Australian city of Melbourne Just over two weeks after undergoing appendix surgery, Carlos Sainz earned a remarkable victory on Sunday. Just nine days prior, Sainz had doubts about his ability to compete in the Australian Grand Prix, much less win it. On lap four, the Ferrari driver passed championship leader Max Verstappen, when the Red Bull driver encountered a braking issue and was unable to complete the race.
Upon receiving the chequered flag, Sainz exclaimed over the team radio, “This is incredible, life is an emotional rollercoaster. The Ferrari driver traveled to Australia without having full confidence he could compete. Merely relying on my abdominal muscles to move, I was still in bed.” I said to myself, “This is not going to happen.” Sainz discussed his health prior to the trip..
However, I boarded the trip, and all of a sudden my mood improved upon landing in Australia. After competing in practice sessions at Albert Park, Sainz was only declared fit to race on Friday. Throughout his comeback plan, no detail was overlooked. Every 24 hours, I was actually making a lot more progress than I had during the first seven days, as all the doctors and professionals told me.
Athletes recover more quickly because they can devote their entire 24-hour workday for seven days to recuperation. And I did precisely that. I began scheduling one-hour sessions in hyperbaric chambers, taking the Indiba machine—an electromagnetic device for treating wounds—and scheduling my bedtimes, walks, and meals—all of which were essential for my recovery. Everything is just focused on getting better in an effort to get prepared for Australia.
Sainz said the victory was doubly special because it marked the end of a remarkable year. “It’s not only the last two weeks, you know, it’s the whole start of the year in general, how the year started with the news of the non-renewal [of his contract],” he said. Sainz is still searching for a 2025 race seat after Lewis Hamilton was replaced for the upcoming season. Next, you push yourself to the limit to get yourself in shape and ready for the season to begin.
Once you reach Bahrain, you do well on the podium and declare that the season is off to a strong start and that you can maintain the momentum. And then all of a sudden, I was missing a race in Jeddah, having the surgery, spending a lot of time in bed, and not knowing if I would return in time..
There are undoubtedly many unknowns. Will I be able to walk again? Will I return with the automobile in excellent condition? And all of a sudden, you return and triumph. Indeed, as I mentioned on the radio, life can be both a rollercoaster and a genuinely pleasant experience at times. He continued, saying, “I’m just letting it sink in and enjoy the moment.