Sainz welcomes Ferrari "wake-up call"

Carlos Sainz has welcomed Ferrari's recent test at Fiorano as a "wake-up call" ahead of the new F1 season.

The Spaniard turned in laps behind the wheel of the SF71H, the Scuderia's 2018 challenger, alongside Charles Leclerc and Ferrari Academy Driver Robert Shwartzman as a precursor to F1 testing getting underway next month as the sport ushers in a new era of car design.

Sainz, who finished ahead of Leclerc in his first season with the team last term, completed 174 kilometres during his time in the car and said: “At the moment, like all the other drivers, we are working in the simulator or training really hard in the gym.

"However, when it comes to demands placed on the body, nothing can match actually being in the car.

"That’s why, being able to drive before the start of the season, no matter in what car, is always very useful for a driver. It gives your body a wake-up call, reminding you what it means to be a Formula 1 driver.”

Leclerc added: “After a month and a half without sitting in the cockpit, I was really keen to drive again.

"It was great fun and also useful training. I can’t wait to be back on track in Barcelona with the 2022 car to really start this new Formula 1 era and see if all the work we have done since last year will pay off in terms of the competitiveness we expect.”

F1 testing begins in Spain on February 23, with a second test in Bahrain taking place ahead of the first race of the season at Sakhir on March 20.

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