Carlos Sainz is looking for a successful weekend at the Australian GP after his recent appendicitis surgery. The 29-year-old driver had to skip the previous race due to the surgery, which affected his position in the standings and interrupted his momentum from a solid season opening. However, Sainz has now shared details about his first outing after the surgery.
Sainz discussed his post-surgery condition and how he felt before the race. Despite not being fully recovered, he had a productive day of practice, finishing eighth and third in the two free practice sessions on Friday. The Spanish driver expressed his happiness with these results after a challenging few weeks due to the surgery.
Looking ahead to qualifying on Saturday, Sainz emphasized the importance of getting a good night’s sleep. After the two practice sessions, he is hopeful of achieving good results at the Australian GP. Sainz had already secured a podium in the season opener in Bahrain, so he is optimistic about his performance in the 2024 season.
Although Sainz performed well in the practice sessions, he acknowledged that there is still room for improvement in terms of his driving and his car’s performance. If he pushes himself even further, he may even surpass his recent performances. The Spanish driver could potentially challenge for pole position against his competitors.
However, Sainz recognized that qualifying would be highly competitive. He compared it to the first practice session of the Australian GP, suggesting that there would be intense racing action in the third race of the 24-race season.
Although Red Bull has been dominant so far in the 2024 season, with Max Verstappen winning the first two races, Sainz’s strong performance could position him to compete for second place in the drivers’ championship.