SUMMARY
- Arthur Leclerc returns to the primary Ferrari group after bidding adieu to the Ferrari F1 academy in December last year.
- Arthur will join Ferrari as a development while Oliver Bearman will take the responsibility of a test driver.
Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz have been the stars for Ferrari in the past 3 years. However, now two more young drivers join this lineup to assist the team as they look to take the challenge to Red Bull for the championship. While Ferrari has been trying to produce a consistent performance that would see them winning a championship, they seem to have pulled all their gears to do so.
Ferrari’s 2023 season saw them struggling to beat Mercedes despite the Silver Arrows team falling behind due to technical issues. However, as the 2024 season comes closer, Fred Vasseur plans to change 95% of the components in the car for the new season and have a closed car launch before the season begins.
While they have two great drivers on the grid, they have secured the positions of reserve drivers for themselves too. With hopes of securing the runner-up if not the championship, the team signed two more drivers under them to make sure they are all prepared for the season no matter what comes their way.
Ferrari signs two rookie drivers amidst 2024 season preparations
Ferrari’s plans to bring the best results caught up to them this season, after watching Red Bull annihilate every team on the grid. Their star driver, Max Verstappen, managed to break 16 records and win 10 consecutive races in a single season. However, Charles Leclerc was the only driver to challenge the Dutchman while Carlos Sainz was the only non-Red Bull driver to take a race win for the season.
With the plans of challenging and pressuring the championship-winning team this season, the Prancing Horse team has signed Arthur Leclerc and Oliver Bearman to their Driver’s Development program for the 2024 season. While Leclerc’s younger brother will be fulfilling the role of Development driver, Oliver Bearman will be the reserve driver for Ferrari for the 2024 season.
Oliver Bearman = Reserve Driver for Scuderia Ferrari
Arthur Leclerc = Development Driver for Scuderia Ferrari pic.twitter.com/TbCzLlcy9z
— tami. (@Vetteleclerc) January 27, 2024
So far the Monza team has plans to develop a car that would see Leclerc win a championship despite not winning a race since 2022. However, Leclerc and Sainz’s consistency was applauded throughout the season considering they were only 3 points away from beating Mercedes last season.
While the team pulls into the gears to start their season stronger than the 2023 season, only a miracle can help them beat Red Bull. Although the SF23 and the technical issues failed them, it was also the strategies that saw them fall off of pole positions while they had chances of securing a podium. Nevertheless, they have planned a strong start for their 2024 season.
Ferrari’s new schedule includes their rookie drivers
Ferrari recently signed two of the rookie drivers to their driver development program for the 2024 season. While they prepare for the testing one last time before their car launch on 13th February, the two rookie drivers will be joining the star drivers, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, to test the SF23 with the sole tire manufacturer, Pirelli, and the F1-75 cockpit from 2022.
Ferrari’s schedule for next week:
January 29 + January 30 = Charles/Carlos are doing the Pirelli tyre test with the SF23.
On January 30, Charles & Carlos will both drive the SF23 + F1-75.January 29 = Arthur’s first F1 test with the F1-75.
January 31 = Oliver Bearman testing… pic.twitter.com/NwJfKZZuSO
— tami. (@Vetteleclerc) January 27, 2024
The 2022 cockpit brought the Monegasque multiple race wins and made him the Vice-World Champion in 2022. His younger brother will be testing the same with it being his first time driving a Formula 1 car. On the 29th and 30th of January, Sainz and Leclerc will be testing the Pirelli tires with the SF23 and will also be testing the SF23 and F1-75 on the 30th.
Arthur Leclerc will be joining the two on 30th January to test the F1-75 while Oliver Bearman will be having a lonely test drive of the F1-75 on 31st January.