Leclerc completes his test day with the "brilliantly sounding" SF71H
Scuderia Ferrari continued today where it left off yesterday by notching up further mileage at its own Fiorano test track. Behind the wheel of the 2018 F1 Ferrari car was Charles Leclerc.
The fabled Italian outfit kick-started its preparation for the 2021 FIA Formula One World Chamionship yesterday when its unique five-day, seven-driver testing got underday at Fiorano.
The team is poised to help their race and junior drivers get up to speed after the winter break while the running is also useful for engineers and mechanics to get back into the swing of all the technical procedures as well as the precautionary measures for limiting the spread of Covid-19.
Yesterday saw Giuliano Alesi and Marcus Armstrong make their debut in an F1 Ferrari car with Robert Shwartzman bringing the first day of the test week to an end. Today belonged to Charles Leclerc who drove out of the pits at Fiorano for an installation lap in the 2018 SF71H at 9.30 in the morning.
On Charles’ programme were practice starts and work aimed at the new championship and pre-season testing which takes place in mid-March. The talented Monegasque notched up over 100 laps around the relatively short Fiorano circuit.
Commenting on his day, two-time Formula One race winner Leclerc said: “Getting back in the car today was great, in fact it was brilliant! Seeing my mechanics again, putting the race suit on, doing my warm-up routine, putting on my helmet and finally jumping in the car and pressing the starter button… the sound of a Ferrari engine is always magic.
"The day was simply perfect and we got through all the work we had planned to do. I really enjoyed myself! Now I hand over to Carlos and I wish him the best of luck for tomorrow,” he added.
Testing continues tomorrow with Carlos Sainz making his debut behind the wheel of a Formula 1 Ferrari machinery. The two-time podium finisher will also be on track on Thursday morning, while in the afternoon, it will be the turn of Ferrari Driver Academy’s Mick Schumacher who is racing for Haas F1 Team this year. The German will also drive on Friday morning, after which Scuderia test driver Callum Ilott will take over for the afternoon.
