First laps at Ferrari for Sainz on Wednesday

Carlos Sainz will make his official debut behind the wheel of a car of Scuderia Ferrari this Wednesday January 27 on the Fiorano track, owned by the Ferrari team Maranello (Italy). The Madrilenian will also ride in the morning on Thursday.

The old pilot McLaren, which replaces Sebastian Vettel in 2021, would have liked to be able to get his bearings in red from the young driver tests in Abu Dhabi at the end of 2020 but the FIA ​​had not authorized the participation of 2020 holders in these runs. 

With only 3 days of winter testing authorized in 2021 (from March 12 to 14 in Bahrain), Ferrari has once again requisitioned the SF71H that the team had fielded in 2018, as required by the sporting regulations which govern the runs private. 

Sainz won't be the only Scuderia driver in action next week. Indeed, Ferrari also summoned Charles Leclerc but also several members of the Ferrari Driver Academy (FDA). 

The Monegasque, who contracted the coronavirus during the winter, will be on the track on Tuesday January 26. The day before, Leclerc will have been preceded by 3 drivers from the FDA. Giuliano Alesi will open the ball for what will be his first laps at the wheel of a F1. 30 years earlier, his father Jean discovered the Scuderia with the F1-90 on the same Fiorano track. 

Marcus Armstrong, recently confirmed at DAMS in F2 for the coming season, will take over before Robert Schwartzman does not conclude the opening day. It will also be a first for the New Zealander, while the Russian rode during the rookie tests in Abu Dhabi on December 15, 2020. 

The last day and a half will be devoted to Mick Schumacher, who is about to debut in F1 with Haas, and Callum Ilott, appointed Ferrari test driver during the winter. The German will race on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning, while his old F2 rival concludes a busy week on Friday afternoon. 

Ferrari testing schedule at Fiorano

• Monday January 25: Giuliano Alesi – Marcus Armstrong – Robert Schwartzman
• Tuesday January 26: Charles Leclerc
• Wednesday January 27: Carlos Sainz
• Thursday January 28: Carlos Sainz (morning) – Mick Schumacher (afternoon)
• Friday January 29: Mick Schumacher (morning) – Callum Ilott (afternoon)