Sainz to make on-track Ferrari debut next week

Carlos Sainz will make his on-track debut with Ferrari next week as he steps up his preparations for the new season with the Scuderia.

Since his switch from McLaren last month, Sainz has so far spent his time getting to know people behind the scenes and undertaking a number of runs in the simulator.

Team principal Mattia Binotto recently confirmed that as part of his development, and to become acquainted with his new engineers and the team's procedures, the 26-year-old would drive the 2018 car at Fiorano.

GPFans now understands that test will take place on January 27 and 28, with Charles Leclerc also expected to be involved pending his recovery from a positive Covid-19 test that was confirmed on the 14th.

Ferrari is to confirm the programme in the next few days.

Explaining the thinking behind the test in the '18 car, Binotto said at the time: "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."

The run-out will be followed by just a day and a half of pre-season testing in this year's SF21, which has resulted in the Spaniard using the simulator extensively.

Asked in a Q&A session on Instagram as to how his first days at Maranello had been, Sainz replied: "I’ve already been here for three or four days this year.

"There is a lot of work to do in the simulator in order for me to be fully ready for testing.

"I’m also meeting a lot of new faces, new people and I’m having to learn a lot of new names which I am terrible at!"

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