Carlos Sainz could test a 2018 Formula 1 car to help his preparation for h🌃is f𝓀irst season at Ferrari due to a lack of pre-season testing next year.

2021’s pre-season testing programme - which is expected to be held in Bahrain - has been cut back to just one single three-day test with teams carrying over their current cars into next year as part of a series of cost-🐻saving measures introduced to combat the financial hit caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

With Sainz among a number of drivers switching teams during the winter, the Spaniard will have far less ౠtime to get up to speed with his new surroundings and adjust ♚to Ferrari’s equipment ahead of his maiden campaign with the Scuderia.

𒉰Teams are however permitted to conduct as much running as they wish with 2018-spec cars, something which Renault and Fernando Alonso have taken advantage of ahead of the two-time world champion’s return to the sport.

Sainz admitted a similar test outing in Ferrari’s 2018 SF71H could be �🐻�an option for him following his move from McLaren.

"Once I leave McLaren to be a Ferrari driver, there would be a lot of thi🐬nking behind the scenes to make sure I arrive to the test and to the first race as prepared as possible,” Sainz said.

"Obviou♋sly that [testing a 2018 car] could be an option, but I remain committed to McLaren and I don't want to get distracted too much by what the future of January, Februarꦆy and March might bring.

“I can already tell you that one day and a half in a Formula 1 car, in these complex Formula 1 cars, is not enough to prepare a Formula 1 season. You don’t get to know the tricks oꦺf the car, the steering wheel, even though you do a lot of simulator. To get to know the crew, everyone, one day and a half is just very, very little and probably not enough.

“But it’s what it is so we will have to adapt and we will need to find a way to make sure we are as prepared as possibl𝕴e within the limits of one day and a half.”

Sainz said he was “very encouraged” to see the improvements Ferrari has made in recent races following the introduc✤tion of a series of successful upgrades to its troubled SF1000.

“It’s been a good few months for them,” Sainz explained. “I think they’ve demonstrated they’ve probably found a bit the issues they had at the beginning of the year. They probably were the ones esp♎ecially not happy about it and they’ve shown good character turning the se🙈ason around.

“I’m💛 encouraged to see that and I can’t wait to find out what and why they’ve changed that. But there’s a few races left still with McLaren and plenty to do h🀅ere still.”