F1: Carlos Sainz Jr Says He's Been Driving Ferrari's 2022 Car Since January

Carlos Sainz has revealed that he has been driving Ferrari's 2022 car on the simulator since January when he joined the team. "I've been driving it since January or February and I've been on top of that car a few times this year," he explained. "The last session was last week. Also after every Pirelli test that we've done this year with the tyres, we've tried to go back and check the tyre model, and tried to put it on the car," he revealed. 

He said that the feeling of driving the current generation of cars and the 2022 cars are quite different. He added that it was an open secret amongst the drivers on the paddock. 

"This is the million-dollar question that there is around the paddock. We know how our car feels, and between drivers, we are like, 'how does yours feel?' I think there starts to be a tendency in the paddock, and the drivers, that we are all going in the direction of: 'wow, this is quite different and quite far from where we are, and from how the car feels now," he added when asked if his views matched that of Lando Norris. 

Ferrari's Sainz has performed really well in his first season at the legendary Italian team 

"It is going to be a big change, and maybe we are, between each other, kind of starting to accept that this is going to be quite a change. And the rumour around the paddock is really starting to go quite in that direction: without having to tell you anything basically [about the car], because I cannot talk about it," the Spaniard added. 

He also added that the Ferrari factory was working at overdrive and internally it was assumed to be a good opportunity for Ferrari to challenge for the world title. 

"There's a lot of work being done on this 2022 project, the whole factory is working as much as they can. It is flat out and we see it at Ferrari as a good opportunity. Will we be able to win or not? This is a different question. But the will and hours and intention for sure are not lacking. And obviously from the driver side neither, because I've been on top of that car in the sim a few times already," he said.