Leclerc completes shakedown run in new SF21 Ferrari ahead of pre-season testing in Bahrain

Ferrari's 2021 challenger the SF21 has made its on-track debut, after Charles Leclerc completed a shakedown run in the new car on Thursday.

The Scuderia launched the car they hope will get them back to nearer the front of the grid after a hugely disappointing 2020 season on Wednesday, revealing a new two-tone livery, with a splash of green on the engine cover, as well as some key technical changes under the new paint job.

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And on Thursday the car hit the track, with Leclerc – who is heading into his third year at the team – getting behind the wheel for the first technical shakedown at Bahrain, as seen in the image above (courtesy of Ferrari's Twitter feed).

The car will be in action again on Friday and across the weekend, as the three-day pre-season test gets under way, in which all 10 teams will be running their new cars at the Bahrain International Circuit, before the first race of the year at the same venue two weeks later.

Ferrari will be hoping a brand new power unit, plus some aerodynamic and suspension changes to the SF21 will allow them to be more competitive this year, after they slipped to sixth in the constructors' championship in 2020.

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Leclerc is joined this year at the team by former McLaren driver Carlos Sainz, who joins from McLaren to replace Sebastian Vettel – the four-time champion wearing the green of Aston Martin this year.