At Ferrari, “the atmosphere is perfect” after promising tests

Optimism is the order of the day at Ferrari. There Team had a relatively quiet pre-season test, picking up laps and experience at the Sakhir circuit in Bahrain. Carlos Sainz et Charles Leclerc completed 417 laps over the three days of testing, making them the third most frequent team on the track. “It was three days of intense work for everyone in the team, confided Frédéric Vasseur, the main director of the Italian team. We brushed off a number of items on the car and ticked a lot of boxes on our program, not worrying about lap times or what anyone else did, just focusing on ourselves. »

If the Scuderia did not look for a time in Bahrain – with a best time of 1'31″024, more than 7 tenths of the reference set by Sergio Pérez – Frédéric Vasseur fully accepts having prioritized reliability and learning the package of the SF23 rather than pure performance. “The main objective was to do as many kilometers as possible and we did that, although it is true that you always want to do more and have more time. But it's the same for everyone. Every time we've managed to put it all together, the performance has seemed to be there, but clearly we're still getting to know the car, so it's too early to tell. »

Ferrari “in good shape to start this season”

The feedback from the drivers was also positive at the end of these winter tests. One week before the first Grand Prix of the season, in Bahrain, Charles Leclerc was satisfied with the reliability and the balance of his car. “We focused a lot on fine-tuning work this week and we made some good steps forward. I also tried different driving styles to test what suits me best in this new car. It will be interesting to see where all the teams stack up against their closest competitors. »

All that remains is to make these promising tests a reality from the first meeting of the season, on March 5. Frédéric Vasseur already recognizes that “the atmosphere in the team is perfect and [she is] in good shape to start this long season. » Last year, Ferrari got off to a flying start with a one-two finish in the opening round. Will the Scuderia be able to repeat the feat?

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