Ferrari "proud" of reliability but Sainz questions testing hype

Carlos Sainz believes Ferrari can be "proud" as a team after F1's first winter test in Barcelona but has questioned why the Scuderia has been hailed as a frontrunner so soon.

Sainz and team-mate Charles Leclerc led a mini-resurgence for Ferrari last season by ousting McLaren from third in the constructors' standings.

With improvements made to the power unit in addition to the revamp of F1's rules, hopes are high for a return to the top for the team.

Testing got off to a good start, with Ferrari the only team to surpass the 400-lap mark between both drivers, avoiding some of the more concerning reliability gremlins experienced by others.

“From the reliability side, as a team we are quite happy and proud of where we are with the mileage that we completed," said Sainz.

"Obviously, now it’s time to work not only on the mileage but also to improve the porpoising and if the car is reliable with it which obviously is hard to do.

“But we will keep working on it and will see if we can keep getting better.”

The Maranello-based team was fastest in two of the six sessions at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and Mercedes driver George Russell placed Ferrari and McLaren as the teams to beat so far.

Put to Sainz the Scuderia is in great shape, the Spaniard questioned: “Why do you believe we are in great shape?

"It is very early days and I can’t imagine why you guys are starting to make conclusions and maybe try to put together a bit of a pecking order.

“For us, we have no clue. And I think no one has a clue on which fuel loads, which engine modes everyone is running.

"So we can not confirm or deny that we are happy or sad because we really don’t know where we are.

“I think in Bahrain [the second test that runs from March 10-12] maybe it will start to be a bit easier to guess where everyone is.”

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