Sainz was unable to participate in the race in Jeddah. He had to take two weeks to recover before he could get back behind the wheel for the Friday practice session at Albert Park.
During his recovery period, Sainz couldn’t train much, and he also missed out on using the Ferrari simulator. Despite these setbacks, he showed remarkable performance. He outperformed his teammate Charles Leclerc in the qualifying session. Then, during the race, he managed to overtake Max Verstappen, who was facing some issues with his car. This led Sainz to secure the lead position and eventually win the race for Ferrari.
Vasseur, the team boss, was highly impressed by Sainz’s performance. He mentioned that they had made a collective decision to give their best effort until the very last lap of the season. Sainz demonstrated this commitment perfectly. Despite facing a challenging weekend in Jeddah and being in the hospital just two weeks prior, he bounced back and delivered an outstanding performance on the track.
Vasseur also pointed out that while Sainz may have had a slight edge over Leclerc in terms of performance, the difference was minimal. He emphasized that what mattered more was the overall pace during the race. Even though he faced some challenges at the start of the race while competing with Oscar Piastri, Sainz managed to maintain consistent and strong performance, especially in the last stint of the race when he had a better understanding of tire degradation.
Sainz’s unexpected victory at the Australian Grand Prix showcased his resilience and determination. Despite the hurdles he faced, he managed to deliver an exceptional performance, securing a well-deserved win for the Ferrari team.
Also read: Horner Doesn’t Dismiss Possibility of Sainz Joining Red Bull in F1
