Shwartzman acquired to pattern Ferrari’s Le Mans 24 Hours-winning LMH automobile on the official WEC rookie check in Bahrain final Sunday, simply over a month after scoring his first victory within the GT World Problem Europe sequence in Barcelona.
Finishing 30 laps on the wheel of the #51 Ferrari 499P, the 24-year-old posted a greatest time of 1m48.559s to finish the day on the prime of the timesheets, beating Jota Porsche’s full-timer Will Stevens by 0.066s.
The Russian-Israeli has examined all kinds of vehicles since exiting Formulation 2 on the finish of the 2021 season, together with IndyCar, Formulation 1 and Formulation E, however this marked his first outing in a prototype sportscar.
Talking after the check, Shwartzman stated his tempo within the Ferrari LMH was proof that he can transfer up the Hypercar class in 2024, and feels he received’t achieve something by persevering with in GTWCE for one more 12 months.
“I am open for all the things, so I actually hope that after this check there’s going to be a chance to attempt the Hypercar and simply race correctly, [and] really feel the entire expertise of endurance racing,” he stated.
“Within the check I’ve proven sufficient that I am absolutely prepared for that automobile and I’ve zero doubt about it.
Picture by: Shameem Fahath
Robert Shwartzman, Ferrari AF Corse
“I am usually very, very fast to adapt to something. Like once I did the IndyCar check, I used to be straight on in the intervening time and quicker [than everyone else].
“With FE additionally once we did the Berlin check, it was additionally superb there. For me it does not require a lot time. I am a really fast learner and that is what I can say I am happy with.
“So I did a season in GT3. I already [have a] really feel [of] the endurance [format]. I do know kind of how issues work. I do not want one other 12 months.
“I do not see something that I’ll be taught greater than I’ve already now. My ambition and goal is clearly to step up subsequent 12 months.”
Forward of final weekend’s Bahrain 8 Hours, Ferrari acknowledged it’s exploring the opportunity of supporting a 3rd LMH automobile within the full 2024 WEC season, though a closing determination behind increasing the programme past the 2 manufacturing facility entries is but to be made.
The Italian producer additionally instructed that it’s going to not make any adjustments to its present driver line-up, that means there will probably be no vacancies in 2024 until an settlement may very well be reached with a buyer group to run an extra LMH automobile with assist from the manufacturing facility.
Shwartzman hopes he will probably be thought-about by Ferrari for the potential third automobile, which might presumably be run by AF Corse with backing from Richard Mille.
“I am actually trying ahead to driving with Ferrari in a hypercar so they may resolve,” he stated.
“I do not know concerning the third automobile, will they do it, will they not. But when they do I actually hope they may take into account me.
“However I usually hope that particularly after this check that I’ve proven what I’m prepared and I am fast to be taught something and that they’re going to have an interest.”
Aside from Shwartzman, Ferrari additionally gave manufacturing facility GT driver Lilou Wadoux the possibility to check out the 499P on the Bahrain Worldwide Circuit, with the 22-year-old setting a greatest time of 1m49.488s after finishing 30 laps within the automobile.
