Sainz to get first on-track Ferrari experience this month

Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto has confirmed Carlos Sainz will complete his first laps for the team in the 2018 car this month.

After a successful two-year stint at McLaren, Sainz moved to Ferrari for the coming season to partner Charles Leclerc.

In a bid to reduce costs and as a reflection on the significant carryover of components from 2020 to '21, there is only one three-day pre-season test this year, meaning each driver will have just one-and-a-half days' of track time

To ensure Sainz is as prepared as possible, Ferrari will allow him time in two-year-old machinery at Fiorano to become acquainted with his new engineers and the team's procedures. No date has yet been determined.

"He will have one day and a half winter testing, but we are organising as well some testing for him, a day eventually, or slightly more, in January, in Fiorano," said Binotto.

"It will be with an old car, an '18 car because that is what is possible and permitted as per regulations. The January testing will be for him the first touch with a Ferrari car on track.

"It is an old car but we feel it is an important one to get used to our procedures. The way we communicate with engineers, to get the feeling with his engineers and the team itself so that is the way we will organise."

Binotto also confirmed Leclerc will retain the engineering team he has worked with for the past two years, with Sainz inheriting those who worked with Vettel. Binotto added: "His team eventually and essentially was the team of Sebastian [Vettel], which will be simply passed to him.

"So Ricardo Adami for example, the race engineer, is becoming the race engineer of Carlos and there is not at the moment, at least, no new engineers coming from outside to join his track team."

Related

More F1 news

Latest F1 news

Shock Fernando Alonso claim made by former F1 team-mate: 'I was not allowed to beat him'

• 46 minutes ago

Ferrari chief says Christian Horner is not the fix: 'One man alone cannot change things'

• 1 hour ago

Max Verstappen to McLaren is not dead with 'door wide open' for massive transfer

• 2 hours ago

Ferrari line up replacement for Lewis Hamilton boss accused of 'terrible relationship'

• 3 hours ago

F1 News Today: Max Verstappen penalty claim disputed as champion issues public apology

• Today 07:30

Lewis Hamilton shares heartbreaking tribute to beloved bulldog Roscoe

• Yesterday 22:30