Carlos Sainz officially took to the track for the first time as a Ferrari driver in their 2018 challenger at the Fiorano circuit.
Sainz arrives at Ferrari with momentum very much on his side having finished P6 in both the 2019 and 2020 Drivers’ Championships with McLaren, a key part in their recovery up the grid.
But for 2021 the Spaniard leaves that behind to live the dream of many Formula 1 drivers, that being to race for the famous Ferrari team.
And the fact that Sainz is now a Ferrari driver would have started to sink in when he took the SF71H out onto the Fiorano track, marking the first time that we have seen Sainz behind the wheel of a Ferrari.
Watched by new team-mate Charles Leclerc, who was in action for the Scuderia on Tuesday, Sainz pumped in an impressive 118 laps, giving both driver and engineer plenty of data to crunch.
Sainz will be back in the car on Thursday morning for another session, before handing over to Ferrari junior Mick Schumacher who will make his Formula 1 debut with Haas in 2021.
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“A day I will never forget! This morning, the alarm went off at dawn because we had some very early meetings before going out on track,” said the Spaniard as he reflected on his day in the SF71H with reporters.
“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.
“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.”
First time in red ?✅
What a memorable day for @CarlosSainz55 on track at Fiorano today ?? #essereFerrari ? pic.twitter.com/osz2gyRUbk
— Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) January 27, 2021
Ferrari also confirmed on social media that Leclerc had completed his seat fitting, the first for the Scuderia ahead of the 2021 campaign.
First 2021 seat fit is ???????? ✅
Our preparations for the upcoming #F1 season are in full swing ?#essereFerrari ? @Charles_Leclerc pic.twitter.com/4rxSfzAjCV
— Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) January 27, 2021
The Monegasque driver enjoyed a very productive 2020 season, extracting the best out of a tricky SF1000 to take two podium finishes on the way to a total of 98 for the season.
With Ferrari targeting P3 in the 2021 Constructors’ Championship, Leclerc will be hoping to escape the midfield and get back into the regular hunt for podiums, and maybe even victories.
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