Source:REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon
[Saba Sports News] With the cancellation of the Bahrain Grand Prix and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, a five-week gap has appeared on the F1 calendar between the Japanese Grand Prix and the Miami Grand Prix, giving teams a rare window for adjustments. Instead of resting, Ferrari has quickly stepped into a high-intensity testing schedule, planning three different types of track events in April in an effort to close the performance gap to Mercedes as soon as possible.
According to the schedule, Ferrari will first hold a two-day private test with a previous-generation car at Mugello Circuit. The driving duties will be shared by reserve driver Antonio Giovinazzi and Arthur Leclerc, the younger brother of Charles Leclerc, before endurance racer Antonio Fuoco takes over. The session is aimed at gathering more fundamental data for the team. One week later, Ferrari will conduct a two-day artificial wet-weather test at Fiorano Circuit, focusing on evaluating the car’s performance and energy management strategies in low-grip conditions. This step is particularly crucial in the new regulatory era, as balancing electrical power deployment and tire grip has become a key factor determining race outcomes. In addition, Ferrari plans to travel to Monza Circuit in late April for its first official filming day of the season. Although filming days are primarily for promotional purposes, limited running is still permitted under strict restrictions. Choosing the high-speed Monza circuit is believed to be directly related to the team’s current issues: Ferrari hopes to further optimize power unit performance in the long straight-line sections.
In the author’s opinion, the performance gap between Ferrari and Mercedes mainly lies in straight-line speed and energy deployment phases. The core goal of this intensive testing run is therefore clear: to improve power unit efficiency and narrow the gap to the leading competitor by accumulating data across different environments and track conditions.