Miguel A. Herguedas

Updated Saturday, March 23, 2024-18:14

  • Classification Only an indomitable Sainz stands up to Verstappen

  • Starting grid Classification and times

  • Fernando Alonso A future in the labyrinth of Red Bull and Mercedes

Less than two weeks ago,

Carlos Sainz

was writhing in pain in a Jeddah hospital, a victim of sudden appendicitis. The doctors had to operate urgently with a paroscopy that was not only going to separate the Madrid native from the Saudi Arabia GP, but also compromised his options in the next race, the third of the World Championship. The Australian GP was coming too soon, but he only thought about keeping his seat at Ferrari. He had to act with the greatest diligence. It was time to undertake an express recovery that ultimately led him to second position on the grid in Melbourne.

There are several protagonists in this little miracle by Sainz, although none has played as decisive a role as his own tenacity. Because Carlos showed up on Thursday in Albert Park with two kilos less muscle and symptoms of obvious weakness. The discomfort worsened during the last free session of the morning, but even so he managed to lead Q1 and Q2 with regularity. And he only lost

pole

to

Max Verstappen

by 27 hundredths.

Sainz has rushed the deadlines in Melbourne with

Pierluigi Della Bona

, his physiotherapist, plus another specialist who purposely traveled from Spain. The first objective was to work in a hyperbaric chamber that would accelerate the healing of his wound. Because this device, very popular among elite soccer players, offers optimal results in terms of oxygen therapy. With more oxygen-rich blood, swelling decreases and protection against infection increases. Furthermore, its obvious benefits could still be enhanced thanks to another device brought from Spain.

radio frequency waves

It is a smaller and more manageable machine, developed with INDIBA technology. Sainz has resorted to her every time he had a free moment, whether at night at the hotel or first thing in the morning at the circuit. It is a non-invasive technique based on radiofrequency waves that triggers natural regeneration responses. Both in the resorption of the edema and in the improvement of the scar. It even achieves an analgesic effect for postoperative pain.

This process has been the first litmus test for Della Bona, who debuted a few months ago with Sainz, taking the place of

Rupert Manwaring

. The Italian has had to control Carlos's momentum, reducing exercises in the gym to a minimum and controlling every movement of the affected area. Of course, weights were left out of the equation. Likewise, diet control has been essential, given the loss of muscle mass. It must be remembered that, after several years of collaboration, Manwaring decided to start a new professional stage with

Max Verstappen

last winter

.

Despite the impeccable work of the doctors at the King Fahd Hospital in Jeddah and the care of the recoverers, the wound in the abdominal area complicated driving. Especially in the small cabin of a Formula 1. Therefore, Ferrari engineers had to make some changes to the seat, the brake pedal and the seat belts. The objective was that the buckle did not rub against one of three small holes in the surgery, located at the level of the navel. Finally, Frédéric Vasseur's men added a soft, sponge-like material to absorb some pressure in the center of the abdomen.

"We could have a chance"

Sainz's Spartan discipline throughout these two weeks has surprised even those closest to him, astonished by the driver's response in qualifying

,

where he set the best times in Q1 and Q2. Until now the only driver on the current grid who had experienced a similar situation was Alex Albon, who needed an extra week of convalescence to compete in the 2022 Singapore GP.

Those around the Madrid native admit that he is still far from his physical fullness. The episodes of fatigue are followed by discomfort behind the wheel of the SF24, the only car that during the first two races has been able to get close, even from a distance, to Verstappen. Today 58 laps (306 km) await through Albert Park. The last challenge for Sainz, determined to give his all until his last day in red. "I need to be at 100% to beat Max. I'm going to give everything to do it, because some time has passed since my victory in Singapore and he has remained in a higher echelon ever since," Carlos said at the FIA ​​press conference. .

The performance of the softest range of Pirelli will once again be key for whoever dares to put the three-time world champion in trouble. Despite his bad streak on Australian soil, where he never went above eighth place and last year received a five-second penalty after a collision with Fernando Alonso, Sainz sent a warning: "If there is a weekend in which we have good pace, it is this one. "Who knows. We might have a chance."