P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Ferrari had a quiet opening day of pre-season testing in Bahrain and the Italian squad is giving away no clues regarding its pace.
Ferrari has emphasized that it is premature to make judgments on their speed for the upcoming season after the first day of pre-season testing in Bahrain. Carlos Sainz recorded the third-fastest lap time of the day, taking over from Charles Leclerc in the afternoon. However, Red Bull and Max Verstappen set the pace, with Sainz lagging behind by over a second. Sainz completed 69 laps for his pre-season preparations but refrained from making predictions about the team’s pace. Ferrari is aiming for a more competitive season, yet Leclerc also remained cautious about their prospects. The team plans to continue maximizing the upcoming testing days ahead of the start of the season.