Ferrari says the recent test of their top three Formula 2 juniors at Fiorano was not a “shoot-out” for a 2021 Formula 1 move.
Mick Schumacher, Callum Ilott and Robert Shwartzman all completed laps in the 2018 Prancing Horse at the Scuderia’s private track on Wednesday, ahead of Friday practice outings at upcoming races, with Schumacher and Ilott driving in FP1 at the Nurburgring.
Recent speculation has suggested that two of those three could make the jump to F1, with Schumacher linked to Alfa Romeo and Ilott at Haas.
And asked about the competition at the top of Ferrari’s Academy, sporting director Laurent Mekies hinted that was the most likely outcome.
“It’s not a headache, it’s a good problem to have,” he said. “And that’s the sort of thing we want to deal with.
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“The guys are doing a very good job. Mick and Callum are progressing significantly from last year, they are solid leaders of the championship.
“Robert in his first year is pretty much playing with these guys straight away. So we are very happy with the performance of the three of them. There is a bit more struggle certainly for Marcus [Armstrong] and for Giuliano [Alesi].
“But as far as the three top guys for this year are concerned, we are very happy. It doesn’t give us a headache, it gives us a lot of stability and options for the future and that’s exactly what we have FDA for.”
As for the test at Fiorano, Mekies insisted the focus was on development and potential for development rather than performance right now.
“We are not in a shoot-out mode, we are in the mode where let’s find out how to make sure that they continue building up,” he said.
“At the end of the day, and we’ve seen it with Charles [Leclerc], we have seen it with many other exceptional drivers, it’s about developing, and the development certainly doesn’t stop when you are at the door of F1. It’s only the second chapter, which will also involve development.
“So we need to make sure that we support them in that development, and it is with that in mind that we build our programmes, and it is with that in mind that we are planning the next few weeks for them, to make sure that we put them in the right atmosphere to express themselves.
“On our side, there is no real strong rush to take decisions.”
After the run in the 2018 car, Schumacher, who last drove modern F1 machinery last year in Bahrain, was pleased with the chance to reacquaint himself with the car again.
“A few weeks ago in Mugello, I was able to drive an F2004, an amazing car, but quite old fashioned now,” he admitted.
“Getting behind the wheel of a 2018 hybrid car allowed me to understand how important the electronics are for the Power Unit and how much progress Formula 1 has made in terms of aerodynamics.
“It was very useful to get used to all the procedures again, which are pretty complex.
“I can’t wait to jump into the cockpit in Germany and it will be nice to take part in a practice session for the first time in front of my home crowd. In the team, there are some mechanics who worked with my father and that will make the day even more special.”
As for Ilott, the performance of the F1 car even on a twisty track like Fiorano was still remarkable.
“This was an unforgettable day,” said the Briton.
“I’d already been able to drive a Formula 1 car last year, but today I was able to get to grips with the car with just 10 days to go to my debut on a Grand Prix weekend. It was very useful and I thank Ferrari for giving me this opportunity.
“What struck me about the SF71H was its aero efficiency, which means you have grip levels you just don’t find in other categories. Then there’s the extreme power from the engine and instant braking.”