27/01/2023
NEWS STORY
Ferrari and AlphaTauri have both been in action this week as their preparations for the forthcoming season get underway.
Seeking to shake off the 'winter rust' and get their drivers 'match fit' for pre-season testing, which gets underway in four weeks, the Italian teams were in action at Fiorano (Ferrari) and Imola (AlphaTauri).
Ferrari got things underway with a day devoted to test and reserve drivers Antonio Giovinazzi and Robert Schwartzman, with Carlos Sainz taking over on Wednesday.
As per the rules, the Maranello outfit, like its Faenza counterpart, has to use a 2021 car.
Sainz began his day in damp conditions, completing 26 laps before lunch and then a further 93 in the afternoon when conditions improved.
Charles Leclerc is set to take over today.
At Imola, where again conditions were mixed, rookie Nyck de Vries was in action, taking over from teammate Yuki Tsunoda who had driven the 2021 car on Tuesday.
Despite the fact they were using old machinery, with just three days of pre-season testing the drivers will be glad to get in as much preparatory running as possible.
The opening Grand Prix takes place just a week later.