Will Carlos Sainz drive for Ferrari at the Australian Grand Prix?

Matt Hobkinson
Carlos Sainz

Ferrari star Carlos Sainz is set to return to Formula 1 action this weekend at the Australian Grand Prix after the Spaniard was forced to miss the previous race in Saudi Arabia.

Having completed FP1 and FP2 in Jeddah, Ferrari initially announced that the Spaniard was struggling with illness.

It later emerged through an official team statement on March 8 that the 29-year-old would not be able to compete for the rest of the weekend’s action due to an appendicitis diagnosis that required surgery.

It came as a major blow for the Scuderia who had the only non-Red Bull driver to win a race in 2023 on the sidelines for the foreseeable future.

Here’s the latest on Sainz’s road to recovery after his injury.

Will Carlos Sainz drive at the Australian Grand Prix?

Ferrari have confirmed that Sainz is expected back behind the wheel of his Ferrari this weekend in Melbourne.

“Carlos Sainz is expected to be back in the car, having had to miss Jeddah with appendicitis,” the team said in an official statement.

“He and teammate Charles Leclerc will most likely be fighting at the front of the field, as they have done in the first two rounds.”

What race did Carlos Sainz miss for Ferrari?

Sainz could not take part in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, missing out on FP3, qualifying and the race itself.

Who replaced him?

Oliver Bearman, the 18-year-old British rookie, was called up from his role as a reserve driver at late notice for the remainder of the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix weekend.

The teenager had only been behind the wheel of an F1 car in an official capacity on two occasions. Bearman took part in practice sessions for Haas in Mexico and Abu Dhabi last season.

Yet the Brit took the grid by storm as he secured points for the team in his first ever race, finishing ahead of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.

What time is the Australian Grand Prix?

The race gets under way on Sunday, March 24 at 4am GMT, 12am ET and 9pm PT (Saturday, March, 23).

You can find out more about this weekend’s race right here.

2024 F1 Drivers’ Standings

PositionDriverTeamWinsPoints
1Max VerstappenRed Bull251
2Sergio PerezRed Bull036
3Charles LeclercFerrari028
4George RussellMercedes018
5Oscar PiastriMcLaren016
6Carlos SainzFerrari015
7Fernando AlonsoAston Martin012
8Lando NorrisMcLaren012
9Lewis HamiltonMercedes08
10Oliver BearmanFerrari06
11Nico HulkenbergHaas01
12Lance StrollAston Martin01
13Alex AlbonWilliams00
14Zhou GuanyuSauber00
15Kevin MagnussenHaas00
16Daniel RicciardoRB00
17Esteban OconAlpine00
18Yuki TsunodaRB00
19Logan SargeantWilliams00
20Valtteri BottasSauber00
21Pierre GaslyAlpine00

2024 F1 Constructors’ Standings

PositionTeamWinsPoints
1Red Bull287
2Ferrari049
3McLaren028
4Mercedes026
5Aston Martin013
6Haas01
7Williams00
8Sauber00
9RB00
10Alpine00
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