Antonio Giovinazzi was delighted to finally get the opportunity to test the 2017 Scuderia Ferrari SF70H at the Bahrain International Circuit, and admitted it was the fulfilment of a long-held dream of his to drive for the team.
The Italian, who has previously tested older model Ferrari’s at Fiorano and who made his Formula 1 race debut with the Sauber F1 Team in Australia as a replacement for Pascal Wehrlein, completed 93 laps on Tuesday and finished second fastest, 0.626 seconds behind Lewis Hamilton.
But for Giovinazzi, the experience was extremely enjoyable, especially as it meant testing the car that has twice taken victory in 2017 and sits on top of the championship standings.
“To drive the car that won the last race and is leading the world championship, working with the Scuderia Ferrari engineers and mechanics, is not just a great feeling, it’s a dream I’ve had since I was little and racing in karts,” said Giovinazzi.
“And today it came true. I enjoyed every single lap.”
Giovinazzi was not the only Ferrari driver on track on Tuesday, with Sebastian Vettel running tyre tests for Pirelli, with the tyre company beginning their programme of testing for their 2018 compounds.
Despite a mechanical issue, the German completed 89 laps and finished ninth fastest.
