Ferrari’s performance in Bahrain’s winter testing didn’t turn heads but showed a steady start, focusing on solid foundations rather than outright speed.
Ferrari did not impress or concern during the first day of winter testing in Bahrain.
Finishing third on Wednesday with 69 laps completed (1.2 seconds behind Max Verstappen), Carlos Sainz was the fastest Ferrari driver.
For him, the foundation of the red car seems solid, and the sensations are positive. That’s at least a positive takeaway for the Scuderia.
Reading between the lines, it’s also understood that the Scuderia wasn’t really pushing for performance, or not at all on Wednesday.
“The first day behind the wheel of a car during testing is always a good feeling. I think it was a very good day for the team because we completed the set program.”
“We also did some long runs and started to ‘play’ a bit with the car. We covered everything we wanted to do.”
“It was a good first day. Now we need to keep our heads down and see how fast we can go.”
“So it’s good to get back in the car ‘for real’ after the long winter break. It was a good first day here in Bahrain, covering 373 km. We finished the program without any issues, gathering a lot of useful data to better understand the SF-24 with the engineers.”
“As is always the case with pre-season testing, it’s too early to draw conclusions, and we will continue working to maximize the next two days on track – to arrive perfectly prepared for the start of the season.”
Positive sensations – and the same caution – from Charles Leclerc
In the other Italian machine, Charles Leclerc (7th time, 64 laps) also speaks of a good day (morning for him).
“The morning went well; we did a lot of laps and conducted the tests we wanted to do. It’s positive. In the afternoon, we were able to analyze the data as much as possible and see if everything correlates with what we expected. Then, we’ll get back to work.”
“So, this first morning of testing was quite productive, especially in terms of mileage covered.”
Like his teammate, Charles Leclerc does not speculate on this year’s hierarchy. Not even a little?
“As for performance, it’s simply too early to judge and draw conclusions. We conducted the planned tests, and everything is proceeding as expected. We will continue to work, hoping for two more productive days in view of the Grand Prix.”
Ferrari Bahrain Winter Testing. Ferrari Bahrain Winter Testing
- Read More>McLaren MCL38 Overcomes Early Hurdles in Bahrain Test
- Following us on Facebook and Twitter.
