Ferrari and Haas complete shakedown runs at Bahrain

Ahead of the start of the pre-season testing, Scuderia Ferrari and Haas F1 Team completed the shake-down runs at the Bahrain International Circuit with their 2021 cars, the SF21 and the VF21 respectively.

After unveiling its new car on Wednesday during an online launch, Ferrari did not want to wait until the pre-season testing gets underway on Friday. The team conducted its shakedown run today, using its first of two filming days.

The Italian team is eager to improve its competitiveness with its new SF21 that is the evolution if its woeful predecessor, the SF1000. However, the Maranello-based outfit has reviewed all the weak points of its 2020 car, introducing significant changes to the power unit and the rear of the car, including the rear suspension and the gearbox.

The team, which has won the most Constructors’ Championships in Formula One, is set to compete in the 2021 F1 season with a revised driver line-up with Carlos Sainz joining Charles Leclerc.

The Scuderia is set to split the testing duties tomorrow when the official pre-season gets underway with Leclerc starting the day before Sainz takes the SF21 over.

Haas was also in action today with Nikita Mazepin hitting the track for a shakedown run at the Manama track. The American team revealed the livery of its new car last week, which features the colour scheme of its new main sponsor, the Russian Uralkali company.

For the Kannapolis-based team, yesterday was a big day as they fired up their new car for the first time after travel restrictions prevented Ferrari’s engineers from travelling to the team's UK base.

The Russian new team mate and fellow F1 rookie Mick Schumacher did not take the wheel today, but will drive on the morning of the first day of pre-season testing, which begins on Friday.