Sainz will test himself in free practice ahead of Australian GP

After undergoing surgery for appendicitis two weeks ago and without any training since the intervention, Carlos Sainz will gradually return to his Ferrari racing duties for the first free practice session at the Australian Grand Prix on Friday.

The 29-year-old Spanish driver, who secured third place in the Bahrain season-opener, had to yield his seat to reserve driver Olive Bearman at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix while recovering from surgery.

Sainz will step back onto the track at Albert Park with less than optimal fitness and without having utilized the team’s simulator in Maranello for training. While he is confident in his ability to navigate race week, he acknowledges that he may not be at full capacity and remains open to the possibility of relinquishing his seat again if his body signals any discomfort.

“If I don’t feel good tomorrow, I will be the first one to raise my hand and say that I need another two weeks until the next race,” Sainz informed reporters in the Albert Park paddock on Thursday. “And I’m the first one that doesn’t want to be in pain, to suffer, or to make it any worse. So I’m not stupid. And I will be very clear with how I’m feeling and everything.”

🎙️| Carlos Sainz is back:

“I’ve done as much as possible to recover and you cannot imagine the effort and logistics that I have done to be fit for this race.”

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Sainz hopes for Verstappen exit to secure Red Bull seat

“I’m very happy with the progress I’ve made and now it’s time to jump in the car and see how I feel.”

💪 pic.twitter.com/8chPHm7UwX

— Ferrari News 🐎 (@FanaticsFerrari) March 21, 2024

During his absence, Bearman delivered a stellar performance, finishing seventh in his impressive Formula 1 debut at Jeddah, earning him the title of F1’s “Driver of the Day” and garnering praise from fellow drivers.

Sainz expressed admiration for Bearman’s achievement while conceding that it was difficult to witness someone else piloting his car. “Well, it’s not a nice feeling, obviously, not being able to race especially after such a strong start to the season, seeing how competitive the car was again in Jeddah (and) doing the calculations about how many points you lost by the surgery,” he reflected.