025 tires. Additionally, this allowed both drivers to also run with the F1-75, the 2022 car, enabling them to accumulate unrestricted kilometers as permitted by regulations.
The decision to bring the older F1-75 was planned by the Prancing Horse to provide Oliver Bearman and Arthur Leclerc the opportunity to freely drive and gain experience aboard an F1 car.
However, with the Bahrain tests just a few weeks away, the Scuderia decided to continue private testing sessions at its home circuit in Fiorano. With Pirelli demo tires and a car that now has at least two seasons under its belt, as regulated, the drivers were able to freely circulate without any mileage constraints.
This morning, the honor and duty of bringing the 2022 season-used car on the track fell to the younger of the Leclerc brothers: for Arthur, named a simulator driver along with Antonio Fuoco and Davide Rigon, this was his second outing ever in an F1 car after the Barcelona test. This allows Leclerc to continue accumulating experience and better understand the car’s behavior, providing an additional tool to compare on-track sensations with those in virtual reality.
In the afternoon, it was Carlos Sainz’s turn, who has been in Italy these days for the presentation of the CS55 karting line developed in collaboration with the OTK group, as well as to prepare for the upcoming season by completing meetings with engineers and continuing simulator work. For the Spaniard, this marks his first track outing after Ferrari announced they excluded him from their future plans, as Lewis Hamilton will take his place in 2025.
However, Sainz is clearly determined to prepare in the best possible way for his final season as a Prancing Horse driver. The focus, at least in the immediate future, is entirely on Bahrain and the first race of the season. Still, behind the scenes, it is evident that the Spaniard aims to give his best on the track, possibly convincing other teams to consider him for the next year, especially given a market that offers several opportunities.
Leave a Reply