Carlos Sainz will return for this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix after the Ferrari driver missed the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix due to appendicitis.
Sainz participated in the first two practice sessions in Jeddah despite feeling unwell, before being diagnosed with appendicitis and forced to undergo surgery.
In the Spaniard’s absence, British teenager Oliver Bearman stepped up from Formula Two as a late replacement and won plaudits as he finished seventh on his Formula One debut.
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Ferrari did not provide a timeframe for Sainz’s recovery, but on Wednesday the team included him on their official media schedule ahead of the Melbourne event.
The Scuderia subsequently confirmed Sainz – who will leave the team upon the expiration of his contract at the end of the season – will return to the car for the season’s third race.
Sainz finished third to Red Bull duo Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez at the Bahrain Grand Prix before team-mate Charles Leclerc made the podium in Saudi Arabia.
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Team principal Fred Vasseur is anticipating a strong showing in Australia, where the race gets under way at 5am UK time on Sunday.
“We expect to be frontrunners on this track, which could produce a similar pecking order to the one seen in Jeddah,” Vasseur said.
“We intend on adopting an aggressive approach with the aim of putting pressure on the team that’s won the first two races.”
