Carlos Sainz says his first test as a Ferrari Formula 1 driver was ” a day I’ll never forget” as he completed over 100 laps in a 2018-spec SF71H.
Sainz has joined the Italian outfit after two impressive seasons at McLaren, in which he finished sixth in the drivers’ standings in two successive years.
He becomes the first Spaniard to race for the Scuderia since his boyhood hero Fernando Alonso in 2014, who endured a five-year spell at Maranello.
As part of seven-driver testing programme, Sainz’s debut outing allowed him to get familiarised with Ferrari’s systems and continue to imbed himself within the team.
It will prove the only other running Sainz will complete before the 2021 season, with drivers only having three days of pre-season testing in Bahrain this year.
“A day I will never forget!” Sainz said after his maiden Ferrari test at Fiarano. “One of the most special moments for me today was when I arrived at the circuit and I saw the Ferrari with my number 55 on it! I was eager to jump in the car and that first installation lap was exciting.
“Then we got down to work and I am very pleased with how the day unfolded. We were able to get through an extensive programme and I was able to familiarise myself with the whole setup: the engineers and mechanics, the steering wheel, the procedures which are obviously a bit different to those on the car I drove last season.
“I am very happy and could not have wished for a better start.”
Sainz will run again on Thursday morning before handing over test duties to new Haas F1 driver Mick Schumacher in the afternoon, allowing the German to rack up milage ahead of his F1 debut.
Fellow Ferrari junior Callum Illot will round out the five-day test on Friday, which has already featured Giuliano Alesi, Robert Shwartzman, Marcus Armstrong and Charles Leclerc.
Comments.
Loading comments…