Australian F1 Grand Prix : Just nine days ago, lying on a bed, Carlos Sainz’s appendectomy wound was still delicate. There seemed to be no hope for him to compete in the Australian Grand Prix. However, on Sunday afternoon in Melbourne, the Spaniard emerged from his car after an unexpected and courageous victory, drawing praise from the appreciative crowd.
In Short
Surgery to F1 Triumph
For Sainz, it was an achievement with undoubtedly special significance. As a driver recovering from surgery, he had helped Ferrari return to a formidable form since 2022, following the impressive reign of Max Verstappen, the first World Champion of Red Bull in the post-2022 era of F1. But as of now, such a return hasn’t materialized for F1’s next season.
Vamos Carlos! 🙌
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 24, 2024
Catch up with all the drama Down Under 🍿#F1 #AusGP
Carlos Sainz’s journey so far
“At the cusp of the upcoming season, the 29-year-old contender encountered an unforeseen challenge when Ferrari unexpectedly opted to substitute him with Lewis Hamilton for the 2025 F1 campaign.” It was a disappointing moment, which he countered with a podium finish in the opener in Bahrain, displaying spirited determination. Unfortunately, his misfortune compounded when two weeks ago he was forced to withdraw from the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix due to appendicitis.
After the subsequent operation, he was confined to bed for seven days, and it was late Friday by the time he regained enough confidence, both in himself and Ferrari, that he was fit to drive.
Sainz still not fit
The preparation of the 29-year-old athlete couldn’t have been less than appropriate. He’s still not fully recovered; he has lost several kilos in weight, couldn’t complete normal fitness and simulator work before racing, and admitted that dealing with the intense G-forces at Albert Park after the operation was a unique challenge.
Having qualified with astonishing levels of surprise at Sengfroid, when he looked at his body upon returning to the car, he noted a significant impact. “Everything inside feels like it’s working harder than usual,” he said, while sitting with a cup of tea, generating anxiety akin to when navigating one of the most demanding circuits on the calendar.
Drink it in, Carlos 🥳#F1 #AusGP @FerrariTrento pic.twitter.com/mpdDxxnkML
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 24, 2024
Yet, not only was he on the grid, but he was the closest driver to Verstappen, who was second behind him. Verstappen quickly showed his dominance at the hills, leaving Sainz with only the prospect of following destiny on lap 58, ultimately forcing Sainz to face defeat.
Sainz’s breaks failed
Sainz struggled with locked brakes, before smoke began to emanate from the reigning champion’s right rear tire, Sainz pulled ahead. In an indomitable race spanning nine laps, Verstappen was finally laid to rest on the floor, as his brakes failed when he was negotiating a bend, releasing smoke, dust, and fire into the air with the same fury the Dutchman had shown while ascending from his car earlier. His race ended after four laps, breaking the record of consecutive reliability for Red Bull since Bahrain 2022.
Following this, Sainz capitalized on giving a superb, controlled drive, undoubtedly keeping his tank in mind. Negotiating his rubber through the sharp corners of the incredibly tough circuit with the deftness of a seasoned trout tickler, he made his rubber pliable through the medium of his drive, showing his traditional presentation of the “Smooth Operator” after the flags, which was certainly fitting.
“Spending seven days in bed is for your physical fitness and all muscles, but it’s not very healthy for an athlete,” he later remarked.
Used hyperbaric chambers for recovery
Accordingly, he made every effort to expedite his recovery, using hyperbaric chambers twice a day and employing an Indiba device that charges tissues for rapid recovery in therapy. A diet and schedule were set to determine when to exercise.
It all paid off. He recounted, “When I was about to catch my flight to Australia, I was still in bed.” “I could hardly use my stomach and thought, ‘This isn’t going to happen.’ But I took the plunge, and when I landed, I felt much better and was making significant progress every 24 hours.
What progress it was, like once when he was on track and gaining ground, he felt invincible, overtaking his teammate Charles Leclerc for second and McLaren’s Lando Norris for third.
When he emerged from the cockpit, he seemed physically shattered, but at that moment, he was lifted up and immediately walked into the arms of his waiting Ferrari teammates, who had once again ended Red Bull’s dominance, leaving the helm of the team’s leadership to Sainz. Having won in Singapore in the previous season and beating Red Bull since the Brazilian GP in November 2022, he could now be seen as an anxious worshipper, as the investigation into the remnants of his past victories began.
Sainz’s claim for next F1 season
Sainz is staking his claim for a good seat with a stellar performance next season, especially after enduring another disappointing weekend in the Mercedes, which has failed to perform up to expectations seven times by the champion, Hamilton. He rightly said that this season had been his worst start yet, as he retired in lap 17 due to an engine failure.
His Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez would not have been oblivious to this victory, as the seat at Red Bull that Sainz will occupy is the one he vacates. Riding in the fastest car on the grid, the Mexican was relegated to fifth place, losing badly to both Ferrari and McLaren, and was still not healing from the raw wounds of the scalpel.
Verstappen’s advantage
“Securing two victories already, Verstappen continues to uphold a four-point advantage over Leclerc in the global F1 standings. While Ferrari, despite its speed, aims to reclaim the lead in the upcoming Japan round, Formula One can certainly deliver on that front. It underscores the challenge of thwarting a resilient contender.” Smiling, Sainz concluded, “Life sometimes goes crazy.” “What a start to the year and a podium in Bahrain, then retirement, return, victory, a rollercoaster, but I like it.”
Mercedes’ George Russell’s performance
Mercedes’ George Russell lost his previous lead after coming behind Fernando Alonso and collided with the wall, appearing slow on the final lap at turns six and seven. Following a review of the incident by the stewards, Alonso’s drive-through penalty for “possible dangerous driving” was reduced to a 20-second drive-through penalty, dropping him back to sixth position.
Oscar Piastri was fourth for McLaren, Lance Stroll was sixth for Aston Martin, Yuki Tsunoda was seventh for AlphaTauri, and Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen were ninth and tenth for Haas. It was a forgettable race for Daniel Ricciardo as the Australian could only manage 12th place.
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