With both Leclerc and Sainz putting some early mileage on their 2022 clocks, Thursday saw the return of one of Formula One's strongest driver lineups.
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Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz both completed a session at Fiorano ahead of the 2022 season, dusting off some cobwebs. Due to some uncertainty over the rules on testing previous cars, Ferrari had to postpone the three-day event. They swapped out the SF21 and prepared the 2018 SF71H instead. However, academy driver and 2021 Formula 2 World Championship runner-up Robert Shwartzman kicked off Ferrari’s own pre-season programme on Wednesday afternoon, thanks to the changes. He completed 44 laps, or 131 kilometres of running.
With both Leclerc and Sainz putting some early mileage on their 2022 clocks, Thursday saw the return of one of Formula One’s strongest driver lineups. Sainz was the early bird, completing 59 laps and 176 kilometres in the morning session and returning to the car in which he made his first laps as a Ferrari driver a year ago. During his run, the Spaniard did have a minor spin at the final corner, but nothing too serious.
In the afternoon, Leclerc took over the wheel and completed 48 laps, according to the Italian branch of Motorsport.com. The Monegasque driver completed a series of laps marked by ups and downs in performance, as if he was testing procedures that will be useful on the 674. Project 674 is the codename for Ferrari’s unnamed 2022 challenger, which will be revealed to the world on February 17.
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The Fiorano event, which has become something of a Scuderia tradition, wraps up on Friday, with Shwartzman returning for another blast. Following their worst season in four decades, Ferrari took a step forward in their resurgence by finishing third in the Constructors’ Championship in 2021, holding off a sustained challenge from old rivals McLaren.
With new regulations coming into effect in 2022, key members of the Ferrari team, including team boss Mattia Binotto, are quietly optimistic about more success. They claim that even their tumultuous 2021 battle with McLaren hasn’t hampered their plans for the coming season.
